Prepared in solely 20 minutes, this creamy Japanese kani salad is loaded with shredded crab, veggies, and a crispy panko topping. It’s the best, chilled Asian-style salad you’ve had shortly.

Straightforward Japanese Crab Kani Salad
Tossed in a creamy Asian-style dressing, this simple Japanese kani salad takes weekday aspect dishes to a complete different stage. Topped with crispy garlic panko, it’ll be in your desk inside a formidable 20 minutes.
Full of shredded crab, corn, carrots, and cucumbers, this crab salad has simply the correct amount of sweetness and crunch. Don’t overlook the fast sauce filled with your favourite Asian elements like soy sauce, sesame oil, and Japanese chili powder for tang, warmth, and richness.
Even should you select to spice it up with edamame or tempura shrimp, it’s nonetheless an extremely easy recipe that’ll have everybody pushing their foremost dishes apart for one more serving to of this refreshing crab salad.

What Is Kani Salad?
Kani salad is a relaxing Japanese salad manufactured from shredded crab sticks and thinly sliced veggies like cucumber and carrots. It’s tossed in mayonnaise seasoned with a number of sauces like soy sauce and mirin. Spicier variations can include Sriracha, chili oil, or Japanese chili powder.
It’s a typical aspect dish for weekday meals as a result of it’s fast, simple, and doesn’t should be reheated for serving.

Recipe Substances
Time to make use of up all of the Asian sauces in your pantry! Test the recipe card on the backside for full ingredient quantities for this Japanese kani salad.
- Carrot
- Persian cucumber
- Candy corn – You should use canned, contemporary, or frozen. Make certain they’re thawed should you’re utilizing frozen.
- Crab sticks
- Japanese Mayonnaise
- Ponzu – You’ll be able to go away it out if you’d like, but it surely provides good citrusy notes.
- Mirin – Rice wine vinegar or cooking sake is an efficient substitute.
- Soy sauce – Common or low-sodium will work.
- Sesame oil – Peanut oil is okay too.
- Cooking sake
- Black sesame seeds
- White sesame seeds
- Shichimi togarashi – Korean gochugaru chili powder is a good various, however add it to style as a result of it’s spicier.
- Plain panko – You may as well use common breadcrumbs.
- Garlic powder
- Inexperienced onions – Chopped scallions can even work.
- Toasted sesame seeds – You’ll be able to toast your personal by putting 1 to three tablespoons of black or white sesame seeds in a pan over low warmth. Shake the pan repeatedly and allow them to toast for 2-3 minutes or till aromatic. Take away them from the pan instantly and set them apart.

Straightforward Variation Concepts
This Japanese kani salad is well spiced up with Sriracha, edamame, lemon juice, or tempura shrimp.
- Make it spicier. Drizzle it with Sriracha for an additional spicy kani salad.
- Add edamame. Put together the edamame in keeping with package deal directions and toss them into the salad.
- Make it tangy. Add 1 teaspoon of lemon juice to the salad and blend effectively.
- Add tempura shrimp. Prime the salad with crispy tempura shrimp for crunch and protein.
Tips on how to Make Japanese Kani Salad
Making Japanese kani salad is less complicated than it appears, particularly should you prep the veggies a day prematurely.
- Put together the veggies. Peel the carrot and slice it into skinny matchsticks utilizing a pointy knife. Place it in a medium-sized bowl. Slice the cucumber into skinny matchsticks and add them in. Add the candy corn.
- Shred the crab. Use your arms or use two forks to shred the crab thinly. Shredding it thinly makes a extra delicate salad, however you’ll be able to shred it as skinny or thick as you want. Combine it with the veggies till effectively mixed.


- Make the dressing. Add the Japanese mayo, ponzu, mirin, soy sauce, sesame oil, sake, black and white sesame seeds, and shichimi togarashi in a bowl. Combine effectively to mix.
- Toss it. Pour the dressing over the veggie-crab combination and toss it till fully mixed. Cowl the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate till able to serve.
- Make the crispy panko. Add the panko and garlic powder to a pan over medium-low warmth. Unfold it out evenly and stir repeatedly in order that it doesn’t burn. Let it prepare dinner for 3-4 minutes or till golden brown. Switch to a plate and set it apart to chill for five minutes.


