Crab Salad is a classic Seafood Salad recipe with imitation crab, shallot and celery in a creamy dressing with a blend of herbs and spices.
While real crab meat is best for more elevated Seafood dishes like Crab Artichoke Dip, Crab Cake Sandwich, and Crab Cakes, imitation crab is perfect for creamy Salads for the Summer.
Crab Salad, also known as Seafood Salad, is a beloved nostalgic dish that you can find just as easily at a seaside cafe as you can the grocery store deli. Whether it’s made with real crab, loaded with veggies, or spread on a hoagie as a sandwich, there are many favorite ways to make this classic seafood dish. This recipe features imitation crab, shallots, and celery, all enveloped in a creamy dressing infused with a blend of paprika, dill, plus a little salt and pepper.
If you’re wondering what to make with imitation crab, it doesn’t get much better than this Easy Crab Salad recipe. There are just a handful of ingredients, you don’t have to do any cooking and there’s hardly any prep work. The imitation crab meat is super inexpensive and easy to find at most grocery stores for a fraction of the price of the real stuff! You can use whole “leg” meat, or you can get the flaked-style crab to save you a step of chopping it up. Either way, it will make a tasty salad with some mayo, spices and fresh, crunchy veggies.
At first, it may sound a bit odd to mix seafood and mayonnaise, but if you’ve every had Tuna Salad or lobster rolls, you know that a creamy dressing is exactly what makes cold Crab Salad recipes so amazing! The cool, creamy mayo with the smoky paprika and tangy dill is perfect with the delicate seafood flavor of imitation crab and real crab alike.
This tasty homemade Crab Salad can be enjoyed as a light and refreshing appetizer, a satisfying lunch option, or even as a classic sandwich. You can serve it with crispy crackers and veggies like bell peppers and cucumber slices for dipping at parties. Throw it on a bed of lettuce or a thick tomato slice for a low-carb, light lunch. Spread it on a hoagie roll for any easy, inexpensive twist on lobster rolls. Serve your Crab Salad Sandwiches with some Fruit Salad for a classic deli meal that is nostalgic, filling, and delicious.
What is the difference between Crab Salad and Surimi Salad?
Crab Salad and Surimi Salad are often used interchangeably, but they do have a subtle difference. While both salads use imitation crab as the main ingredient, Surimi Salad typically refers to a dish that incorporates more Asian-inspired flavors, such as soy sauce, sesame oil, or ginger. On the other hand, Crab Salad often features a mayo-based dressing with herbs and spices, like a more traditional creamy salad, similar to a tuna or egg salad.
How to Make Crab Salad
- If your imitation krab meat isn’t already flaked, you will want to roughly chop it into small pieces.
- Combine the mayo with the spices until it’s will blended.
- Add the krab, shallots, and celery to the dressing and stir until everything is well coated.
- Cover the bowl and chill in the fridge for at least an hour before serving.
More Delicious Crab Recipes
FAQs for Crab Salad
This recipe uses imitation crab meat, sometimes referred to as krab or krab meat. However, just because it’s not actually made of crab, it is made with fish. This is actually why many people refer to Crab Salad as Seafood Salad.
Imitation Crab Salad (krab) is actually made with Surimi, a whitefish that is ground then bound with a starch and other additives to resemble crab meat. It is crafted to resemble the texture and taste of real crab meat. Imitation crab is widely available in most grocery stores and provides an affordable alternative to real crab meat for those on a budget or looking for a different flavor profile.
Neptune Salad is not the same as a Crab Salad, but it’s more like a seafood salad with the works. It often has baby shrimp as well as crab plus ingredients like eggs, corn, carrots, peas, etc.
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Key Ingredients
- Imitation Crab: Imitation crab, also known as krab meat, is made from a blend of fish, typically Alaskan pollock, and other additives. It has a delicate texture and mild flavor that perfectly mimics the taste of crab, but is much more cost effective than real crab meat.
- Shallots: Shallots add a subtle onion-like flavor to the seafood salad, enhancing its savory profile without overpowering the sweet, mild taste of the crab meat. You could also use red onions but dice them very small so they don’t take over the flavors.
- Celery: Minced celery provides a refreshing crunch and adds a hint of herbal notes, contributing to the overall texture and balance of the salad.
