Crab Salad Recipe
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This crab salad is my trademark dish; I usually make this for parties and family gatherings because it is so easy and quick to make.
If it doesn’t disappear by the end of the meal it’s only because I made way too much! The secret to the great flavor is in the horseradish sauce.
Ingredients for the Crab Salad:
1 ½ pounds imitation crab meat (chopped – using a knife or food processor)
6 or 7 hard boiled eggs (diced)
1 small onion (finely diced)
1 cup mayonnaise
1 tsp cream-style horseradish sauce
1 (15 oz) can corn (well-drained)
1 (15 oz) can peas (well-drained)
How to make Crab Salad:
1. Prepare all of the ingredients by chopping 1 1/2 lb of crab meat, dicing 6 hard boiled eggs, dicing 1 small onion and adding 1 can of drained and rinsed corn. Add them to a large bowl.
2. Add 1 cup of mayo and 1 tsp of horseradish sauce, than mix everything together.
3. Finally fold in the peas. Adding peas last, keeps them from breaking.
Add more mayo and horseradish to taste.
Notes: A food processor is not necessary, but it makes the recipe even faster and easier to make. You can cut the recipe in half if you are making it for a smaller crowd.
Russian Style Crab Salad Recipe - Крабовый Салат
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds imitation crab meat, chopped - using a knife or food processor
- 6 or 7 hard boiled eggs, diced
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tsp cream-style horseradish sauce
- 1 15 oz can corn (well-drained)
- 1 15 oz can peas (well-drained)
Instructions
- Prepare all of the ingredients by chopping 1 1/2 lb of crab meat, dicing 6 hard boiled eggs, dicing 1 small onion and adding 1 can of drained and rinsed corn. Add them to a large bowl.
- Add 1 cup of mayo and 1 tsp of horseradish sauce, than mix everything together.
- Finally fold in the peas. Adding peas last, keeps them from breaking.
Natasha Kravchuk
Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
Hi Natasha! I really do not like horseradish, but am very intrigued by this recipe. What should I do? 1)Skip this recipe, 2) Omit the horseradish, or 3) make it with the horseradish; even people who dont like horseradish like this dish!
Hi Xenia, I always make it with horseradish, but here’s what one of my readers wrote: “I’ve been making this salad for years and didn’t realize it was your recipe! Only difference is I have been using garlic instead of horseradish (easier access). Tried it with horseradish and love it as well!” I hope that helps!
Hi Natasha,
I just made this salad for my husband to take to work. I didn’t add the dressing to the entire salad, only to the amount that will be eaten the same day. I do that with all salads and they last longer & taste fresh. The only changes I made were adding cucumber and celery, omitting the pease. It tastes delicious. Love the crunch & freshness of the cucumber & celery. Thank you for all your hearty salad recipes. I make them often for my husband to take to work. He appreciates the variety.
Natalie
Hi Natalie! That’s a great idea for work! I’m so happy you both enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
I’ve been making this salad for years and didn’t realize it was your recipe! Only difference is I have been using garlic instead of horseradish (easier access).
Tried it with horseradish and love it as well!.
Thank you so much for sharing that with us Angelina!
Ok so this looks very nice so do you think we can add like some salmon and like maby a tyoe of seafood mix or would it be to rich thou
Hi Walter, I haven’t tried that combination but I think it would be worth experimenting! 🙂
Another recipe from you and another winner! Wow is this brilliant!
I increased the eggs 4 hard boiled and 2 tablespoons of horseradish, other than that, excellent recipe that will be a regular, thank you once again.
You’re welcome Lee! I’m glad you love the recipe! Thanks for sharing your excellent review! 🙂
Hey natasha i’m right in the middle of making the salad right now do you think that I can mix everything together the night before with the Mayo , horseradish and the peas ? Will it refrigarate well like the Russian oliveye? Thank you
Hi Vika, sorry for the late reply – it’s been a really long day! yes it is ok to mix everything together. This salad keeps really well refrigerated overnight.
Thanks for the recipe, my in laws always ask to bring a crab salad, glad to have different variations of it to choose from!
You are welcome Anna, I’m glad you like the recipe 😀.
hey, I love ur blog and I use it all the time especially when I have no clue what to make for dinner. I have a couple recipes for u that you mite want to try. can u email me ur direct email?
Yes! That would be awesome: natashaskitchen@yahoo .com (no spaces). Excited!!! 🙂
Which crab salad would you pick if u had to pick one? This recipe or the other one that u have posted?
