Valentina Ablaev
This kani salad recipe is easy to make and absolutely delicious! It features thin strips of fresh cucumbers, crab, and crunchy panko, all tossed in a homemade spicy mayo dressing. The combination of flavors makes it the perfect side salad, even the pickiest eaters will enjoy.
This kani salad is an ideal Japanese side dish that can be prepared in under 10 minutes. Made with imitation crab, it is both affordable and flavorful, similar to our simple crab salad! Crunchy vegetables, crab meat, in the best creamy salad dressing, it’s no wonder this kani salad is one of our top salad recipes, along with our simple tomato cucumber salad and viral spicy korean cucumber salad!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe:
This salad is so easy to make and has incredible flavor! This is one of those dishes that gets so many compliments every time!
Spicy Kani Salad Ingredients
- Crab – imitation crab sticks are the key to this seafood salad. For this recipe, use stick-style imitation crab, not flaky imitation crab meat.
- Cucumber – mini cucumbers are the perfect vegetable to add to this salad.
- Panko breadcrumbs – the perfect crunch for this japanese crab salad.
Substitute: if you don’t have panko crumbs, you can crush up bread crumbs. - Spicy mayo – a homemade spicy mayo made with regular mayo, sriracha, and the zest of fresh lemon juice.
Optional: Make your spicy mayo with japanese mayonnaise (also known as kewpie mayo) for an authentic kani salad dressing.
See the recipe card below for a complete list of ingredients and quantities.
Substitutions and Variations
Switch up the salad with a few delicious variations:
- Add extra spice: The spicy mayo has a mild spice, but you can take it up a notch with a drizzle of sriracha sauce!
- Garnish: Finish the kani salad with a garnish of green onions and black sesame seeds.
- Tobiko: Flying fish roe is a popular addition to this salad! It’s often used in sushi and adds a unique texture and flavor!
- Fruit: A lot of traditional kani salads are made with mango! The combination of sweet and salty is so incredible!
How to Make Kani Salad:
The easiest step-by-step instructions:
- Shred the crab sticks, julienned cucumbers, and add to a salad bowl along with panko crumbs.
- Add spicy mayo to the salad bowl and toss lightly. Garnish the salad with panko bread crumbs and enjoy!
Expert Tips:
- Make the salad in advance: This is the perfect dish to make. Assemble all the ingredients in a large salad bowl, and store the dressing on the side. Dress the salad right before serving, and enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
There are so many ways to serve this salad, here are some of our favorite japanese dishes to pair it with:
- Fried rice: This japanese salad would taste great served with a homemade chicken fried rice to make a complete meal.
- Protein: Serve this salad with grilled teriyaki chicken for a healthy and delicious meal.
- Appetizer: Pair this salad with crispy crab rangoons for a tasty combination
FAQ’s
Making spicy mayo from scratch is easy! Combine ½ cup of mayo, 1 tbsp sriracha, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tsp sugar, and ¼ tsp chili powder in a bowl, and you’re all set!
We don’t peel the cucumber when making kani salad!
Kani salad is great to store in the fridge and enjoy over the following days.
Yes you can use fully cooked crab meat in this salad.
Store & Reheat
- Storage. Store leftover kani salad in the fridge for 3-5 days.
- Freeze. We don’t recommend freezing this salad.
More Salad Recipes
If you enjoyed this kani salad recipe, be sure to try our other easy salad recipes; here are some of our favorites:
If you tried this kani salad recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below – we appreciate it!
Kani Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 oz imitation crab
- 4 mini cucumbers
- 3 Tbsp panko bread crumbs
- 1 portion spicy mayo
Instructions
- Shred the imitation crab into strips. The crab should be easy to peel.
- Julienne the cucumbers into thin strips.
- Add the imitation crab, cucumber, and half of the panko bread crumbs to a bowl.
- Add ¾ of the spicy mayo to the bowl and mix lightly.
- Garnish the salad with more bread crumbs and drizzle with leftover spicy mayo.
Notes
- Make in advance: This is the perfect salad to make in advance with the dressing on the side! Dress the salad before serving, and enjoy.
- Store leftover kani salad in the fridge for up to 3 days.
