This Crab Salad recipe is not only easy, it’s versatile. It is the perfect base to make crab dip, crab macaroni salad, and crab salad sandwiches!
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, or as a crab salad sandwich. I have had it all three ways and I honestly can’t pick a favorite.
Crab Salad Ingredients
Some people like to add all sorts of fancy stuff to their crab salad (onions, dill, chopped cucumber, cumin, 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 feel like adding any extras, feel free. As mentioned above, we would serve this is 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.
Crab Salad Recipe (Plain)
This recipe is great just as-is. When serving plain, you can serve on lettuce leaves or individual glass dishes (Martini glasses are really pretty if you want to be fancy with it). You can easily dress this recipe up or down depending on what you are serving. This crab salad recipe can also be used as a dip on crackers, along with pasta in a pasta salad, or as a delicious sandwich filling.
Crab Salad Dip
I LOVE 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). 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
This is much like our Hawaiian Macaroni Salad recipe. You can either make our Hawaiian Macaroni Salad and add imitation crab meat OR you can make this recipe and add a cup or two of cooked your favorite shaped pasta. 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. These are great for quick lunches, snacks, or even as appetizers.
More Recipes with Crab and Shellfish
Can’t get enough crab and seafood? Try some of these other delicious recipes:
How to Make Crab Salad
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds crab meat (or imitation crab meat)
- 2 stalks celery
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2/3 cup Best Foods mayonnaise (or Hellmann's)
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Break imitation crab meat into small pieces with hands, or coarsely chop with a knife.
- Finely chop the celery. This gives the crab salad a little crunch, but not too much.
- Toss crab, celery, salt, and pepper together in a medium-sized bowl.
- Stir in mayonnaise and lemon until crab is evenly coated.
For Crab Dip:
- Chop the crab into smaller pieces and prepare as directed above. Serve with chips, club crackers, or Ritz crackers.
For Crab Pasta Salad:
- Add 2-3 cups of cooked and cooled shaped pasta. Stir until well mixed
For Crab Salad Sandwiches/Sliders:
- Place crab salad on Hawaiian-style rolls and serve!
