This Crab Meat Salad is great to bring to a summer BBQ, bridal showers, or other parties when you want to change it up from your typical chicken or potato salad.
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Crab Meat Salad is lemony, refreshing, and packs so much flavor. Not only is this crab salad recipe delicious, but it is also full of protein and nutrients that support a healthy body. Plus it will add a little elegance to any gathering.
To learn more about the health benefits of eating crab, check out Web MD.
MORE CRAB RECIPES YOU MIGHT LIKE
Crab Stuffed Tilapia | Old Bay Crab Dip with Cream Cheese | Seafood Mac and Cheese
What We Love About This Easy Crab Salad Recipe
- 10 Minute Recipe: Make this easy crab salad recipe in 10 minutes or less.
- Simple Ingredients: All you need to make this recipe is crab meat, mayo, and some herbs + spices. It will make the perfect crab salad sandwich.
- Adaptable: This recipe can be oil free by swapping out the mayo for a secret ingredient below.
Ingredient Notes
- Crab: For this easy crab salad recipe, you can use real lump crabmeat or imitation crab meat to to be more cost effective. If you are using real crab, real lump crab meat is best.
- Dill: Use dried or fresh dill.
Variations and Substitutions
- Less Oil – To make this recipe oil free and a bit lighter, swap the mayo for plain Greek yogurt.
- Seafood Salad – Additionally add cooked chopped shrimp to this crab cake salad.
How to Make Crab Cake Salad
These are the basic steps for making Crab Meat Salad. Please refer to the recipe card below for more detailed instructions and nutrition information. Prep time and total time.
STEP 1: MAKE DRESSING
Start by chopping up the red onion and celery, then set aside. Then whisking together mayonnaise, lemon juice, and seasonings in a medium sized bowl.
STEP 2: ADD CRAB
Then add the chopped up crab, it can be real or imitation, to the dressing. Coat and mix until the crab is evenly. Next stir in the diced red onion and celery.
STEP 3: CHILL AND SERVE
Transfer to the refrigerator until ready to serve. Serve plain, with toast or on butter lettuce.
Prep and Storage Tips for the Imitation Crab Salad
HOW TO MAKE THIS RECIPE AHEAD OF TIME
Make this recipe 1-3 days ahead of time and keep in the refrigerator.
HOW TO STORE THIS RECIPE
Store leftovers imitation crab salad in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the fridge.
HOW TO FREEZE THIS RECIPE
Freezing is not the best as the mayo will separate as it thaws.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you aren’t a fan of crab, you can use shrimp in place.
Easily double or half this recipe by increasing or decreasing ingredients.
Crab meat salad is made of crab meat (real or imitation), mayonnaise, lemon juice, celery, and some spices.
Expert Tips for Making This Recipe
- Double: This is a great recipe for a crowd. Just double ingredients proportionally.
- Short cut tip: If you buy fresh crab you’ll have to cook it and let it cool, if you want to skip this step, use imitation crab or get pre-cook crab.
- Crunch: Add crunchy celery for a little crunch to the salad.
- Herbs: Fresh parsley or cilantro.
- Mustard: Try adding a little dijon mustard to the salad.
What to Serve with Crab Meat Salad
Crab Salad Sandwich
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Ingredients
- ½ cup Mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons Lemon juice, plus more to taste
- 1 teaspoon Paprika
- 1 teaspoon Dried dill weed
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1 pound Crab or imitation crab, chopped
- ¼ cup Red onion, diced; green onion may be substituted
- 2 stalks Celery, diced
Instructions
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, lemon juice, paprika, dried dill weed, salt, and black pepper until smooth.
- Add the chopped crab or imitation crab to the dressing. Gently fold until the crab is evenly coated without breaking it apart.
- Add the diced red onion and celery. Fold gently until the vegetables are evenly distributed.
- Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour before serving.
- Serve chilled on toast, over butter lettuce, or plain.
Christina’s Notes
- Use cold ingredients. Starting with cold mayonnaise and crab helps keep the salad cold from the beginning.
- Don’t overdress the crab. Fold gently so the crab is coated without being crushed. This is especially important when using imitation crab.
- Season in layers. Season the dressing first, then taste again after adding the crab and vegetables. The celery and onion can change the overall seasoning balance.
- Adjust the lemon juice last. Start with the 2 tablespoons called for in the recipe, then add more a little at a time if needed. Too much lemon juice can make the salad watery.
- Serve it cold. The salad is at its best straight from the refrigerator. For a party, keep the serving bowl nested over ice to maintain the temperature.
- Make a larger batch. The recipe notes that the ingredients can be doubled proportionally without special adjustments.
- Scale the recipe: Simply adjust the serving size in the recipe card and the ingredients will update automatically.
- Make your own All Purpose Seasoning: When a recipe calls for All Purpose Seasoning, you can use my homemade All Purpose Seasoning recipe or substitute salt and pepper to taste.
- Meat doneness: I always use a meat thermometer to test for doneness when cooking meat.
- Use unsalted butter: I use unsalted butter so I can control the salt level in the recipe.
- Preheat the oven: Unless otherwise noted, always preheat your oven before baking.
For more helpful information about this recipe, such as variations, substitutions and other pro-tips, check out the blog post.