Description
This vibrant Crab Salad features flake-style imitation crab tossed with thinly sliced onions, colorful bell peppers, fresh lime juice, cilantro, and olive oil. The onions are softened with salt and lime juice to mellow their sharpness, then combined with the other fresh ingredients and marinated for a few hours to develop bright, tangy flavors. Perfect as a light, refreshing appetizer or side, served with chips or tostones.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables and Herbs
- 1 medium red or yellow onion, peeled and sliced into thin strips
- 3 bell peppers (a combination of red, yellow, and orange), cut into ¼ inch thick strips then halved
- â…“ cup fresh cilantro, stemmed and minced
Seafood
- 14 ounce package flake-style imitation crab, flaked apart
Liquids and Seasonings
- 5 to 6 limes, juiced and divided
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- Black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare Onions: Place the sliced onions in a large bowl and sprinkle with ¾ teaspoon of kosher salt. Use your hands to evenly press the salt into the onions. Add just enough warm water to cover the onions and the juice of ½ a lime. Let the onions soak for 15 to 20 minutes to mellow their flavor. After soaking, drain the onions and rinse them under cold water.
- Combine Ingredients: While the onions are soaking, prepare the remaining ingredients. Once the onions are drained and rinsed, combine them with flaked imitation crab, sliced bell peppers, the juice of 3 to 4 more limes, extra virgin olive oil, minced cilantro, the remaining ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, and black pepper to taste. Mix everything thoroughly.
- Marinate Salad: Allow the crab salad to marinate for a few hours or preferably overnight in the refrigerator to let the flavors meld beautifully. Before serving, taste and adjust salt as needed.
- Serve: Serve the crab salad chilled alongside chips or tostones for a refreshing and colorful appetizer or light meal.
Notes
- Using a combination of red, yellow, and orange bell peppers adds vibrant color and sweetness to the salad.
- Marinating the salad for several hours enhances the flavor, but it can be served sooner if needed.
- Flake-style imitation crab is used for convenience and texture; fresh crab can be substituted if preferred.
- This salad keeps well refrigerated for up to 2 days.
- For extra zing, garnish with additional chopped cilantro or a sprinkle of chili flakes.
