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This Crab Salad recipe is not only easy, it’s versatile. It is the perfect base to make crab dip, crab macaroni salad, crab salad sandwiches, and MORE!
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.
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.
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)
Classic Crab Salad Recipe
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. Add some fresh parsley as a garnish to dress it up and add some color.
Crab Salad Variations
Though we love the classic crab salad recipe, sometimes we like switching it up and adding some different ingredients for a twist on the classic flavors. Here are some fun ideas to try:
- Avocado Crab Salad: Add diced ripe avocado to your crab salad for a creamy and slightly nutty flavor. The avocado complements the crab beautifully.
- Spicy Crab Salad: If you enjoy some heat, add diced jalapeños or a dash of hot sauce to your crab salad. You can also use Sriracha mayo for an extra kick.
- Asian-Inspired Crab Salad: Incorporate flavors like soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, and cilantro into your crab salad for an Asian twist. You can also add thinly sliced cucumbers or carrots for freshness and crunch.
- Mango Crab Salad: Dice fresh mango and mix it into your crab salad for a sweet and tropical flavor. It pairs wonderfully with the crab’s brininess.
- Cajun Crab Salad: Season your crab salad with Cajun spices like paprika, cayenne pepper, and thyme for a zesty, Creole-inspired taste.
- Greek Crab Salad: Combine crab with Greek yogurt, cucumber, feta cheese, dill, and lemon juice for a Mediterranean-style crab salad.
- Curry Crab Salad: Add curry powder and chopped mango to your crab salad for a fusion of Indian and seafood flavors.
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.
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). 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
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. 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.
Crab Salad Stuffed Avocado
For a high-protein 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!
Crab Salad Cucumber Boats
Another 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!
More Popular Ways to Use this Crab Salad Recipe
- 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.
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
Crab salad in sushi is often made the same way as described in our recipe below. Sometimes it is chopped up more for easier rolling. Sometimes only the crab sticks are used.
Celery and shallots are the most common vegetables that go with crab salad. Though technically fruits, avocado, and cucumber also go well with crab salad.
Most imitation crab is made from pollock or other white fish.
More Seafood Salad Recipes
Can’t get enough crab and seafood? Try some of these other delicious seafood salad recipes:
Crab Salad Recipe
Video
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
- fresh dill optional, to taste
Instructions
- Break imitation crab meat into small pieces with hands, or coarsely chop with a knife. You can also coarsely chop in a blender or food processor.
- 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 large 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!
For Crab Stuffed Avocado:
- Slice an avocado in half and remove the seed. Place crab in the hole from the seed. Season with pepper.
For Crab Cucumber Boats:
- Peel and slice a cucumber. Scoop out seeds and replace with crab. Top with Sriracha, spicy mayo, and furikake or sesame seeds.
This recipe is great! Not only is it extremely easy but also versatile. I add celery salt instead of regular and it not only boosts the celery flavor but also helps use it up as there aren’t many recipes asking for it. Good quality mayo makes a big difference. Thanks Erica
Thank you for the 5-star rating! Also, thank you for the celery salt tip. I’m going to add it as a recipe tip to the recipe. We will definitely try that and suggest it to our readers. Merry Christmas!
How much celery salt did you add.
Making this for 4th of July
Made this by tripling recipe and adding the pasta to feed 50 at a wine tasting dinner. I added Old Bay and used gluten free pasta! Huge hit!
Easy simple and delicious!
Thank you so much
How long does it last in the fridge for?
Up to 5 days in the refrigeration in an airtight container. Thank you for asking!
Can you sub Miracle Whip for the mayo?
Sure!
It all looks great
PHENOMENALLY WELL DONE!!, These are easy to follow and generally 1 main base will have several variations.. Thanks for GREAT recipes
The Crab looks good and I just cracked open a fresh one. 20 hrs. from sea to me!
What’s up with my latest recipes vid-window?
it shows about 20 seconds, then goes to a commercial but never comes back to the video and goes onto something different?
Made it…very simple and tasty. I use an old fashioned potato masher to mix. My only gripe is NEVER SAY SALT AND PEPPER TO TASTE. Not everyone has a great sense of smell/taste and I know your restaurant used specific amounts. I had to find other recipes to approximate the s&p.
