Easy Crab Salad Recipe

The BEST Crab Salad

This is how we would make crab salad at the restaurant I worked at in Hawaii and it was always a favorite! I love making this crab salad as a quick snack or an easy lunch. You can either have it plain, as a crab dip, as crab macaroni salad, as a crab salad sandwich, or any of the other possibilities below. I have had it all the different ways and I honestly can’t pick a favorite.

When serving plain, you can serve on lettuce leaves or individual glass dishes (Martini glasses are pretty if you want to be fancy with it). You can easily dress this recipe up or down, depending on what you are serving. Add some fresh parsley as a garnish to dress it up and add some color.

What is Crab Salad Made Of?

Ironically, most crab salad (including this recipe) isn’t made from actual crab. Most crab salad is made from imitation crab meat (aka “krab meat” or “surimi”). It is more commonly found than actual crab meat and is MUCH cheaper. Imitation crab meat is often found in California rolls or simply eaten on its own as a snack.

Imitation Crab Meat vs Real Crab Meat

This is a huge debate. Of course if you make this with real crab it is going to taste the best. But have you noticed the price of real crab the past few years? It’s outrageous! It’s really up to you if you want to spend the extra money. We made this crab salad with fresh crab at the Oregon coast last year and it was absolutely delicious! It was just a little expensive. If you are looking for a cheaper alternative, imitation crab might be the best way to go.

Classic Crab Salad Ingredients

Some people like to add all sorts of fancy stuff to their crab salad (onions, dill, chopped cucumber, cumin, dijon mustard, etc.) but, I like my crab salad SUPER simple. Not to say that the above mentioned add-ins are bad, they just alter the taste too much in my opinion. If you want to add any extras, feel free. As mentioned above, we would serve this in the restaurant I worked at in Hawaii and it was always a crowd favorite. Everyone wanted to know the secret to why it was so good, and really, there was no secret at all! It is the easiest, most simple crab salad recipe ever. Here’s what we use in our crab salad recipe:

• Imitation crab meat (or real crab meat)
• Celery
• Mayonnaise
• Salt and Pepper
• Lemon Juice
• Fresh dill (optional)
• Optional ingredients: onions, dill, chopped cucumber, cumin, dijon mustard (see more variation ideas below)

Neptune Crab Salad

Simply put, Neptune salad is another term for “crab salad”. Some may argue that Neptune salad is more complex than a simple crab salad, and more of a “seafood salad”. Others may say that any kind of crab salad qualifies as “Neptune salad”. It really depends on what region of the country you are in. If you want to make a more complex crab salad (or “Neptune Salad”), make the recipe below and then add any or all of the following:

• Hard boiled egg, sliced
• Peas
• Pickles, sweet or dill, chopped
• Shredded carrot, to taste
• Green onions
• Red onion, chopped
• Old Bay seasoning, to taste
• Paprika, to taste

You can serve Neptune salad tossed with spiral pasta, or it can be served on a bed of lettuce. 

Cold Crab Salad Dip

I LOVE crab salad as a dip. Check out our Cold Crab Dip recipe for a great way to enjoy crab salad as a dip. If you are making it as a dip, you will want to chop the crab up into smaller pieces (so it can fit on a cracker). One really easy way to do this is to chop the crab in a food processor or blender. We like serving it with club crackers or Ritz crackers. We also like using the whole-grain “Food Should Taste Good” chips that you can get at Costco.

Crab Pasta Salad

Our Crab Pasta Salad recipe is a spin on regular crab salad. The pasta bulks up the dish to make it go further and serve a crowd. This is a great side dish for potlucks or neighborhood BBQs. It is also a great side-dish for simple weeknight meals to serve along with sandwiches, wraps, or burgers.

Crab Salad Sandwiches

Crab salad sandwiches are a great alternative to tuna sandwiches. I love serving the crab salad on Hawaiian rolls because they are so soft and slightly sweet. You can also serve your crab salad on a hoagie roll, hero roll, or even on a croissant. These are great for quick lunches, snacks, or even as appetizers.

More Popular Ways to Use this Crab Salad Recipe

Cucumber Crab Boats (pictured above): A low-calorie, high-protein option is to serve your crab salad in a cucumber boat! Peel the cucumbers, cut lengthwise, and scoop out the center. Place the crab down the middle and top with sriracha, spicy mayo, and furikake or sesame seeds. You will be surprised how by much flavor there is in these little boats!

Crab Salad Lettuce Wraps: Use large lettuce leaves, such as iceberg or butter lettuce, as a wrap. Fill them with crab salad, and you have low-carb, crunchy lettuce wraps.

Crab Salad Sushi Roll: Create your own sushi roll by placing a thin layer of crab salad on a sheet of seaweed, add avocado, cucumber, and sushi rice, then roll it up for a homemade sushi treat. Get tips on rolling sushi in our California Roll recipe.

Crab Salad Sushi Bowls: Create sushi bowls by serving crab salad over cooked sushi rice, then add avocado, cucumber, and other desired toppings.

Crab Stuffed Avocado (pictured below): For another low-carb option, you can serve your crab salad stuffed in an avocado. Halve an avocado, remove the seed, and place the crab in the hole where the seed was. Add a little salt and pepper for flavor and enjoy!

Storing Leftover Crab Salad

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for three to five days. Because mayonnaise is used in this recipe, freezing crab salad isn’t recommended. It just won’t taste good after it thaws.

Read Next: 35+ Easy Lunch Ideas

More Seafood Recipes

Can’t get enough crab and seafood? Try some of these other delicious seafood salad recipes:

• Easy Crab Boil Recipe
• Crab Salad Sandwiches
• Cold Crab Dip
• Crab Pasta Salad
• Shrimp Taco Bites
• Grilled Shrimp Salad
• Shrimp Pasta Salad
• Tuna Macaroni Salad
• Tuna Salad