We’ve made this one way more often. I guess I’d lean more toward this one, although the other one is definitely worth trying 🙂
Just made this salad! One of my favorites. My mom and grandmas in Ukraine always add napa cabbage as well. That way it is fresh and yummi.
Thank you for the great review Kateryna, I’m glad you enjoyed it :).
I made this salad with no peas and added mandolin sliced cabbage and it turned out sooooo goood! cabbage adds that crunch and makes it more light 🙂
Mmmm I love your changes! Sounds so fresh and crisp and nice! 🙂
I have not been disappointed with any of your recipes so far. =) (which is awesome=) ) So i will try this salad as well even though i love my recipe of it A LOT. I make mine with hard-boiled eggs, imitation crab meat , canned corn and fresh cucumbers, as always mixed with mayo, salt and pepper.
I love the idea of adding fresh cucumber! It reminds me of my other crab salad: https://natashaskitchen.com/2013/12/02/crab-salad-with-cucumber-and-tomato-recipe/
Can i substitute crab meat for tuna?
Thanks
I haven’t tried with tuna but it would b a completely different salad with a different texture. Without trying it myself, I can’t really recommend it.
I made this salad for a family get-together. I loved the mayo/horseradish combination, but we all decided that we didnt like the peas so much. Im going to make it again today but will try substituting fresh cucumbers instead of peas. Thanks for the recipe!
Have you tried my other crab salad? It has cucumbers and it’s so so tasty! 🙂
Delicious!!!Thanks again 😉
Natasha have you ever thought about posting a homemade mayo recipe? Just a thought…..
That’s a great thought! I’ll add it to the list 🙂
looking forward to that recipe, to a PERFECT homemade mayo. no doubt you will make it perfect 😉 Thank you for the consideration 🙂
Oh I bet it would be amazing with homemade mayo!!
Thank you Natasha!!! Yes! It’s a very good salad. I appreciate you sharing your recipes with us who visit your website. It’s very very useful!!! Thank you!!!:)
I appreciate your awesome feedback 🙂 Thanks so much Olena!
Made this salad a few times and I love it. Thank You sharing!
You are welcome Yana, I’m glad you enjoy it :).
I will try next time horseradish, sound interesting. I do not use green peas for this salad, but I add very little fresh cucumber.
I love the idea of using fresh cucumber. Thanks for sharing!!
Just wanted to tell you that I made this & hubby and I have been eating it for 3 days now 😀 It’s delicious! It’s much lighter than the traditional Olivie without the potatoes & carrots which I really liked! Saving for my recipe binder. All your stuff is delicious. Thanks for the hard work you put into this website!
Oh I haven’t made this salad in awhile. Thanks for the reminder! 🙂 I’m so glad you liked the salad. It’s always been one of my favorites.
Hi Natasha –
I was wondering if there’s anything you can substitute the mayonnaise with that won’t compromise the taste? Not a huge fan of mayo! My grandma has made it with sour cream before, and I liked it a lot, but wondering if there are any other suggestions!
Thank you!
I have always made it with mayo, haven’t explored any other options :). You can use vegan mayo.
This is a great salad. I make mine a little different. I substitute the peas for some fresh cucumbers! The crunch is a lovely texture in this salad. Try it next time when you make it 🙂 You will like it a lot I think.
Thank you for the suggestion, I will try that for sure :).
Would this salad be OK if i chopped all the ingredients the night before? And just mixing it with the mayo/horseradish and adding the peas the day of?
Totally fine, just refrigerate everything, but you already know that 🙂
My family’s recipe for crab salad is made with equal parts cauliflower, diced tomato, and imitation crab (all diced to about the same size). We then dress it with sour cream and mayo and salt to taste. Will have to try yours. Sounds yummy.
Tomato and cauliflower sound nice. I’ll have to try your version as well! Thanks for sharing!
Love crab salad! The way I make mine is as follows (amount of ingredients varies from person to person and preference):
Imitation crab meat- chopped
Red bell pepper- cut in thin strips
Canned corn
Celery- cut in tiny cubes
Olives- cut in thin circles or half moons
Green onion- chopped
Dill
A little mayo to coat
I like to eat it just like that where as my mom likes to mix in some cooked rice and my sister-in-law likes to mix in some cooked tiny shells. Enjoy!
