Creamy Seafood Crab Salad

An easy chilled seafood salad made with ready-to-eat imitation crab or fully cooked real lump crab meat, crisp diced celery, green onions, fresh dill or parsley, and optional red onion. Everything is tossed in a tangy mayonnaise dressing with sour cream, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, Old Bay seasoning, and garlic powder. Perfect for sandwiches, lettuce cups, crackers, and refreshing lunches.

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Course: Appetizer, Lunch, Salad, Sandwich Filling

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Chilled Crab Salad, Crab Salad Lettuce Cups, Crab Salad with Mayonnaise, Crab Salad with Old Bay, Creamy Crab Salad, Creamy Seafood Crab Salad, Easy Seafood Salad, Homemade Creamy Seafood Salad, Imitation Crab Salad, Lump Crab Salad, Seafood Salad Recipe, Seafood Sandwich Filling

Calories: 330kcal

Equipment

Large mixing bowl
Medium mixing bowl for dressing
Sharp kitchen knife
cutting board
Measuring cups and spoons
whisk
Large spoon or silicone spatula
Plastic wrap or bowl lid
Refrigerator
Serving Bowl
Airtight refrigerator storage container

Ingredients

1 lb imitation crab meat or fully cooked real lump crab meat, flaked or chopped into bite-sized pieces
1 cup celery, finely diced
0.25 cup green onions, diced
2 tbsp fresh dill or parsley, finely chopped
2 tbsp red onion, finely diced, optional
0.75 cup mayonnaise
2 tbsp sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp Old Bay seasoning
0.5 tsp garlic powder
0.25 tsp ground black pepper
0.125 tsp salt, or to taste

Instructions

Flake or chop 1 pound ready-to-eat imitation crab or fully cooked real lump crab meat into bite-sized pieces and place in a large mixing bowl.
Finely dice 1 cup celery and 1/4 cup green onions. Chop 2 tablespoons fresh dill or parsley and optional 2 tablespoons red onion.
Add the diced celery, green onions, chopped herbs, and optional red onion to the crab meat.
In a separate bowl, whisk together 3/4 cup mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons sour cream or plain Greek yogurt, 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, and approximately 1/8 teaspoon salt or to taste until smooth.
Pour the creamy dressing over the crab and vegetable mixture.
Fold gently with a large spoon or silicone spatula until the ingredients are evenly coated, taking care not to break delicate real lump crab pieces apart excessively.
Cover the bowl and refrigerate for approximately 20 to 30 minutes to allow the flavors to blend.
Stir the chilled salad gently and serve cold on its own, in lettuce cups, on crackers, or as a sandwich filling.

Notes

Prep time: 15 minutes. Cook time: 0 minutes when using fully cooked, ready-to-eat crab. Chill time: 20 to 30 minutes. Total time: 35 to 45 minutes. Servings: 4 to 6; nutrition estimates assume 6 servings. Use 1 pound imitation crab meat or fully cooked real lump crab meat, 1 cup finely diced celery, 1/4 cup diced green onions, 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill or parsley, and optional 2 tablespoons finely diced red onion. For the dressing, whisk 3/4 cup mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons sour cream or plain Greek yogurt, 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and approximately 1/8 teaspoon salt or to taste. Combine crab and vegetables in a large bowl, add dressing, and fold gently until evenly coated. Cover and refrigerate for approximately 20 to 30 minutes before serving. Serve chilled in lettuce cups, on crackers, as a sandwich filling, or on its own. Use fully cooked crab meat only for this no-cook recipe. If using real lump crab, check gently for shell fragments and preserve the larger pieces while mixing. Imitation crab usually contains fish and may contain wheat or shellfish ingredients; review labels for allergens. Old Bay seasoning and imitation crab can contribute salt, so taste before adding extra. Refrigerate promptly in an airtight container at 40°F (4°C) or colder and enjoy within 2 days for best quality. For outdoor gatherings, keep the serving bowl over ice and do not leave the seafood salad at room temperature for more than 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F (32°C). Avoid freezing because mayonnaise dressing can separate. Nutrition estimates are approximate per serving and assume imitation crab, regular mayonnaise, sour cream, optional red onion, and 6 servings. Exact values depend on the seafood type, mayonnaise brand, yogurt or sour cream, and portion size.

Nutrition