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Home » Salads » Crab Salad Recipe

Crab Salad Recipe

Profile photo of chef Jessica Randhawa of The Forked Spoon Jessica Randhawa
May 25, 2022
4.77 from 123 votes


Last Updated May 25, 2022 | 6 Comments

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crab salad pinterest pin image
crab salad pinterest pin image

This easy Crab Salad is made with imitation crab meat, diced onion, and celery all tossed in a creamy mayonnaise dressing. Delicious served over a bed of lettuce, scooped onto buttery crackers, or piled between your favorite sandwich roll.

Crab salad served over mixed greens and served with buttery crackers on a white plate.

Easy Crab Salad

Creamy crab salad made with imitation crab meat (or real crab meat) is delicious – I don’t care what anyone says. Perfectly tangy, salty, and so easy to make with just the right amount of crunch – it’s incredibly difficult to resist shoving spoonfuls into your mouth once you’ve had a taste.

At least this was my experience.

You see, I didn’t grow up with creamy seafood salads. My parents were more interested in traditional potato salad or the occasional pasta salad. I learned about crab salad later in life and I couldn’t believe what I was missing out on all those years. This salad is made with imitation crab meat, but feel free to substitute it with real lump crab meat if that’s more your style.

What is Imitation Crab (Krab)?

Imitation crab is made of surimi – fish flesh (typically pollock) that is washed and deboned to remove anything unwanted and then chopped and turned into a paste. This paste is then mixed with other ingredients, heated, and molded into shapes, like sticks and flakes. Highly processed, imitation crab typically contains no crab, but it is made from seafood and is made to taste like crab.

Ingredients for crab salad on a white table.

How to Make Crab Salad

  1. Combine the crab meat, red onion, celery, and chives in a large bowl.
  2. In a separate bowl whisk together the mayo, sour cream, fresh lemon juice, dijon mustard, Old bay seasoning, salt, and black pepper.
  3. Combine the creamy dressing with the crab and veggies – gently mix to combine. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
Large white bowl filled with imitation crab, diced red onion, chopped celery, and chopped chives.

Is Crab Salad Keto?

Crab salads made with imitation crab are not considered keto. This is because imitation crab meat is highly processed and is not keto-friendly. If you are following a strict keto diet, I recommend swapping the imitation crab for real lump cran meat instead.

Recipe Tips

  • You can use imitation crab flakes or sticks, it doesn’t really matter. For this recipe, I used one package of each.
  • Feel free to use low-fat mayonnaise and substitute Greek yogurt for the sour cream.
  • Add other veggies and herbs like green onions, fresh dill, chopped bell pepper, or cucumbers.
  • Add small cooked shrimp to make it a seafood salad!
  • This recipe is best enjoyed within 2 days. Keep leftovers stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
White bowl filled with creamy mayo dressing seasoned with black pepper.

How to Serve Imitation Crab Salad

One of the best ways to enjoy this easy recipe is by making it into a crab salad sandwich. Use your favorite sandwich bread, rolls, or hamburger buns and pile on with crisp lettuce and juicy tomatoes. When I’m in a hurry, I’ll make a salad with fresh lettuce and tomatoes and serve it with some buttery crackers.

More Amazing Salad Recipes,

  • Taco Salad Recipe
  • Fresh Corn Salad Recipe
  • Arugula Salad with Shaved Parmesan
  • Orzo Arugula Salad with Feta and Grapes
  • Spinach Pear and Feta Salad Recipe
  • Chinese Chicken Salad Recipe
Crab salad served over mixed greens and served with buttery crackers on a white plate.

Have you tried making this Crab Salad Recipe?

Tell me about it in the comments below! I always love to hear your thoughts. And tag me #theforkedspoon on Instagram if you’ve made any of my recipes, I always love to see what you’re cooking in the kitchen.

Crab salad served over mixed greens and served with buttery crackers on a white plate.

