Quick and Easy Spicy Kani Salad

Kani salad is a Japanese version of crab salad made with thin crab sticks and julienned crunchy vegetables, dressed with a spicy mayonnaise dressing, and topped with panko for an extra crunch! Just like the kani salad that you get at the sushi shop or a Japanese steakhouse (if not better!).

Kani Salad Recipe

If you’re wondering what does kani mean, it’s the imitation crab meat usually made from white fish, usually pollock, that is processed in a way to look and taste like crab meat. It’s an essential ingredient at Japanese steakhouses and often used in sushi and salads, but you can use real crab meat here if you prefer.

This is a very simple recipe and all you need is just 5 ingredients for the salad and a few ingredients for the easy mayo-based dressing. Here’s what you’ll need:

To make kani salad:

• In a bowl or a jug, whisk all of the dressing ingredients until it’s well combined and creamy. Have a taste and adjust the seasoning to your preference.
• To a bowl, add the shredded crab sticks (I shred them using my hands, and the string separate very easily), julienned cucumber, carrot, and mango.
• Add the dressing to the crab and vegetables, and give it a good toss.
• Serve in a shallow bowl or serving plate, top with panko and drizzle with extra dressing.

Spicy Kani salad is spicy but it’s also sweet and tart, the veggies and panko are crunchy, and the dressing gives a lovely spicy creaminess. When these different flavors are combined to make this tasty kani salad, make the best combination ever!

The Kani salad that you get at sushi shops is made with Japanese mayo, I don’t usually have it available so I just use regular mayo. The difference between regular and Japanese mayo is the strength of the egg flavor and the sweetness, Japanese mayo seems to have a stronger egg flavor, and it has a sweeter tang.

Storing Tips, and Make-Ahead.

Store kani salad in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

You can either serve this salad immediately or keep it in the fridge until you’re ready to serve. I found that it tastes even better on the next day as the flavors settle. If making ahead, do not top with panko before you store as it will get soggy. Just sprinkle with panko before serving.

Serve this crab salad as an appetizer on sushi nights, or with your favorite Asian take-out, I recommend trying out shrimp and broccoli, beef and broccoli, hibachi steak, hibachi shrimp, and fried rice.

Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!

Recipe

5 from 45 votes

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Kani Salad

Prep Time: 15 minutes mins

Total Time: 15 minutes mins

Author: Diana

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Kani salad is a Japanese version of crab salad made with thin crab sticks and julienned crunchy vegetables, dressed with a spicy mayonnaise dressing, and topped with panko for an extra crunch!

6 servings

Kani salad is a Japanese version of crab salad made with thin crab sticks and julienned crunchy vegetables, dressed with a spicy mayonnaise dressing, and topped with panko for an extra crunch!

Recipe Video

Ingredients 

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For the dressing:

• ▢ ¼ cup mayonnaise
• ▢ 1 teaspoon sriracha or hot sauce
• ▢ 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• ▢ ½ teaspoon granulated sugar
• ▢ ½ teaspoon salt
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ▢ 5 oz (250g) imitation crab/sticks shredded into thin strips

For the Salad:

• ▢ 1 carrot julienned 3" long – about 1 cup
• ▢ 1 cucumber julienned 3" long – about 1 and ½ cups
• ▢ 1 ripe mango julienned 3" long
• ▢ 2 tablespoons panko
• ▢ 1 teaspoon sesame seeds optional

Instructions 

• In a bowl or a jug, whisk all of the dressing ingredients until it’s well combined and creamy.
• To a bowl, add the shredded crab sticks (I shred them using my hands, and the string separate very easily), julienned cucumber, carrot, and mango.
• Add the dressing to the crab and vegetables, and give it a good toss.
• Serve in a shallow bowl or serving plate, top with panko and sesame seeds if using, and drizzle with extra dressing.

Notes:

• Store kani salad in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
• You can either serve this salad immediately or keep it in the fridge until you’re ready to serve. I found that it tastes even better on the next day as the flavors settle. If making ahead, do not top with panko before you store it as they will get soggy. Just sprinkle with panko before serving.
• Depending on how spicy you want your salad to be, adjust the amount of sriracha used in the dressing. Also, adjust seasonings to your preference.
• Top with toasted sesame seeds, or black sesame seeds if you like.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 133kcal, Carbohydrates: 14g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 7mg, Sodium: 436mg, Potassium: 165mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 7g, Vitamin A: 2108IU, Vitamin C: 16mg, Calcium: 20mg, Iron: 1mg

This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.

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