Whether picnicking or eating in, this Easy Crab Salad will satisfy your hunger for something light and refreshing. It has flavorful veggies, made with imitation or real crab meat, dressed in a creamy mayo and Greek yogurt dressing spiked with hot pepper sauce.
Enjoy it with extra lemon or stuffed into lettuce leaves, a hollowed tomato, or avocado halves. Or spread the creamy crab salad onto hot dog buns or hoagie rolls for crab salad sandwiches. It's an easy-to-prepare and delicious salad!
I'm an Amazon Associate. Please note that there are Affiliate Links in the content of the Louisiana Woman Blog, and I will earn a commission if you purchase through those links. Thank you!
You know those warm days when you crave something light to eat but don't want to spend time in a hot kitchen? This seafood salad is here to help. It's incredibly versatile and easy to prepare in advance, making it perfect to store in the refrigerator.
This Chicken Salad Your Way is also an excellent option for those days. It offers a variety of ingredients to choose from, including nuts, cheeses, and fruits, making it easy to satisfy your taste buds.
Another chicken salad winner is this Chicken Salad With Green Peas. The addition of peas sweetens the salad, complemented by pecans, black olives, and feta cheese in a lemony Greek yogurt dressing.
And for more Louisiana-inspired recipes, check out 24 Mardi Gras Food Recipes.
Jump to:
What Is Imitation Crab Meat?
You may choose imitation crab meat or real crab meat.
The imitation crab meat, available in chunk or shredded style, is tasty, economical, and readily available. Surprisingly, this meat doesn't contain crab at all. It's made with fish that's doctored up to taste like crab.
The real lump crab meat instead of claw meat is best for this Easy Crab Salad. It holds up well in tossing the dressing for a chunky and delicious bite. However, be sure to remove any shells from the fresh crab meat that may have been left behind.
Besides being authentic or not, the main difference is that real crab meat has more protein and no carbs or sugars. Its imitation namesake has about a third less protein and a few carbs and sugars.
However, it's pretty tasty, less expensive, and readily available. Many delis and restaurants serve imitation crab in their salad. So it's up to you!
Tasty Ingredients
The parts of this easy crab salad recipe are simple and come together quickly. The Greek Yogurt Sauce blends well with the mayonnaise for a smooth taste.
The flavor of the dressing is a key part. The mayonnaise-based sauce is mixed with Greek yogurt to achieve a smoother, creamier taste in the crab salad. It's flavored with garlic, salt, and Tabasco hot pepper sauce for a little or big kick.
At last, the juice of a lemon brightens the whole thing up deliciously! Why lemon, you may ask? Because just the right amount enhances the taste of any seafood. Garnishing this salad with lemon wedges can offer even more fresh lemon flavor.
- real lump crab meat or imitation crab meat - I chose the imitation flake style because it tastes good, is appealing, and is easily accessible at my neighborhood grocery store
- bell pepper - any color of a sweet pepper will do
- green onion tops - slice them all the way to the root
- tomato - any kind that's seeded and chopped
- mayonnaise - a good-tasting brand, or try this Homemade Mayonnaise With A Creole Kick
- Greek yogurt - it has more protein than regular yogurt, and adds a smooth taste to the mayonnaise
- garlic granules - the flavor with green onions complements the salad well
- sea salt - a little salt for accenting the flavorful ingredients
- Tabasco hot pepper sauce - or your favorite hot sauce
- lemon juice - always brightens up seafood dishes
Refer to the recipe card below for ingredient quantities and nutritional values.
Assembling The Simple Crab Salad
This is an easy salad to make, and the task is done in no time!
- Rinse, drain, and rough chop crab meat.
- Mix the crab meat and vegetables together in a large bowl.
- To make the creamy dressing, combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl and whisk until well blended.
- Add the dressing to the crab meat mixture and toss to combine.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving.
HINT: The juice of a lemon brightens the whole thing up deliciously! Why lemon, you may ask? Because just the right amount enhances the taste of any seafood. Garnishing this salad with lemon wedges can offer even more fresh lemon flavor.
Top Tip
Use this dressing to make chicken salad; it's absolutely delicious!
Related
Looking for other easy salad recipes like this crab salad? Try these:
Pairing
This Easy Crab Salad goes well with these recipes:
📖 Recipe
Easy Crab Salad
A refreshing salad dressed with creamy mayo and Greek yogurt sauce spiked with as much Tabasco hot pepper sauce as you desire.
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 8 (½-cup) servings 1x
Ingredients
Salad
- 16 ounces imitation crab meat, flake style
- ½ cup bell pepper, chopped
- ½ cup green onion tops, sliced
- ½ cup tomato, seeded and chopped
Greek Yogurt Sauce
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 3 tablespoons Greek yogurt
- ½ teaspoon garlic granules
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon or more Tabasco hot pepper sauce
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Rinse, drain, and rough chop crab meat.
- Mix the crab meat and vegetables together in a large bowl.
- Combine mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, garlic granules, salt, pepper sauce, and lemon juice in a medium bowl, stirring until well blended.
- Add the sauce to the crab meat mixture and toss to combine.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving.
Notes
- The salad may be kept in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
- You may substitute real lump crab meat for the imitation meat, and remove any leftover pieces of shells before using.
- Garnish this salad with lemon wedges to offer even more fresh lemon flavor.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Category: salad
- Cuisine: Cajun
You know I love hearing from you. Be sure to sign up for my email list to stay in touch. If you have any questions or comments, leave them in the reply box below.
Have a nice day!
"When you understand that life is a test, you realize that nothing is insignificant in your life."
Rick Warren
Jenny says
If the fake crab is made of fish, how could it have NO protein?
Louisiana Woman says
Thanks for pointing that out. After some investigation I have found that 3 ounces of the imitation crab meat has about 6 grams of protein compared to real crab meat that has about 17 grams of protein. I have made the necessary adjustment on the blog post. Thanks again!