Kani salad, also called crab stick salad, is a light Japanese-style salad made from shredded crab stick with julienned cucumber and carrots. It’s dressed in a creamy mayonnaise-based sauce with fresh lemon juice and Kewpie mayo, a popular Japanese mayonnaise.
Kani salad is a refreshing, easy-to-make dish with a satisfying crunch and subtle seafood flavor. Often served at sushi restaurants or Japanese-American eateries as an appetizer, it’s perfect for warm weather and travels well when chilled. With just a few ingredients, it comes together in under 10 minutes—ideal for picnics, potlucks, or weeknight sides.
What is kani salad?
Kani salad is a Japanese-style seafood salad built around crab stick. “Kani” means crab in Japanese, so kani salad translates to crab salad. While fresh crab can be used, this recipe typically uses crab stick—an imitation crab product shaped and colored to resemble real crab meat.
The dressing is intentionally simple—so it doesn’t overpower the crab stick’s sweet, delicate flavor. The salad usually combines shredded crab stick with thinly julienned cucumber and carrot for texture and color.
Ingredients
- Crab stick – Choose long sticks with a red strip on the surface to resemble crab meat.
- Cucumber – Use a large English cucumber and cut into thin julienne strips.
- Carrot – Match the cucumber amount with an equal-sized carrot, julienned.
- Japanese mayonnaise – Kewpie mayo is richer and creamier than regular mayo, but regular mayonnaise works if needed.
- Lemon – Freshly squeezed lemon juice brightens the dressing.
How to make kani salad
- Prep the crab stick: Shred the crab stick into thin strands by pulling it apart by hand. Alternatively, hold one end and run a fork along the length to speed the process.
- Prepare vegetables: Julienne the English cucumber and carrot into thin, even strips.
- Make the dressing: Whisk Japanese mayonnaise with fresh lemon juice, then season with salt and pepper to taste. For a spicy variation, stir in a couple of teaspoons of sriracha.
- Toss shredded crab stick, cucumber, and carrot with the dressing until coated. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds if desired and serve chilled.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Avoid freezing, as the vegetables will become watery when thawed.
Variations
- Sriracha: Add 1–2 teaspoons of sriracha or sambal to the dressing for heat. For more flavor without spice, a splash of ketchup adds sweetness and color.
- Fruit additions: Cubed mango, diced Granny Smith apple, or even raisins add a touch of sweetness and contrast nicely with the creamy dressing.
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Kani Salad
Ingredients
- 1 lb crab stick
- ½ large English cucumber, julienned
- 1 large carrot, julienned
Dressing
- ½ cup Japanese mayonnaise, or regular mayo
- 1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice
- salt & pepper, to taste
- 2 teaspoons sriracha, (optional)
Instructions
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Dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together Japanese mayonnaise and lemon juice. Add sriracha if you want heat. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
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Shred crab stick: Pull the crab stick apart by hand into thin strands or use a fork to scrape along its length.
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Toss and serve: Combine shredded crab stick with julienned cucumber and carrot in a large bowl. Toss with dressing to your preference, garnish with toasted sesame seeds if desired, and serve cold.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.
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Crab stick is an imitation crab product made from white fish such as pollock or cod, seasoned and formed to resemble crab meat. It doesn’t contain actual crab but offers a sweet, mild fish flavor and a delicate texture similar to crab.