If you want to make these tasty crab cakes, you can use real crab meat or fake crab meat. The spices are just right for both kids and adults. They’re ready in 20 minutes and only need a few simple ingredients. If you are looking for imitation crab recipes, be sure to bookmark this one!.
My family couldn’t believe I made these myself because they taste like they came from a fancy restaurant. But they were easy to make and cook! You can eat these crab cakes right off the stove or on a bun.
Imitation crab meat also known as surimi, is a versatile and affordable seafood alternative made from whitefish. With its sweet, delicate flavor and shredded texture similar to real crab imitation crab is perfect for those who love seafood but want to save money or avoid shellfish allergies.
The great thing about imitation crab is that you can use it in place of real crab in many dishes without sacrificing much flavor. From appetizers and salads to main courses the possibilities are endless! Here are 12 delicious easy recipes to make with imitation crab meat at home.
A Quick Overview of Imitation Crab
Before jumping into the recipes, let’s go over some key facts about imitation crab:
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Imitation crab is made from surimi, a paste made from pulverized whitefish that is shaped and colored to resemble real crab meat.
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It has a shred-able texture and sweet, mild crab flavor, though less pronounced than real crab.
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Imitation crab is pre-cooked so you can eat it straight from the package, but heating it enhances the flavors.
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It’s an affordable alternative to pricey real crab, costing around $2-4 for an 8 oz pack.
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Store-bought imitation crab often contains fillers, additives, and extra sodium, so check the ingredients.
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For a high-quality option, look for brands marked “gluten-free” and “keto-friendly” with few additives.
Now let’s get cooking! Here are 12 quick, easy, and delicious ways to use up imitation crab meat at home.
1. Imitation Crab Salad
A classic imitation crab salad is simple to whip up. Combine shredded imitation crab with mayonnaise, lemon juice, diced celery, onions, parsley, salt, and pepper. Chill for at least an hour before serving on bread, crackers, or lettuce cups.
2. Hot Crab Dip
For an easy hot appetizer, mix together imitation crab, cream cheese, mayo, minced garlic, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, and seasonings. Bake until bubbly, then serve with bread, chips, or veggies.
3. Crab Rangoon
These crab and cream cheese wontons are a popular Chinese restaurant appetizer. Mix together imitation crab, cream cheese, green onions, garlic powder, ginger, and soy sauce. Place a spoonful in wonton wrappers and fry until crispy.
4. Crab Stuffed Mushrooms
Take your stuffed mushrooms up a notch by using imitation crab. Mix together imitation crab, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, garlic, lemon zest, and herbs. Stuff into mushroom caps and bake until golden brown.
5. Crab Cakes
To make crab cakes with added crunch, combine imitation crab with breadcrumbs, egg, parsley, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, and Old Bay seasoning. Form into patties and pan fry in oil and butter until crispy outside.
6. Imitation Crab Fried Rice
Stir imitation crab into fried rice for an easy weeknight meal. Saute riced cauliflower or regular rice with sesame oil, add in peas, carrots, eggs, soy sauce, and imitation crab. Garnish with green onions.
7. Cheesy Crab Pasta
Imitation crab pairs perfectly with cheesy pasta. Make an easy sauce by melting butter with flour and milk, then add Parmesan, imitation crab, and seasonings. Toss with cooked pasta for a fast dinner.
8. Crab Quiche
Quiche makes a nice light meal. Make a custard with eggs, cream, and Swiss cheese, pour into a pie crust, and top with sautéed imitation crab before baking. Sprinkle with parsley before serving.
9. Crab Melts
For an easy lunch or light dinner, top English muffins or bagels with imitation crab salad and cheese, then broil until melted and toasted. Add tomato, lettuce, or avocado for extra flavor.
10. Seafood Casserole
Use imitation crab in this creamy casserole with shrimp, rice, cheese, vegetables, and a homemade sauce. The flavors blend perfectly together.
11. Sushi Rolls
California rolls are a popular sushi made with imitation crab. Fill nori sheets with imitation crab, avocado, cucumber, and rice, then roll up and slice into rounds.
12. Crab Bisque
Make this elegant soup by sautéing aromatics, then simmering with cream, seafood stock, tomato paste, and imitation crab. Finish with sherry and parsley.
Tips for Cooking with Imitation Crab
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Briefly heat or soak imitation crab in milk to mellow any salty or fishy flavors before using raw.
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Add it at the end of cooking when adding to hot dishes to avoid overcooking the texture.
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Enhance flavor by adding lemon, garlic, herbs, Worcestershire and soy sauce.
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Keep any breading light to avoid masking the delicate crab flavor.
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Try mixing with real crab or shrimp for more pronounced seafood flavors.
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Look for high-quality brands like Chicken of the Sea or Trader Joe’s for the best taste and texture.
With these simple recipe ideas, you can start enjoying delicious crab-flavored dishes easily and affordably using imitation crab meat! It adds lovely seafood flavor to appetizers, sandwiches, pasta, rice, quiche, soup and more.
Frequency of Entities:
https://insanelygoodrecipes.com/imitation-crab-recipes/:
Imitation crab – 23
Crab meat – 12
Real crab – 5
https://www.food.com/recipe/quick-and-easy-sauteed-imitation-crab-236043:
Imitation crab – 8
Crabmeat – 7
Additional Seafood Recipes
Here are a few more more seafood ideas for you!
Types of Crab Meat
- This is the most expensive because there isn’t a lot of this kind of meat on a crab. However, it is also the most substantial!.
- Large lump crab meat is cheaper than the large lump crab meat, but it’s still very heavy and tastes great in crab cakes.
- This type of crab meat is a bit flakier than lump crab meat. Since more of it is on each crab, it costs less because it comes from the crab’s body.
- One of the real crab options is claw, which costs the least. There is a stronger taste to claw crab meat, and most people like jumbo lump, lump, or backfin crab meat for a good crab cake.
- Imitation crabmeat – this is the least expensive option. Since food costs so much these days, I’m more likely to pick this option.
What Can I Make With… Imitation Crab! | Cooking for Two | 4 Easy Recipes using Imitation Crabmeat
What can I make with imitation crab meat?
Crab Pasta Bake – imitation crab meat, butter, cream, pasta, Old Bay Seasoning & a few more easy ingredients, makes delicious casserole in no time! This imitation crab dip is a creamy and savory appetizer or snack that’s perfect for holiday parties or game day.
Are coconut crabs healthy to eat?
Crabs are rich in omega 3 fatty acids, protein, vitamins like riboflavin and minerals like selenium, copper, phosphorus. Coconut crabs are not known to be poisonous. The fat in the abdomen and the egg inside the female are the delicious edible parts. It is prepared by steaming or boiling them in coconut milk. Consuming coconut crab along with sea mango, cerbera manghas may make the coconut crab toxic due to the presence of cardiac cardenolides(cardiac active steroids). This causes electrolyte imbalance that affects the electrical conductivity of the heart.
What are imitation crab recipes?
Whether you’re a beginner chef or a kitchen pro, these imitation crab recipes are sure to help you create delicious meals in no time. This light and refreshing Kani Salad, or crab stick salad, is a Japanese-style appetizer made with julienned cucumber, crab sticks, and a tangy mayonnaise-based dressing.
How do you eat imitation crab?
Since imitation crab is fully cooked, it’s easy to include crab sticks along with sliced avocado, cucumber and sushi rice in this easy recipe. Using a bamboo mat, place your nori sheet on it and spread the sushi rice over it. Carefully flip it over to create an inside out sushi roll where the rice is on the outside.