Easy to make and will enjoy eating it
I love crab salad. This recipe is awesome. The only thing I change is not salt & pepper but old bay seasoning. I also rehydrate dried roasted onions instead of celery. And yes real crab is best. You can buy it in a can already out of its shell. Blue crab is sweet and awesome and can be purchased on sale for $9.99 1 pound crab meat. Works so well together.
Where did you buy for 9.99?
Amen to Old Bay seasoning. I am a Maryland girl.
I have read the comments and I just want to say, I’m real happy for those who can afford to use real crab in a salad. Personally I can’t and when I do purchase real crab I want to dip it in drawn butter like lobster. This recipe is wonderful and if no one told me I wouldn’t even know it was imitation. It’s so good and I don’t have to feel guilty over what I spent and can still afford to eat the next day.
Perfect!
This really is so easy. We loved it!
I am excited to try this since I found crab at the market.
This is my Mom’s crab salad recipe.
1 lb. box pasta, corkscrew or shells
1 lb. Imitation crab meat flaked
1 lb. bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 large bottlel of Hidden Valley ranch dressing
1 medium onion chopped fine
a little shredded carrot for color
Mix all together and chill.
Sounds amazing! Thanks for sharing!
Can we use frozen imitation crab?
Sure!
I tried this recipe and was delish as is but my 94 year old grandmother always added cream cheese to hers and hers was hands down a winner every time. After tasting this recipe it really needed the 4 oz of cream cheese (softened) as she made it ~ so I did add it in. Gives it so much more flavor and compliments the imitation crabmeat wonderfully. I will be using your recipe and and adding the cream cheese for Christmas as a gift to my family in remembrance of my grandmother and her most loved recipe, thank you!!
That’s a nice little addition. 🙂
This Crab Salad looks so amazing! The perfect side dish for the summer!
I couldn’t believe how easy this recipe was to make, but it turned out to be so flavorful and delicious! Perfect for summer!
Easy, and great taste. I use ditalini pasta, great summer side dish
I love this crab salad recipe! It really is so delicious and tasted great in sliders, the whole family loved them!
Oh, I almost bought fresh crab yesterday, now I need to go back so I can make crab salad. I love that your recipe is simple without lots of ingredients that overpower the crab. Afterall, if I am paying $$$ for crab I want to taste it.
awesome!
This is a very simple no fuss crab salad recipe. I whipped it up within minutes. I used imitation crab, light mayo, and made a pita sandwich out of it using whole wheat pita pocket and lined it with fresh spinach and sliced tomato, then stuffed it with this crab salad, and it made a delicious WW friendly lunch. SmartPoints came out to 6 (Blue) 6 (Green) 6 (Purple). Thank you so much for such a great recipe!
Just curious what knife brand do you use? I noticed a knife (couldn t see the brand) in one of pictures and since i m sure you do a lot of chopping I d ask. ??
The knife you saw in one of the photos is a Wusthof knife. They are pricey, but they are excellent knives!
I love this recipe if only because for family holidays I can make enough of this with the imitation crab meat for 24 people and not hurt the holiday food budget too much. Real crab in the rural area we live in is just too pricey. I did make it once with real crab meat just for me and hubby but will not do so again because to us there truly was no real difference in taste, it just cost more. This recipe is quick, easy, and pretty inexpensive with imitation crab. Perfect for us older folks on a budget.
Hi Michele- I am so glad you like this recipe! I agree– it is WAYYY cheaper than using fresh crab. Glad you found a way to enjoy this without breaking the bank!
Simple and delicious and our new favorite snack recipe. Wonderful, thanks for sharing!
Hello, I have a question, can I use boiled eggs in my crab salad?? Oh and I will use real crab meat!!
Absolutely! I have heard of others doing this– it just isn’t my cup of tea 😉 Give it a try and let us know how you like it!
I can’t wait to try this! Crab salad has always been a secret favorite, but it’s usually not done well in the stores around me. It suddenly dawned on me that it can’t be hard to make! Imitation crab shouldn’t even be called crab… it’s a little weird and a little tasty, but definitely not crab! Thanks for showing me how easy it is!
Thank you, Anne! You will love how easy this is to make and how good it tastes!
My aunt usually makes the best crab salad but after seeing this recipe, I challenged her..😂😂 til this day she don’t know how easy it is to make..but now she have me make it at every family event…she now says that I make the best crab salad ever..its funny because hers is very extravagant and mine is just this simple recipe..thank you my family loves it.
