Crab Salad with Creamy Dressing (Print version)

Tender lump crab with crisp celery, cucumber, and red onion in a creamy lemon-mustard dressing. Ready in just 15 minutes.

# What you'll need:

→ Seafood

01 - 10.5 oz cooked lump crab meat, drained and picked over for shells

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 small celery stalk, finely diced
03 - 1/4 small red onion, finely diced
04 - 1/2 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced
05 - 2 tbsp fresh chives, finely chopped
06 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped

→ Dressing

07 - 3 tbsp mayonnaise
08 - 2 tbsp sour cream or Greek yogurt
09 - 2 tsp Dijon mustard
10 - 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
11 - 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
12 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Garnish

13 - Mixed salad greens or butter lettuce leaves
14 - Lemon wedges

# How to make it:

01 - In a large bowl, gently combine the crab meat, celery, red onion, cucumber, chives, and parsley.
02 - In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream (or yogurt), Dijon mustard, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper until smooth.
03 - Pour the dressing over the crab mixture and gently fold until everything is evenly coated. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
04 - Chill for at least 10 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld.
05 - Serve mounded on salad greens or butter lettuce, garnished with extra chives and lemon wedges if desired.

# Expert suggestions:

01 -
  • The creamy dressing perfectly balances the sweet crab without overpowering it
  • Ready in fifteen minutes but tastes like something from a seaside restaurant
  • Keeps beautifully for lunch the next day if you can resist eating it all at once
02 -
  • Overmixing will break up those precious crab lumps, so fold everything together gently and stop as soon as its combined
  • The salad needs at least 10 minutes in the fridge to let the flavors develop, but it gets even better after an hour
  • Crab varies in sweetness so always taste before adding salt, you might need less than you think
03 -
  • Pat your crab meat dry with paper towels before mixing to prevent a watery salad
  • Room temperature ingredients blend better and create a more cohesive final dish
  • Invest in good quality crab, the difference between lump and claw meat is worth every penny

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