Gloriously easy to make, this 15-minute crab salad is one of my favorite lunches. You can make it ahead of time and keep it in the fridge for several days.
One of my favorite lunches is some kind of seafood salad. Some of the recipes I make most often include octopus salad, tuna salad, and salmon salad. This crab salad is especially good and so easy to make. I like to stuff it inside a big tomato or a large bell pepper. Of course, there's nothing wrong with eating it straight out of the bowl!
Ingredients and Variations
See the recipe card for exact measurements. Here are my comments on some of the ingredients.
- Lump crab meat: Make sure the crab you use is as fresh as possible, or it will have a fishy aftertaste.
- Veggies: I use diced red onions and chopped parsley. They add flavor as well as color. Instead of red onions, you can use the green parts of scallions, chopped. Sometimes, I add a tablespoon of capers.
- Creamy ingredients: Dijon mustard and mayonnaise. Dijon is creamier and less vinegary than yellow mustard. It works well to enhance the delicate flavor of the crab without overpowering it.
- Hot sauce: It's best to use a sauce where the first ingredient is hot peppers and not vinegar.
Instructions
Making this salad couldn't be any easier! The detailed instructions and step-by-step photos are included in the recipe card. Here's a quick overview.
Simply mix the crab meat and the diced veggies with a fork:
Add the remaining ingredients:
Mix to combine and serve.
This was perfection, we ate it on cucumber slices. Thanks for the recipe!
Jessica Chaney
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This was perfection, we ate it on cucumber slices. Thanks for the recipe!Recipe Tips
- The salt is optional. Crab meat is usually quite salty, and so are most brands of hot sauce. You can mix the salad without the salt, then taste and decide for yourself.
- Not a fan of mayo? Sour cream is a good substitute. Be sure to drain the liquid from the top of the container before using it in this salad.
- For an extra filling salad, you can add a couple of hard-boiled eggs. You can either grate them coarsely or chop them, then gently mix them into the salad.
Recipe FAQs
Yes. It won't be as good because canned crab meat is a bit fishy (much like canned tuna). So, if you can, use fresh crab meat. But when I can't get fresh crab meat, I go ahead and use canned crab meat, as shown in the image below. 
I'm not a fan of imitation crab. It simply won't be the same as the real thing (as long as it's fresh), and if you take a look at the ingredients list, I'm sure you won't want to anyway!
Jumbo lump crabmeat is those big, delicious chunks of crab that you can eat as an appetizer dipped in drawn butter - see the photo below.
However, it's expensive, and when making this salad, you will need to break it into small chunks anyway and mix it with spices and condiments. So, for this recipe, lump crabmeat is best.
Having said that, I sometimes use jumbo lump crabmeat when it's the freshest selection available.
You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. Give the salad another mix before using it. I don't recommend freezing this salad.
Serving Suggestions
I like to stuff this salad inside a big hollowed-out tomato, as shown in the photo below. It's the perfect lunch! If you'd like to try this serving method, follow these steps:
- Use a big, firm tomato.
- Using a small serrated knife, cut off a ½-inch slice from the stem end, then remove the core by carefully cutting all around it and on the bottom.
- Now, with a spoon, scoop out as much of the remaining pulp and seeds as you can, and stuff the cavity with the salad.
Sometimes, I serve it in lettuce cups, as shown in the image below:
This salad is also excellent on a bed of shredded lettuce, in a lettuce sandwich, on a thick slice of almond flour bread, or on a toasted and buttered keto English muffin.
Recipe Card
Crab Salad Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 8 ounces lump crab meat - as fresh as possible
- 2 tablespoons red onion - diced
- 2 tablespoons parsley - chopped
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
- ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt - or ¼ teaspoon of any other salt, including Morton kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper - freshly ground
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Pick through the crab meat to remove any shells. In a medium bowl, use a fork to mix together the crab meat, onions, and parsley.
- Add the remaining ingredients (mayo, mustard, hot sauce, salt, pepper, and garlic powder).
- Mix to combine. If you didn't add salt, taste to ensure that the salad is salty enough to your taste. If it's not, add salt to taste.
- Serve immediately, in a bowl, stuffed inside a tomato or bell pepper, in a lettuce wrap, or on bread such as this almond flour bread.
Notes
- The salt is optional, as crab meat is usually quite salty, and so are the Dijon mustard and hot sauce. You can mix the salad without the salt, then taste and decide for yourself. The nutrition info assumes you used ½ teaspoon of Diamond Crystal kosher salt.
- If you'd like to stuff the salad inside a tomato, use a big, firm tomato. Using a small serrated knife, cut off a ½-inch slice from the stem end, then remove the core by carefully cutting all around it and on the bottom. Now, with a spoon, scoop out as much of the remaining pulp and seeds as you can and stuff the cavity with the salad.
- You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. Give the salad another mix before using it. I don't recommend freezing this salad.
Nutrition per Serving
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Most recipes are low-carb and gluten-free, but some are not. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate. Please verify it independently. The carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Please read these Terms of Use before using any of my recipes.
Tommy says
Great!
Lisa says
Very tasty recipe, thank you!
Vered DeLeeuw says
You're very welcome, Lisa!
Jessica Chaney says
This was perfection, we ate it on cucumber slices. Thanks for the recipe!
Vered DeLeeuw says
Yum! I love the idea of cucumber slices, Jessica!
Rudolph Victor Curtis says
This is the best crab salad! Thank you!
Vered DeLeeuw says
You're very welcome! Glad you liked it. Thanks for the review.
Patty says
It's a good recipe. I used it as a template, thank you. We got 3 Dungeness crabs from Costco as part of our 2-person Christmas.
I added lemon, Old Bay, chopped celery and some mustard powder along with the Dijon.
It made it a little looser BUT, I am going to serve them tomorrow, Christmas morning, in avocado halves.
We did taste it and it's a winner. It does need the salt.
Vered DeLeeuw says
Glad you like this recipe, Patty! Thank you for sharing your additions. Merry Christmas!