Oh! And my mother also adds some grated hard boiled eggs to her salad too when she mixes it with the rice.
I should try adding the dill. Sounds like a nice touch!
Hi Natasha,
I have to tell you, I work with a few young Russian women and one of them brought this to work one day for a pot luck and it was so divine! I told my husband about it and he was quite eager to try it, so after searching online, I came across your recipe and tried making it on my own and it was sooo delish! Personally, I thought your recipe was much better than my Russian friend’s. We nearly made ourselves sick while trying to eat it all and we even bickered over who would get the last of it!! Ha ha ha ha!! I have also tried other recipes of yours and you, ma’am, are a kitchen goddess!! Thank you for your site!!
Ha! Sounds like you enjoyed it a little too much! Thank you Heather! I am blessed to be surrounded by wonderful cooks in my family; who have taught me most of what I know 🙂
I make my salad exactly but also add quartered cucumbers..what kinda rice would you add to make it like your aunt? That sounds interesting, and I’m curious how it would taste;)
I guess in the 90th when the salad was invented they used crab meat imitation because of the bad economy Recently I tryed to use fresh shrimps instead of fake crab meat and frozen corn instead of caned I was so surprized how the test changed! The salad came out very delicious Also I know another varian of this salad – when you use fresh carbage instead of eggs and onions – more light variant but also very good (i m making with shrimps)
That does sound nice! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Love your blog!! Keep up the fabulous work!
My husband is Russian and when I first learned to make this recipe I asked a Russian friend.Her recipe has carrots instead of the corn and finely diced apple and pickle.It’s delicious.
That sounds very interesting. Thanks for sharing Lydia!
I love this salad! We make it exactly the same except we use the imitation crab meat sticks. All you do is hold it between your hands and rub it together. It comes apart easily and we just throw it and mix it together.
Sounds delicious I’ll have to try it, I make mine with just crabmeat, boiled eggs, corn, green onion and mayo. What are the black things on the picture above?
Those are canned peas 🙂
Thank you very much for the recipe of this salad, I love it.
Hi Natasha! I just made this salad and its soo delicious! Thank you for sharing your recipes. I enjoy trying them out:)
I always love to hear when people try and enjoy my recipes. 🙂 it adds sweetness to my day so thank you!
Hey there…this salad sounds really good. I have a different way of making a crab salad…I will try yours and let you know how it goes. But i usually make mine with fresh cabbage, the crabs, green onions, and mayo. I add a little bit of salt and a little more pepper. Thanks for the recipes..God Bless
Hi – I have recently discovered your site and absolutely LOVE it! Quick question: can this salad be made the day before it is eaten or is it best freshly made and served?
This salad keeps well in the fridge for 3 or 4 days.
i always make my crab salad with rice, eggs, corn and crab meat and this time i thought i’d try yours out-sure glad i did. the husband loved it and i couldnt keep my hands off of it!!
Thanks for letting me know. So glad you enjoyed it!
I like to serve a few salads on my zakusky table and this turned out absolutely delicious. Your recipes are divine and I am so happy I found you.
Thanks Zina!
I LOVE this salad! Our first Russian exchange student made this for us for Thanksgiving and we have added it to our holiday menu ever since. His mother made it for me this summer when I visited them in Russia and of all the salads that were made for me this is still my favorite!
Just thought that I’d return and tell you how much I enjoyed this recipe. THANKS!
Wow that does sound good. Thank you so much for this recipe… I make my crab salad with tomatoes and green onions and then put mayo, salt and black pepper to taste… When i take it to church parties, everybody likes it.. I will try this next time. Sounds yummmmyyyy
I love crab salad. But I make it differently. I don’t use peas, but add 1/2 cup of rice, bell peper (usually red to give some color) and olives from the can.
Great blog, btw.
Thank you!! Bell pepper sounds interesting. My aunt makes hers with rice too.
В нашей семье это одни из любимых салатов. Вариантов этого салата тоже много, многие делают с рисом, но рис делает салат более тяжелым. Я всегда заменяю рис тертым твердым сыром и добавляю черные оливки. Горошек мало кто добавляет. Иногда к крабовым палочкам добавляют креветки. Этот салат у нас готовится на каждый праздник, это уже традиция.
Cheese and black olives would be wonderful in this salad! Thank you so much for sharing! 🙂
this is hands down the best crab salad ever, if natasha werent my sister i would invite her just because of this salad