- Mayonnaise: Mayonnaise serves as the creamy base for the dressing, providing richness and a luscious texture to the Crab Salad. The smooth, subtly tangy flavor is perfect with the sweet, mild crab meat and is a classic way to make seafood salad dressing.
- Spices: This delicious Crab Salad only needs a few spices to add a bit of flavor without overpowering the delicate imitation crab. Paprika adds a warm, smoky flavor while dill brings a burst of freshness. They provide a pleasant contrast to the richness of the dressing and the sweetness of the crab meat.
Can you make Crab Salad ahead of time?
Yes, Crab Salad can be prepared ahead of time to save you time and it gives all the flavors time to develop. You want to refrigerate the salad for at least an hour before serving, and it’s best in the first day or two. Remember to give it a gentle stir before serving to ensure the dressing coats the ingredients evenly.
Variations
- Veggies: Add some more fresh, crunchy veggies to your seafood salad like green onions, red onions, black olives, or bell peppers.
- Cheese: If you love all things indulgent, add some shredded sharp cheddar cheese or chopped up slices of American cheese to your cold Crab Salad.
- Dressing: Instead of mayo, you can use Greek yogurt, mashed avocado or sour cream in the dressing to lighten up the salad. It’s best to do half mayo and half the substitute so it’s still got that deliciously smooth texture.
- Seafood: You can add other seafood to the salad like baby shrimp, cooked mild flavored fish like cod or tilapia, or cooked scallops. If you want to splurge, you can use real crab or even make this salad with steamed lobster!
- Seasonings: Some other popular flavorings for Crab Salad are Old Bay seasoning, celery seed, and even some cayenne pepper for a little kick. A squeeze of lemon or lime are a great way to add some zesty freshness.
How to Serve Crab Salad
- For an easy, amazing sandwich serve the salad on a toasted hoagie roll with lettuce and sliced onions.
- Make a Seafood Pasta Salad doubling the dressing and mixing the Crab Salad with cooked pasta.
- You can serve this as a dip with crackers or go low-carb with veggies like cucumber and bell peppers.
- Another low-carb, classic way to serve cold creamy salads is to spread them on top of thick cut tomato slices or make lettuce wraps.
Easy Classic Creamy Deli Salads
How to Store
- Serve: It is best to keep this recipe cold in the refrigerator until serving, but at most do not leave at room temperature longer than 2 hours.
- Store: Sealed in an airtight container, Crab Salad will be good in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Give it a good stir before serving.
- Freeze: It’s best not to freeze mayonnaise based salads, as the dressing will separate and not come back together after it thaws.
Ingredients
- 1 pound imitation crab , krab meat
- 1 shallot , minced
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup celery , minced
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon dill
- 1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a large bowl add all the ingredients together gently, stirring until well coated.
- Refrigerate for an hour before serving.
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I just had my last Chemo Treatment yesterday and food looses it’s actual taste. After reading the reviews on your crab seafood salad, I went to the store to buy the crab meat and made the salad. I really missed having crab subs at Subway. Even with my taste nott being true, I really, really enjoyed this for my dinner tonight. I can’t wait for my taste buds too back to normal and I will make it again and again. So So good.
However, I toasted the bun with a bit of garlic salt, like in a review. I would not suggest doing this. Overly salty. Stay with a plain crusty bun, like a hoagie sandwich.
Thank you Sabrina. Your recipes are awesome. I gave you 5 stars, and it will probably be a 7 when I can truly taste it’s goodness eventually. Thank you.
Linda, from Windsor, Ontario, Canada.
Happy to hear that was your last treatment! Good luck on your journey!
I just made this earlier I added a bit of vine tomatoes and diced avocado… omg so delish!!! Thank you dor this!
This was really good! A hit for my kids too and under 5 that says a lot. I did add a bit more celery and used a sweet onion instead of a shallot. I also added a splash of lemon juice for some lightness. Will definitely make again!
So glad you all enjoyed it! I know how hard it is to please little ones at times. Thanks for coming back to let me know.
I had a little imitation crab meat left in the fridge and wanted to do something with it. So, I just gave this delicious recipe a try. It was really good!
