Creamy Seafood Crab Salad
A creamy, refreshing seafood salad made with imitation crab, shrimp, crisp celery, green onions, and a light lemony mayonnaise dressing.
Ingredients
Salad
- 1 lb (450 g) imitation crab meat, shredded or chopped
- ½ lb (225 g) cooked shrimp, peeled, deveined, and chopped
- 2 celery stalks, finely diced
- 3 green onions, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup finely diced red bell pepper
- 2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
Creamy Dressing
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ tsp Old Bay or seafood seasoning, optional
Instructions
1. Prepare the Seafood
Shred the imitation crab into bite-sized pieces. Chop the cooked shrimp into small pieces.
Place both in a large mixing bowl.
2. Add the Vegetables
Add the diced celery, green onions, red bell pepper, and fresh dill.
Gently toss everything together.
3. Make the Dressing
In a separate bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream or Greek yogurt, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, black pepper, salt, and seafood seasoning.
Mix until smooth and creamy.
4. Combine
Pour the dressing over the seafood mixture.
Add 1 tablespoon lemon juice and gently fold everything together until evenly coated.
5. Chill
Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving. For the best flavor, chill for 1–2 hours.
Garnish with fresh dill and a little lemon before serving.
Nutrition Information
Approximate per serving, based on 6 servings:
- Calories: ~250
- Protein: ~17 g
- Fat: ~15 g
- Carbohydrates: ~10 g
- Fiber: ~1 g
- Sugar: ~4 g
- Sodium: ~700–900 mg
Nutrition varies considerably depending on the imitation crab, mayonnaise, and shrimp used.
Recipe Notes
- For a lighter salad, replace half the mayonnaise with plain Greek yogurt.
- For more crunch, add finely diced cucumber or bell pepper.
- For extra lemon flavor, add 1 tsp lemon zest.
- Fresh dill gives the salad the best flavor, but dried dill can be used.
- Serve chilled on lettuce leaves, with cucumber slices, or as a sandwich filling.
Q&A
Q: Can I use only imitation crab?
Yes. Simply replace the shrimp with another ½ lb of imitation crab.
Q: Can I use real crab meat?
Absolutely. Cooked lump crab meat works very well.
Q: Can I make this with tuna?
Yes, although the flavor will be different. Use drained canned tuna in place of the seafood.
Q: Can I make it without mayonnaise?
Yes. Use Greek yogurt for a lighter version.
Q: How long does it last?
Keep refrigerated in an airtight container and use within 2–3 days.
Q: Can I freeze it?
Freezing isn’t recommended because the creamy dressing can separate and become watery after thawing.
Q: Is imitation crab low-carb?
Not usually. Imitation crab commonly contains added starches and carbohydrates, so check the nutrition label if you’re following a strict low-carb diet.
