Crab Meat Salad with Fennel and Herbs

This crab meat salad adds some coastal flavour to your table, it is easy to prepare and is incredibly delicious and can also, double as an entree.

In this salad,, we have combined crabmeat with perfumed fennel, crisp cucumber and aromatic herbs and brought it all together with a light and refreshing sour cream dressing.

This is a light, flavourful, and incredible versatile salad that is great as a light lunch, great for summer picnics and ideal for entertaining.

This crab meat salad is low carb and suitable for keto and gluten-free dieters.

What crab should I use for crab meat salad?

Personally, I would opt for real crabmeat rather than imitation products as they contain gluten and have artificial additives.

I have used a combination of frozen spanner and fresh king that I found already cleaned at the fish market.

• Spanner Crab Meat is one of the sweeter crab varieties and is a favourite because of its versatility and I use it a lot in salads and in pasta.
• King Crab Meat is a real delicacy, as the season is very short, and the quality of meat is premium. It has a wonderful sweetness that is just also perfect for salads.

You could easily use the crabmeat that is sold in cans or containers from your supermarket. This is fresh crab that has been cooked, cleaned, pasteurized, and then packaged. Look for either jumbo lump for its larger pieces, bright white colour and delicate flavour.  Or, as a cheaper option, you could try lump crabmeat which is similar but it is made of a mix of large and small pieces.

How to make this salad

1PREPARE VEG
Wash the fennel bulbs remove outer leaves and the hard-core. Reserve the fronds and chop enough to make one tablespoon to use for salad. Pick the leaves from your mint stems.
Slice into julienne using a julienne peeler or with the julienne attachment on your mandoline/v-slicer. As fennel discolours easily, place in a bowl of cold water until you are ready to assemble the salad.
Wash the cucumbers, cut off the ends then slice into julienne using a julienne peeler or with the julienne attachment on your mandoline/v-slicer.

2MAKE DRESSING
Place all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and mix until combined and creamy. Taste and adjust seasonings according to your taste.

3ASSEMBLE SALAD
Strain the crab of any water (reserve some of the larger pieces for a garnish.
Drain the fennel well, pat dry with a towel.
Place crab and fennel in a large mixing bowl, add the cucumber, mint, fennel and dill. Season with salt and pepper.
Pour the dressing over the salad and mix until well combined. Taste and adjust seasonings according to your taste.
Arrange the salad in a bowl, garnish with the reserved crab and some mint leaves then serve immediately.

Ways to enjoy this crab meat salad

This salad makes a mouthwatering simple light lunch served with fresh bread, part of a fancy lunch with a simple tart such as asparagus or with some baked ricotta.

Transform it into an impressive entree either with some fanned avocado on the side or in an avocado half.

Stuff it into cherry tomatoes for a delicious appetizer or in a large heirloom tomato for a light meal.

Great to serve as part of a seafood buffet with fresh prawns, freshly shucked oysters, a barbecued whole fish such as snapper or salmon.

How about trying some more seafood salads

Crab Meat Salad with Fennel and Herbs

This crab salad adds some coastal flavour to your table, it is easy to prepare and is incredibly delicious and can also, double as an entree.

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Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 0 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

* Times are an estimate and will depend on your skill level

Course: Salad

Cuisine: Australian

Keyword: Easy

Servings: 4

Calories: 271kcal

Equipment

• Mandoline / V-Slicer or Food Processor
• Julienne Peeler

Ingredients

For the salad…

• 450 grams fresh crab meat (I used a combination of frozen spanner and fresh king crab)
• 450 grams fennel (approximately 2 small bulbs)
• 300 grams Lebanese cucumbers (approximately 2 cucumbers)
• 1 tbsp fennel fronds (chopped)
• 1 tbsp dill (chopped)
• 1 cup Vietnamese mint leaves

For the sour cream dressing…

• ¼ cup Sour cream
• 2 tbsps lemon juice
• 3 tbsps avocado oil
• Pinch of paprika
• Pinch of salt

Metric - Imperial

Instructions

• Wash and trim your fennel and cucumber. Slice them both into julienne. Place your fennel in a bowl of cold water until you are ready to assemble the salad as it discolours.
• Chop your fennel fronds and pick the leaves from your mint.
• Place all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and mix until combined and creamy.
• Strain the crab of any water (reserve some of the larger pieces for a garnish.
• Drain the fennel well, pat dry with a towel.
• Place crab and fennel in a large mixing bowl, add the cucumber, mint, fennel and dill. Season with salt and pepper.
• Pour the dressing over the salad and mix until well combined. Taste and adjust seasonings according to your taste.
• Arrange the salad in a bowl, garnish with the reserved crab and some mint leaves then serve immediately.

Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.

Calories: 271kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 55mg | Sodium: 1016mg | Potassium: 890mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 824IU | Vitamin C: 30mg | Calcium: 162mg | Iron: 2mg

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