My aunt’s crab salad recipe is zesty, light, and refreshing—made for summer, especially with crispy tostones on the side.
Crab Salad Recipe
I was just with my aunt in Florida and finally watched her make her Crab Salad so I could get the measurements right. She starts by slicing a red or yellow onion into thin strips and soaking them in warm salted water to mellow the bite. Then, she adds a colorful mix of red, yellow, and orange bell peppers, loads of fresh lime juice, plenty of chopped cilantro, some good olive oil, and simple seasoning. She usually serves it with tostones (which I make in the air fryer) for lunch and we love it, so I’m excited to share it with you! Don’t miss my King Crab Legs, and Baked Lump Crab Cakes if you’re looking for more crab recipes.
Why You’ll Love This Crab Salad Recipe
My aunt is Colombian and lived in Puerto Rico most of her life, and this is how she makes her crab salad, which we all love. It’s limey, full of crunch, and so easy to throw together. The best part: the flavor gets better the longer it sits in the fridge. So, make it ahead, let it chill, and enjoy it for the next few days–if it lasts that long!
- Simple: Made with only 5 main ingredients, and the imitation crab is pre-cooked and requires no prep.
- Perfect for Making Ahead: Whether you’re serving this crab salad at a summer party or family dinner, I recommend making it the day before so it has time to marinate. Plus, you get to check it off your to-do list early!
- Dietary Restrictions: Weight Watchers-friendly, dairy-free
If you make this kani salad, I would love to see it. Tag me in your photos or videos on Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook. And be sure to join the Skinnytaste Community to see what everyone’s cooking!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here’s what you need for this easy crab salad recipe. See the recipe card below for the exact measurements.
- Onion: Slice a red or yellow onion into thin strips.
- Bell Peppers: Use a combination of red, yellow, and orange to make it more colorful.
- Flake-style Imitation Crab is much more affordable than fresh lump crab, but either will work. Imitation crab primarily consists of Alaskan pollock.
- Limes: Marinating the salad in lime juice mellows the onion’s pungency and imparts the dish with a tart, bright flavor.
- Cilantro for freshness
- Olive Oil balances the lime juice.
- Salt and Pepper season the salad.
How to Make Crab Salad
While the onions soak in water, you can prep the bell peppers, cilantro, and lime juice. Then, just combine everything and refrigerate. See the recipe card at the bottom for printable directions.
- Soak the Onions to Mellow the Taste: Put the sliced onions and salt in a large bowl and press the salt into the onions with your hands. Cover the onions with warm water and the juice of half a lime. Let it sit for 15 to 20 minutes to mellow the onion flavor. Drain and rinse the onions under cold water.
- Mix Everything: Cut the bell peppers and cilantro and juice the remaining limes. Add all to a bowl with the olive oil, cilantro, remaining salt, black pepper, and onions.
- Marinate the crab salad for a few hours or overnight. Taste and add more salt if needed.
Variations
- Seafood: Use lump crab or cooked shrimp
- Don’t like cilantro? Skip it or try it with another herb, like chives or parsley.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this cold imitation crab salad recipe as an appetizer at a party or as a main dish for dinner.
- My aunt always eats it with crispy, golden tostones, which takes it to another level, but I made my air fryer tostones to keep it light.
- Tortilla chips work great, too, or just eat it with a spoon!
Storage
This imitation crab salad will last up to 4 days in the fridge. Since the flavor improves the longer it marinates, it’s excellent for leftovers. It’s a great quick lunch since you can eat it cold.
More Seafood and Crab Salad Recipes You Will Love
For more dinner ideas, check out my Seafood Recipes collection, plus these five delicious seafood salads to inspire your next meal!
- Avocado and Lump Crab Salad
- Zesty Lime Shrimp and Avocado Salad
- Tomato, Avocado and Crab Salad
- Italian Shrimp Salad
- Chilled Calamari Salad with Lemon and Parsley
Crab Salad
Ingredients
- 1 medium red or yellow onion, peeled and sliced into thin strips
- 3 bell peppers, cut into ¼ inch thick strips, then cut in half (use a combo of red, yellow and orange)
- 14 ounce package flake-style imitation crab, flaked apart
- 5 to 6 limes, divided (depending on the size)
- ⅓ cup fresh cilantro, stemmed and minced
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 ½ teaspoon kosher salt, *
- black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Put sliced onions in a large bowls with ¾ teaspoon salt and press the salt into the onions with your hands so evenly coated. Fill the bowl with just enough warm water to cover the onions plus the juice of ½ lime and let sit at least 15 to 20 minutes, to let the onion flavor mellow. Drain and rinse under cold water.
- Meanwhile, prep the remaining ingredients then mix with drained rinsed onions. Add crab, bell peppers, juice of 3-4 more limes, olive oil, cilantro, ¾ teaspoon salt, and black pepper and mix well. Let it marinate a few hours, or overnight to let the flavors meld. Taste for salt and adjust as needed.
- Serve with chips or tostones.