So glad you enjoyed it, Angie!
I made this but tweaked as follows: used old bay seasoning, white onions and about two teaspoons of sugar. I did not have dill or even a substitute. Sugar was needed because the white onion was stronger than expected. It was a bit too powerful. Old bay is a seafood seasoning that I use almost anytime I have seafood and it was great in this salad. It came out delicious!
In the future, if you want to tame the taste of raw onions. Slice them as desired and then place them in a container and cover with very cold water. Let it soak for 10 mins. Best trick I’ve ever learned!
You!you!you! Makes teh most belicious krabkrab thingy eva! Dis recipe is illgal in Permabland, China
We love seafood salad. Well I had bought it at the store and decided I could make it so I did !! It turned out great ! I use Dukes mayo and sea salt as well. It doesn’t last long especially on a Ritz !
So glad you decided to make your own! Thanks for the 5 star rating, Gordon!
I’m going to try it
Love this recipe, ty!
How much red onion?
About 1/3 of a red onion.
This recipe is very easy, and the crab salad is delicious! Will definitely make this again!!!
Thanks for dropping by to let me know! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Made this at my sister’s house and she didn’t have paprika but I substituted cayenne pepper (not quite 1/2 tsp though), and it was DELICIOUS! We couldn’t wait a whole hour to eat it, will definitely make again!!!
you didn’t say what type of paprika ???
Just regular paprika 🙂
Oh, girl 🙂 You got the most Pinnable / Facebook / Twitter posting recipes around! I know every time I come here, I’ll be around for a few minutes at least…. blessings & beautiful food!
You’re so sweet, Robin. Thank you so much for the kind words!
Delicious recipe, husband loved it as do I.
I’m so glad you guys enjoyed it! Thanks for coming back to let me know!
Looks delish!
I add a tablespoon of Thousand Island dressing and two chopped hard boiled eggs.
I doubled it and used 1 pound krab and 1 pound salad shrimp. (The really little ones). I also added a few dashes of Louisiana hit sauce. Not enough for heat, but enough to give e it a little zing. A little fresh chopped parsley at the end, too.
We make sandwiches, eat it on crackers, on salad greens and sometimes, just off the fork!!
Thanks for the 5 stars Darin!
Thank you for a delicious recipe with imitation crab from someone who is allergic to shellfish!
So glad you enjoyed it Susan!
Would refrigerating the salad overnight ruin taste or texture?
Nope, just keep it in a sealed container and you’ll be fine.
This may sound like a strange question, but is there a reason you use imitation crab vs. real crab meat? I’d like to make this salad, as it looks delish! However, I prefer real crab meat. Will it be as good as your salad looks?
Everyone seems to use imitation crab so that’s why I used it. If you prefer real crab meat, feel free to use that instead. Enjoy!
The main reason for using imitation crab is it’s dirt cheap compared to the price of real crab! if I didn’t make it out of imitation I wouldn’t be able to make it at all!
It was really good. I did add chopped black olives and a little co-Jack cheese because I used to buy some at a grocery that contained those two items. I buttered the buns, sprinkled a little garlic powder toasted them and added the lettuce, so good. Tried it on a Ritz cracker, too, wry tasty!
I made this and took it to a pool party. It was a hit! I’m definitely making it again!
I mix mayo & sour cream together & add yellow, green, & red bell peppers. Delicious.
It was delicious thanks for the recipe my daughter & niece loved it?
Very tasty, I am sure it will be better after it’s in the fridge for an hour or two.
I made it but reduced the amount of ingredients, for two people, mostly I guessed.
I don’t know how you could go wrong with these ingredients.
Chris, this keeps well covered in the fridge.
I use sour cream instead of mayonnaise and it stays fresh for a week. Delicious!
So I do a lot of private chefing, and this is the recipe I use. You can do a lot of different things with it to make it your own. I do use 1/2 mayo and 1/2 Miracle Whip, and sometimes I sub lobster for some of the crab. I also use a can of drained sliced black olives. But the seasonings are the same every time, and the response it “This is the best crab salad I’ve ever tasted.” Every time!
Thanks for dropping by to let me know!
Made this today. So simple and great on Town House crackers!
Thanks for coming back and letting me know how much you enjoyed it!