Crab Salad Recipe

4.77 from 123 votes
Chef: Profile photo of chef Jessica Randhawa of The Forked SpoonJessica Randhawa
This easy Crab Salad is made with imitation crab meat, diced onion, and celery all tossed in a creamy mayonnaise dressing. Delicious served over a bed of lettuce, scooped onto buttery crackers, or piled between your favorite sandwich roll.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe Save Recipe Saved!
Prep Time 20 mins
Total Time 20 mins
Course Appetizer, Salad, Seafood, Side Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 8 servings
Calories 246 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

  • 24 ounces imitation crab meat - flaked style or sticks, chopped
  • ½ red onion - diced
  • 1 stalk celery - diced
  • 2 tablespoons chives - chopped, plus more for serving
  • ¾ cup mayonnaise - full-fat or low-fat
  • ¼ cup sour cream - or plain Greek yogurt
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
  • ½ teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
  • salt + pepper - to taste
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Instructions
 

  • In a large bowl combine the imitation crab meat, red onion, celery, and chives.
  • In a separate mixing bowl mix together the mayo, sour cream, fresh lemon juice, dijon mustard, Old Bay seasoning, salt, and black pepper.
  • Pour the creamy mayo dressing over the crab and gently mix to combine. Season with additional salt and black pepper, to taste.
  • Serve immediately or transfer to an airtight container and keep stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Jessica’s Notes

  • This recipe can also be made with real lump crab meat.
  • Keep leftovers stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Best enjoyed within 2 days.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 246kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 22mg | Sodium: 625mg | Potassium: 42mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 118IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 15mg | Iron: 1mg

(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and specific brands of ingredients used.)

Keyword Crab Salad, Crab Salad Recipe, Crab Salad with Imitation Crab, imitation crab salad
Did You Make This Recipe? Tag it Today!Mention @theforkedspoon or tag #theforkedspoon and please leave your star rating in the comment section below.

About Jessica

Profile photo of chef Jessica Randhawa of The Forked Spoon

Jessica Randhawa is the head chef, photographer, and recipe developer of The Forked Spoon. Jessica fell in love with cooking while traveling through Asia and Europe, where she discovered her passion for good food and new adventures. Her recipes have been featured on Yahoo, MSN, USA Today, FeedFeed, and many more. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of California.

582 shares
Profile photo of chef Jessica Randhawa of The Forked Spoon

About Jessica Randhawa

Jessica Randhawa is the head chef, photographer, and recipe developer of The Forked Spoon. Jessica fell in love with cooking while traveling through Asia and Europe, where she discovered her passion for good food and new adventures. Her recipes have been featured on Yahoo, MSN, USA Today, FeedFeed, and many more. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of California.

Comments

  1. Lori Paris says

    January 20, 2023 at 5:21 pm

    5 stars
    My family loves this! We love on a multi generational house and a recipe that EVERYONE loves is rare. I added dill and agave.

    Reply
  2. May says

    October 3, 2022 at 12:36 pm

    Does the recipe call for 24 oz of crab meat?

    Reply
    • Profile photo of chef Jessica Randhawa of The Forked SpoonJessica Randhawa says

      October 3, 2022 at 1:36 pm

      yes 🙂

      Reply
  3. Terry says

    September 23, 2022 at 10:46 am

    5 stars
    This is my go to recipe! But, I only use 1/4 cup mayo. It is delicious.

    Reply
  4. Scott says

    July 28, 2022 at 2:07 am

    5 stars
    I tell my family to let me know. If they like something or if it’s horrible. I trust they would tell me the truth. I used butter milk instead of sour cream an the family loved it.

    Reply
  5. Jim J. says

    May 29, 2022 at 11:11 am

    5 stars
    this was the exact kind of crab salad I was looking for, and it turned out very well.

    Reply

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Chef Jessica Randhawa of The Forked Spoon

I’m Jessica! Aka mom, wife, chef, and travel-obsessed photographer. Welcome to The Forked Spoon. Here you can browse hundreds of incredible family-friendly recipes covering dozens of diets, courses, and cuisines. Learn more about me.

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