A mixture of fresh and imitation crab, veggies and a homemade ranch style dressing, perfect for a sandwich, snacking or stuffed into a tomato or avocado half.
Crab Salad
This salad has been a favorite for me many years, and you may remember something similar called the Seafood Sensation Salad from Subway, where you could get it on a sub or in a salad. I used to get them for lunch in my corporate working days, loaded up with vegetables. While mostly removed from their menu, I think you can still find it at Subway in some markets, and you will probably find some version at your local grocery store deli.Now... I realize that some of y'all are gonna get mad at me, because while ingredients vary, this salad has always been made with imitation crab or in combination with imitation lobster. Relax a bit.
Southern Style Hissy Fit Warning: Most folks who get all up in arms about imitation crab, don't even know what it is. FISH. Imitation crab and lobster are generally made up of a mix of Alaskan Pollock, King Crab meat and other seafood, and works great for salads like this, and, in fact, for the record, this recipe idea for crab salad, actually originated with the company that produces imitation crab.
I don’t have any problem with the product and I live right on the Gulf Coast where we have plenty of fresh seafood and the best blue crab in the country, but as abundant as it is here, already picked crab goes for for around $25-$28 a carton, sometimes even more. That’s a little high dollar for a simple summer salad like this that frankly, tastes pretty darned good even without any fresh crab.
In fact, this salad doesn't taste quite right without it. For this one, I decided to attempt to satisfy some of you by using a mix of both fresh and imitation crab. {tucking away soapbox}
For this salad, I prefer the flaky style.
You'll see some copycat recipes for the Seafood Sensation Salad that include shrimp, something I don't actually recall being in the original. No doubt it is a great addition, so if you have some of those tiny cooked salad shrimp, toss in a handful!
This salad mix is great served with crackers as a snack or appetizer, stuffed in po'boy or hoagie bread, spooned over a bed of shredded mixed lettuce and topped with all those good veggies like I used to get it - thinly sliced red onions, bell peppers, tomatoes, black olives, pickles, cucumbers, banana peppers or extra jalapenos - stuffed into a tomato or avocado half, or tossed with cooked pasta for a pasta salad.
Here's how to make it.
In the bottom of a large serving bowl or lidded storage bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients; set aside. I'm using a homemade ranch style dressing, but substitute your favorite bottled dressing if you'd rather. Add the salad veggies - green onion, red bell pepper (jarred pimentos work here too), celery and pickled jalapeno.
Add seafood and gently fold in; taste and adjust seasonings adding salt and pepper, only as needed. Although I prefer flaked style, this is chunk that I had in the freezer I needed to use. If you buy some and have to freeze it, be sure to use it within about 6 months, otherwise it gets an odd texture.
Refrigerate for at least an hour to allow flavors to meld. Serve atop shredded lettuce, on split top hoagie rolls, with crackers, or stuffed into an avocado or fresh tomato. You can also toss in some cooked pasta for a pasta salad!
For more of my favorite salad recipes, check out the collection on my Pinterest page!
Crab Salad
Yield: About 3-1/2 cups
Prep time: 15 MinInactive time: 1 HourTotal time: 1 H & 15 M
A mixture of fresh and imitation crab, veggies and a homemade ranch style dressing, perfect for a sandwich, snacking or stuffed into a tomato or avocado.
Ingredients
For the Dressing:
- 1 cup real mayonnaise, more or less
- 1/2 cup buttermilk, sour cream or Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon Creole mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon dill weed
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon Cajun or Creole seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
For the Salad:
- 2 green onions, sliced
- 1/4 cup chopped sweet red bell pepper
- 1/4 cup chopped celery
- 1 tablespoon chopped pickled jalapeno
- 1 cup fresh crabmeat
- 1 (8 ounce) package imitation crab, (preferably flake style)
- Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, only as needed, to taste
Instructions
- In the bottom of a large serving bowl or lidded storage bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients; set aside. If you prefer a drier salad, start with half of the mayonnaise and adjust later.
- Add the salad veggies - green onion, bell pepper, celery and jalapeno.
- Add seafood and gently fold in; taste and adjust seasonings adding salt and pepper, only as needed.
- Refrigerate for at least an hour or up to overnight to allow flavors to meld.
- Serve atop shredded lettuce, on split top hoagie rolls, with crackers, or stuffed into an avocado or fresh tomato.
Notes:
May substitute all crab, half imitation lobster and/or imitation crab, or all imitation crab or lobster. Add some cooked small salad shrimp if you like.
May also substitute apple cider vinegar for the fresh lemon. Small curd cottage cheese may be substituted for the mayonnaise if you prefer but use along with 1/2 cup of sour cream instead of buttermilk. One 2 ounce jar well drained, chopped pimentos may be substituted for the red bell pepper. Add in some cooked pasta for a great pasta salad.
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