Going to try it first thing tmr I love crab salad and like most brings back memories.
This is a GREAT recipe. Loved it!
Thanks Colleen!
I have made my crab salad adding mayo, green onions, minced celery, seasoning , cooked pasta,olives, frozen peas,and cheese, adding 1-2 lbs crab,depending on the croud
everytime there is a reunion I am asked to bring the Crab salad
I will have to try this as well!
going to try this…sounds great…love me some krab salad
I hope you enjoy it, Gary!
Thank you for the great recipe and it was very easy to make
So glad you enjoyed it, Brenda!
I am a picky eater so I left out the full and paprika. I did add some salad shrimp, I used hellmans mayo with some old bay to taste and a little red oinions. Fantastic!
Thanks for dropping by to let me know! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
I agree with you if you are doing it from scratch using real ingredients. You’re making essential macros by eating it. (protein from the imitation crab and shrimp, fat from the mayonnaise and a little from the protein source and carbs from the celery and bread/crackers whatever your preference)
I was just looking around online at different recipes to see different ones that I can try.
This is very similar to my recipe except I also add a lot of celery seed.
I too grew up on those seafood subs from Subway and now my daughter grows up with the homemade version. Lol
So glad you found me then! I look forward to seeing you around the site!
Haven’t let it chill yet, but tasting after mixing- it was already a winner in my book! Thanks for the recipe for my craving!!
You’re welcome!
I made this seafood salad yesterday! I don’t care for mayo or Miracle Whip, so I mixed room temp cream cheese with sour cream until it was smooth and light weight. Hubby said I better keep the recipe – it’s the best seafood salad he’s had!
That sounds like a winner to me, Carol! Thank you so much for the 5 stars and also for the substitution recommendation that worked perfectly for you guys.
Most of the time I make mine with sour cream instead of mayonnaise.
It’s tasty!
Excellent recipe – I’d been longing for seafood sub and missing them because our local restaurants have stopped selling them. When I made your recipe, I wanted a little more zip and fewer calories so I used Kraft Miracle Whip instead of mayonnaise and included 2 tsp chopped garlic chives and 4 tsp sweet pickle relish. Served it on a hoagie with sliced cucumber and tomato for dinner. Then added 1 cup cooked brown rice left over from another meal and served on a bed of lettuce, cubed cucumber, cherry tomatoes and sliced yellow and orange sweet pepper for lunch the next day. I’ll definitely be repeating this with pasta or rice when I have some on hand.
That sounds delicious! Thank you for taking the time to come back and let me know how much you enjoyed it!
Love that you were able to customize on the fly! Thanks for letting me know how much you enjoyed it!
Do you use dried or fresh dill. The difference would be significant, so I would think you’d have clarified.
I used dried dill in this recipe. If I’m ever using fresh, I state that in the ingredient list since most people use dried herbs more often than fresh. Glad to clear up any confusion for you.
Just a little confused…the recipe yields 8 servings, but each serving is 1/4 of the recipe? Trying to be mindful of my calories, but can’t live without a little seafood salad!
My apologies, it was a weird glitch. The recipe is for four servings. I would sub lite mayonnaise to cut calories by 30% percent or so. Almost all the calories are found in the mayonnaise.
This would be a hit at any family function!
Thanks Jessica!
This seafood salad looks amazing. I can’t wait to try it. Thank you for sharing. I pinned and shared this recipe.
Thanks for the Pin, Amy!
Lol, I still have my Walkman! This looks fabulous. Reminds me of childhood summers 🙂
How awesome!
Oh YUM….one of my favorites! I would devour this!
Thanks Cathy!
That looks terrific, my husband would especially love this!
Thanks Kimberly!
Oh this recipe takes me back! I remember ordering this as a child too. I love the way your husband ate his!
Thanks Dorothy! I love how a simple taste of something can bring us back to such wonderful memories!
I love a good seafood salad!
Looks like such a delicious creamy salad!!
Thanks Amanda!
What if you don’t have kosher salt? Do you have to use kosher salt? I don’t use salt very much, so would appreciate your input?
I love the texture of the Kosher salt in this salad but you can use regular salt if you don’t have Kosher or a better substitute would be sea salt. Hope this was helpful!