- Serve. Add kani salad to style into serving bowls and high with the toasted sesame seeds, inexperienced onions, and crispy panko. Don’t add the crispy panko earlier than serving or it’s going to soften.
Suggestions for Success
The following pointers will prevent a lot of time whenever you’re in a rush. Don’t skip them!
- Use full-fat mayo. Should you can’t discover Japanese mayo, substitute it for full-fat mayo.
- Prep forward. Make the salad a day prematurely for the flavors to come back collectively.
- Make it chunky. Chop the crab sticks into 1/2″ items so that you simply don’t have to fret about shredding them.
- Skip the panko. Though it provides the salad a pleasant crunch, you’ll be able to skip the panko should you’re in a rush.

What To Serve With Crab Salad
Kani Salad is greatest with Asian-style dishes like my Hen Lettuce Wraps, Bang Bang Shrimp, and Pepper Steak Stir Fry. It’s additionally nice with Immediate Pot Jasmine Rice and pork or hen katsu for a extra Japanese vibe.
How Lengthy Will This Final In The Fridge?
- This salad must be refrigerated in an hermetic container. It can last as long as 2 days however is greatest eaten the day it’s made. Don’t retailer it any longer than this as a result of it will increase the chance of meals poisoning. Make certain to not go away it at room temperature for greater than half-hour.

Extra Aspect Salads
ENJOY!
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Peel the carrot after which slice it into skinny matchsticks utilizing a pointy knife. Place it in a medium-sized bowl.
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Slice the cucumber in half longwise, minimize it into skinny matchsticks, and place them within the bowl. Add within the candy corn.
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Use your arms or two forks to thinly shred the crab. Add it to the bowl with the carrots and cucumbers.
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Use your arms or salad tongs to combine the veggies and crab within the bowl. Put aside.
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In a mixing bowl, whisk collectively the mayonnaise, ponzu, mirin, soy sauce, sesame oil, sake, and sesame seeds. Add to the salad and toss effectively till mixed. Cowl the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate till able to serve.
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In the meantime, add the panko crumbs and garlic powder to a pan set over medium-low warmth. Unfold it out in a single layer and stir repeatedly in order that it would not burn. Let it prepare dinner for 3 to 4 minutes or till golden brown. Switch to a plate and set it apart to chill for five minutes.
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Take away the salad from the fridge. Serve kani salad in serving bowls and high with the toasted sesame seeds, inexperienced onions, and crispy panko.
- Crab Sticks: Crab sticks, krab sticks, imitation crab (meat), or seafood sticks are a kind of seafood and may be discovered within the refrigerated part at any well-stocked grocery retailer.
- Japanese Mayonnaise: This mayonnaise incorporates yolks, leading to a custardy texture and a richer taste.
- Shichimi Togarashi Seasoning: It is a Japanese spice mix with chili flakes, seaweed, and sesame seeds, amongst different issues, and provides an umami taste to dishes. Korean gochugaru chili powder is an efficient various, however add it to style as a result of it’s spicier.
- For a full meal, high the salad with tempura shrimp and add a aspect of fried rice.
Energy: 160 kcal | Carbohydrates: 16 g | Protein: 4 g | Fats: 9 g | Saturated Fats: 1 g | Polyunsaturated Fats: 5 g | Monounsaturated Fats: 2 g | Trans Fats: 0.01 g | Ldl cholesterol: 6 mg | Sodium: 487 mg | Potassium: 129 mg | Fiber: 2 g | Sugar: 3 g | Vitamin A: 2138 IU | Vitamin C: 1 mg | Calcium: 66 mg | Iron: 1 mg | Internet Carbs: 14 g
Dietary information is an estimate and offered as courtesy. Values could differ in keeping with the elements and instruments used. Please use your most popular dietary calculator for extra detailed information.