Sweet crab and crunchy spring vegetables make a delicious salad. I used grilled blue crabs for this salad, but you can use whatever is available at your grocery store in the seafood section. Lump crab or imitation crab is a great combination with fresh carrots, bacon, peas and dill. Serve Crab and Spring Pea Salad with leafy lettuce, crisp crackers, and fresh slices of cucumbers. This is such a flavorful spring appetizer or light, bright spring meal!
My family has vacationed along the Carolina coast for years. We always enjoy the beaches and the abundance of seafood we find there. While we also like shrimp, scallops, and fish, we learned very quickly that crab was fresh and plentiful in the spring and early summer.
How to Grill Blue Crabs?
Blue crab is popular, usually prepared fried, grilled, or steamed in the shell. I had never cooked a whole crab, but wanted to give it a try. So, I stopped at a local seafood market recently and asked if they had crab available. She smiled and said, “Yes, they were caught this morning.” It doesn’t get any fresher than that.
I took home six blue crabs and grilled them for about 5 minutes on each side. I also added some Applewood chips to a small pan of water and put it on the grill with the crabs to give them a smoky flavor. Before pulling them off the grill, I added a bit of butter to the middle of each crab shell. It takes some time to remove the top shell and clean each crab properly before grilling, but it was well worth the effort. I served the grilled blue crabs with coleslaw and pan-fried potatoes. We were licking our fingers.
What kind of crab should I use for crab salad?
While it was a treat to grill blue crabs, I’ll continue to buy lump crab from the seafood market for other recipes. One of our favorite ways to eat crab is in a fresh salad. I created this Crab and Spring Pea Salad to serve as an appetizer or as a fresh side dish.
I mixed together crab, bacon, and peas with a lemony dill dressing and served it over green leaf lettuce with crispy crackers and fresh vegetables. I’ve also made this salad for brunch, serving it with quiche and fruit salad for a delightful spring meal.
NOTE: The price of crab, along with many seafood items, has escalated recently. Because of this, you may choose to use imitation crab for this salad, which is just as enjoyable and more affordable. Try to use the freshest vegetables available, as they will make a crisp, crunchy salad.
Crab and Spring Pea Salad
Ingredients:
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon fresh dill
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 8 ounces crab meat (imitation crab can be substituted)
- 3 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 1 cup fresh or frozen peas, thawed
- 1/3 cup thinly sliced celery
- 1/4 cup shredded carrots
How to make Crab and Spring Pea Salad?
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, dill and lemon. Add the remaining ingredients and stir gently until combined. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve over lettuce with an assortment of crackers and fresh veggies. Cover remaining salad and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Recipe makes 6 servings, 1/2 cup each.
Crab and Spring Pea Salad
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon fresh dill
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 8 ounces crab meat imitation crab can be substituted
- 3 slices bacon cooked and crumbled
- 1 cup fresh or frozen peas thawed
- 1/3 cup thinly sliced celery
- 1/4 cup shredded carrots
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, dill and lemon. Add the remaining ingredients and stir gently until combined. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve over lettuce with an assortment of crackers and fresh veggies. Cover remaining salad and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Recipe makes 6 servings, 1/2 cup each.
Bob Scobee
Oh yummy! Next time we see ea other ask me about my King Crab story when we were in Alaska.
Raveaboutfood
Wow! Will do, sounds like an adventure!