Oh my gosh this is the best story ever!!! haha you seriously made my day! Don’t worry, I won’t tell your aunt 😉 Your secret is safe with me 😀
Imitation crab meat in this recipe is just FINE. I fix it for supper as a salad on a plate of shredded lettuce w/ accompanying clam chowder when first prepared and a couple days later as a hoagie sandwich with shredded lettuce, tomato and onion. For all those with imitation crab strong opinions, call it SURMI SALAD and be done with it! Forget the words imitation and fake. Simply think of it as a food in its own right. I think of surmi as a good substitute in this recipe, not as a substitute for crab, therefore I call it Surmi Salad!
Thank you so much for this simple recipe for crab salad. Most call for adding Ranch dressing, I think it is fine if you like ranch dressing. Hummm, maybe a touch of bleu cheese dressing….I think this plain recipe will be dinner tonight!
Thanks so much for the 5-stars! I definitely like my crab salad on the less ranch-y side too 😉 Never thought of adding blue cheese. Might have to try it sometime!
Optional:
equal amounts of mayonnaise and ranch dressing
1/2 lb small shrimp, chopped
small jar pimentos, drained
Replace salt with 1/2 teaspoon Accent flavor enhancer
You will need to add a little more mayo or ranch to desired consistency
Love these ideas! Thanks!
I live in the desert and real crab is WAAAY too expensie here
. The imitation crab suits my family just fine, made just the way this recipe says. It’s all accordig to what you’re used to and this is just fine and tasty with the imitation crab!
This recipe is so basic but so good. I did not even like crab until now.and I’m 61 years old.My friend left some crab after she came over for an afternoon BBQ. I did not want to waste it so I came across your recipe. This was so good that I invited my friend back that week for a quick bite at lunch. She was so impressed that we are now cooking buddies as well. I don’t have the heart to tell her that I really don’t know how to cook, thanks for the recipe!
This comment MADE MY DAY and warms my heart! So happy to hear that our recipe created a cooking friendship! THIS is why we do what we do. 🙂 Richard you are welcome here any time.
Great recipe!
I only use the real thing!
It’s easy & delicious!!
My father in law taught me this recipe years back, its a family favorite for bbq’s & thanksgiving. Kids always ask for more!
***we add diced apple to ours & sometimes red grapes if on hand.
I just made this with imitation krab put it on a hoggie roll with shredded lettuce, thinly sliced tomatoes and chopped black olives. Wow! Soooo good. Will try canned lump crab next. A keeper either way I’m sure
Yum!!! That sounds delicious!
I used to live on the Oregon coast and agree that the real thing is the best. I now live in Nevada….. I don’t mind the imitation rab meat, especially as a salad. I also do lettuce rolls with the imitation.
imitation crab should be illegal, it is so wrong, off taste, weird texture. If you don’t have fresh crab get it in the refrigerator section, or even canned, Mayonnaise, green onion, finely chopped , some kind of seasoning salt (I use the one with MSG, but any will do) a tbs. or so of creme fresh, salt and pepper, a tsp. lemon zest, and if la like, a little minced red pepper, mix and serve
You sound like political campaign. Make it illegal? Communists make lots of thing illegal and they ban thigs. Not everyone can afford a real crab. And people have a preferences. This is a free country.
Wegman’s grocery sells real, lump crabmeat, in a tuna fish sized can for $39.99 per can.
Bout to make a crab salad now????????
Yum! I’ll be over! 🙂
I do not ever use fake crab meat….what a poor substitute for the real thing…even canned is better. Purist Gulf Coast Mamaw!
I’m with you on this, must be real crab meat. Fake has an awful after taste.
You can definitely use real crab meat — it will just be a lot more expensive :/ (but I agree, it will taste better)
Not unless you catch it yourself. 😁
Funny, I love the fake crab. It’s pollock, isn’t it?
Me, too!
I’m going to try it because my husband loves the imitation crab
yes, it is. i saw a video once of it being processed into imitation crab.
There is nothing like the real thing baby 🍷 real crab is worth every penny that we deserve 😀
I totally agree. Imitation crab meat is awful much too sweet. The red dye? Nope. It’s just gross!
It’s good but try adding equal amounts of mayonnaise and ranch dressing
Great idea!
I live these crabmeat recipes I have made the dip for my daughters wedding n it was a hit n I have been making it every since it’s always a big hit .love it
Sounds better.
I really like how easy this is to make and that it’s so versatile. Can’t wait to try it.