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Brimming with avocado, tomatoes, shallots, and tossed in tangy lime juice, this healthy crab meat salad is refreshing and perfect for summer! You can serve it as a side at dinner or enjoy it as a light lunch. (It’s also great on crackers for a quick little snack!)
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What really separates this crab salad from the rest is that there’s no mayo in it—but it’s still incredibly delicious and tastes like a total treat. I’ve included some creamy cubes of avocado for richness which works with the rest of the ingredients beautifully. Total summer vibes with this one!
If you love crab as much as I do, you’ll definitely want to check out my nourishing lunch-friendly California roll rice bowl and my Maryland jumbo lump crab cakes, which are potluck perfection. (Everyone will be woo’d!) And for something rich and creamy, there’s nothing better than a classic crab bisque.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It’s light & healthy — I love that you can indulge in this crab salad and it won’t weight you down. The lime juice makes everything shine!
- It’s quick & easy — This salad can be thrown together in a measly 10 minutes, so there’s no real planning or stress involved if you are bringing it to a potluck to share.
- It has big flavor — Lime juice, a bit of olive oil, and a sprinkle of sea salt is all this salad needs to help the flavors shine. It’s so bright!
Crab Meat Salad Ingredients
- Crab meat — I used jumbo lump crab for this recipe because it was on sale and I love the sweetness it offers, but any crab goes with this one. Even if you want to use imitation crab because it’s a budget-friendly option, go for it.
- Tomatoes — I’m always looking for cherry tomato recipes to use up my summer harvest, so they’re my go-to in this. But you could chop up any tomato and throw it in!
Recipe Variations & Modifications
- Jalapeño — We like a little heat, but if you prefer no spice, you can omit the hot pepper completely. Or, if you’d like to use a different hot pepper, you could try this with habanero or serrano!
- Lime — Lime is my preferred summer citrus, but if you want to give this a go with lemon, you totally can.
- Shallot — You could use red onion or even thinly sliced scallions if you prefer.
How to Make Crab Meat Salad
- Place the crab in a large mixing bowl along with the avocado, tomatoes, shallots, jalapeños, salt and pepper, fresh parsley, and the lime zest and juice. Give the contents of the bowl a good stir to mix everything up and make sure that the lime juice gets distributed evenly.
- Add the extra virgin olive oil—1 to 2 tablespoons depending on your preference—and give the salad another quick toss. The olive oil isn’t absolutely necessary, but I find that it creates a richer and more buttery flavor while also cutting the acidity a smidge.
- Serve with crackers, fresh bread, or as is. This also goes great on a bed of mixed greens!
Pro Tip
When removing any kind of crab from a can, you still need to double check and make sure that there are no bits of shell or cartilage that may have accidentally been packed in there with the meat. Simply spread the meat out onto a paper towel or clean cutting board and give it a good once over before you start your prep.
What to Serve This With
This crab meat salad is bright, citrusy, and fresh, so it goes great with summer mains—especially grilled meats! You can enjoy this next to this a nice fillet of grilled Mahi-Mahi or grilled salmon kebabs. It also serves wonderfully on a slice of fresh homemade Dutch oven bread or next to some hefty burgers, like a turkey burger or chicken burger.
Storage
You can store crab meat salad in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, all canned crab meat is cooked and safe to eat as is right from the can.
There’s definitely a difference in the flavor and texture of the two. Frozen crab meat (flash frozen at sea) or fresh crab meat (found on ice at the seafood counter) are much better quality and offer a sweeter flavor and meatier texture. But this salad can be enjoyed with either, so decide based on your budget.
This depends on what you’re adding to the salad. Crab itself offers up protein and a hefty dose of Omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B12, and selenium. This makes it a nourishing option. If you start adding things like mayonnaise, sour cream, etc., you’re adding to the fat, which is totally fine in moderation. This crab salad is a healthy option all around due to its fresh and light ingredients.
More Seafood Salads to Enjoy This Summer
If you try this Healthy Crab Meat Salad With Lime, or any other recipe here at Killing Thyme, please pop back in and leave a 🌟 star rating! And let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below.
Healthy Crab Meat Salad with Lime
Ingredients
- 16 oz ready-to-eat jumbo lump or lump crab, You can find the best quality in the refrigerated seafood section of your grocery store.
- 1 avocado, diced
- 1 cup halved grape tomatoes
- 1/3 cup freshly chopped parsley
- 2 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
- 1 shallot, very thinly sliced (preferably with a mandolin), You can also use very thinly sliced red onion, about 1/3 cup.
- 2 ripe limes, zested and juiced, When shopping for your limes, look for heavier limes. This indicates ripeness and they will contain more juice.
- 1 jalapeño, finely minced (use half if you don't want too much heat or omit it)
- Kosher salt and cracked black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Place the crab in a large mixing bowl along with the avocado, tomatoes, shallots, jalapeños, salt and pepper, fresh parsley, and the lime zest and juice. Give the contents of the bowl a good stir to mix everything up and make sure that the lime juice gets distributed evenly.
- Add the extra virgin olive oil—1 to 2 tablespoons depending on your preference—and give the salad another quick toss. The olive oil isn't absolutely necessary, but I find that it creates a richer and more buttery flavor while also cutting the acidity a smidge.
- Serve as a side or with crackers, fresh bread. This crab meat salad also goes great on a bed of mixed greens.
Notes
- This salad is good in the refrigerator for three days; tastes best after sitting for one day.
- When removing any kind of crab from a can, you still need to double check and make sure that there are no bits of shell or cartilage that may have accidentally been packed in there with the meat. Simply spread the meat out onto a paper towel or clean cutting board and give it a good once over before you start your prep.
This sounds so lovely! Can’t wait to get some good crab meat.
http://www.chefmimiblog.com
Very good. Such a nice blend of flavors and very fresh. Will make again.
Great! Happy to hear it!
Love this light alternative to the usual rich crab salads with all the mayo. Followed the recipe precisely and it was fantastic! Thank you!
I’m so glad, Mary!