Published on 02/20/24

Our quick and easy Crab Salad is the perfect light lunch or easy weeknight dinner! Made with flaky crab meat, a creamy base, fresh herbs, and seasonings that bring all the best flavors. This seafood salad recipe has been a crowd favorite for years!

The best recipe for a quick and easy crab salad.

The Best Crab Salad Recipe

This easy crab salad recipe is savory, yet decadent but so simple to make! During the warm, summer season we definitely don’t want to be inside cooking, enter this light & refreshing summer salad that can be made quickly or prepped ahead of time. Any seafood recipe is a huge hit around our house and this one is next level! Whether you use real crab meat or imitation crab, this delicious salad will be a crowd-pleaser that people will be requesting again and again.

Looking for More Crab Recipes?

If you love them as much as we do, you definitely need to try our Crab Roll or Crab Pasta Salad!

What You Will Need

fresh lemon juice & lemon zest – these combine for a little bit of acidity that helps amplify all the great flavor!
mayonnaise & sour cream – Greek yogurt would make a great alternative for the mayo, if you want. They are the perfect light, yet creamy base for this imitation crab salad.
celery & red onion – some fresh ingredients to bring the best crunch!
celery salt, Old Bay seasoning, kosher salt, & black pepper – simple seasonings that combine to really bring the flavor.
lump crab meat – feel free to cook some crab legs, crack them open, and use the fresh crab meat inside or pick-up some imitation crab meat at your local grocery store.
dijon mustard – a great addition for some delicious flavor!
fresh chives & fresh dill – we love these fresh herbs to really lighten and brighten this main dish, fresh parsley would also be great.

How To Make Crab Salad

The first steps to making this easy recipe are to gather these simple ingredients.

Ingredients for crab salad in separate bowls.

Place all of these ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Mix to fully combine. Taste and make any seasoning adjustments, as needed.

Two images showing the crab salad ingredients in a glass bowl before mixing and after.

Best Ways To Serve Crab Salad

This simple crab salad can be enjoyed in a bowl all by itself! Or feel free to serve in some butter lettuce or romaine lettuce to make lettuce wraps. They would also be delicious as crab salad sandwiches on fresh hoagie rolls, brioche bun, or on your favorite bread! For a little garnish on top, you can add some chopped green onions, chives, more red onion, fresh dill or some lemon wedges for a fresh squeeze of lemon juice. Or add a little kick of heat with a drizzle of hot sauce!

Crab salad in a shallow bowl with lemon wedges and fresh dill.

What Do You Serve With Crab Salad

There are so many great side dish options to serve with this easy weeknight dinner! A few of our favorites are slices of grilled bread, corn on the cob, grilled asparagus, or just some fresh vegetables on the side. No matter what you serve with it, everyone is going to love it!

Close-up shot of garnished crab salad in a bowl.

Made this recipe and loved it?! We would love it if you would take a minute and leave a star rating and review – it is also helpful if you made any substitutions or changes to the recipe to share that as well. THANK YOU!

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