Easy & Delicious Surimi (Imitation Crab) Salad Recipe

Name: Easy & Delicious Surimi (Imitation Crab) Salad Recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 1 large grated carrot; 1/2 small cabbage, finely chopped; 150 g surimi (imitation crab) sticks, finely chopped or torn; 1 tsp roasted sesame seeds (white or a mix of white/black sesame seeds); 3-4 tbsp regular mayonnaise; salt and pepper to taste; fresh dills for garnish

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

This crunchy, no-rice crab stick salad is one of our favorite choices for dinner or a barbeque party when looking for something quick and easy to make. It will quickly satisfy your seafood craving while also helping to add crunchy vegetables and herbs to your daily menu. And the best part—kids love it, too!

Surimi cabbage salad on a white plate on dark green table.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

This surimi salad is extremely easy to make and requires no fancy equipment or skills. It is perfect for grilled meat (check out our grilled kebabs and pork roulades) or fish. It can also be served as a light dinner with home-baked wheat sandwich bread, filled into pastry cups as an appetizer or a party snack on a hot summer day, or used for a crab salad sandwich.

For extra seafood dish ideas, consider a sushi cake that also features imitation crab!

Ingredients

This is a really easy recipe that doesn't require a ton of fancy ingredients or specific cooking skills. To make this easy salad, you'll only need:

Surimi (imitation crab) sticks: Depending on the package size, you'll generally need ½-1 package of surimi sticks made from a blend of imitation crab. There are (at least) two different ways to cut surimi for this salad—you can cut them into square pieces of your desired size or tear the sticks into thin strips. These will look interesting with thinly sliced cabbage strips.
Fresh cabbage, chopped or grated: Green cabbage with a brighter green color will generally add more interest to the salad, but it's OK to use a paler one like we did this time. You'll want to chop the cabbage finer to serve the salad as an appetizer in pastry cups.
Grated carrot: Both the coarse and fine grater sides will do the work for this salad; we've tried both. The coarse side is better for adding extra texture, while a finely grated salad might be better suited for kids.
Roasted sesame seeds: Apart from surimi, roasted sesame seeds are one of the key ingredients in this dish. They add beautiful nuances and turn this simple salad into a masterpiece. White sesame seeds are the regular choice for this salad, but a mix of white and black sesame seeds is also a great way to add interest to the recipe.
Mayonnaise: You can use whichever creamy mayonnaise you like best in salads or make your own mayo in 5 minutes. Another great choice is Japanese mayonnaise, which is very creamy and perfectly suited to this dish.
Salt and black pepper: This salad doesn't need many exotic spices. Salt and ground black pepper are all you'll need to make it pop!
Fresh dill: Just a tiny bit for extra flavor and garnish. If kids don't like dill, skip it or use it only as a garnish that can easily be removed.

Directions

Combine all the ingredients: Add surimi (imitation crab) sticks (finely chopped or torn), grated carrot, finely chopped cabbage, salt, pepper, mayonnaise, and roasted sesame seeds in a medium bowl. At this point, add a little bit of chopped fresh dill or save it for garnish.

Salad ingredients mixed in a large white bowl.

Mix well and serve as a side dish, light dinner, or fill into pastry cups to serve as an appetizer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is imitation crab meat healthy?

Well, imitation crab meat is considered a highly processed food, and that basically says it all. It contains minced fish combined with starch, sugar, egg whites, salt, and different additives. If you're into a healthy lifestyle, you shouldn't consume it on a regular basis and in large quantities.
However, this recipe contains very little surimi, and we don't treat ourselves to this side dish daily. Furthermore, fresh veggies and homemade ingredients will add to the dish's nutritional value. It's also a great way to serve healthy veggies to your kids in an unusual way!
Remember that you can always replace imitation crab with real crab meat for a healthier (and more expensive) iteration!

Can I use dried dill instead of fresh one?

You can use dried or fresh dill for this recipe. However, fresh dill is usually a better choice and is advised when preparing this salad for a summer grill party.

What mayonnaise is best for this salad?

This salad is best consumed on the day it's prepared. This way, you'll be able to enjoy the crunchiness and juiciness of the fresh veggies. However, when stored in an airtight container in the fridge, the salad is also good the next day. We do not recommend storing it for much longer, though.

How to store the salad?

Can mayonnaise be substituted with Greek yogurt?

Mayonnaise is saltier and provides a richer taste compared to Greek yogurt. Having said that, Greek yogurt is also a valid choice for this salad, but you'll want to add extra salt and probably also some mustard to ensure the salad isn't under-seasoned.

Recipe Variations

Add thinly sliced red onion, chopped green onions, fresh chives, or other fresh herbs for extra spiciness and color. This will make a colorful accent when serving this dish as a side salad for a barbeque party.
For a healthier recipe variation, use fresh crab meat instead of imitation crab. Snow crab meat is loaded with nutrients, vitamins, and minerals and is perfectly suited for this recipe. When using real lump crab meat, you'll want to add colorful herbs and bright green cabbage for extra color, considering the pale white color of the crab meat itself.
A small amount of hot sauce (e.g., sweet chili sauce) or red peppers will add more character to the salad. Mayonnaise-based dressing goes well with a couple of droplets of hot sauce and is our go-to choice for burgers, burritos, sandwiches, and similar dishes that require a creamy dressing that's anything but plain and boring.

Serving Tips

This salad can be served beautifully on a bed of lettuce leaves, in a medium bowl, or on a serving plate. It can also be filled into pastry cups and served as an appetizer. When using younger cabbage with softer leaves, this salad can be shaped using small bowls (e.g., a julienne bowl) and served as a side to individual portions.