Try this popular Japanese-inspired Kani salad recipe! Shredded imitation crab and fresh julienned veggies tossed in a homemade spicy mayo dressing.
Try all my other delicious Asian-inspired dishes, like crispy Egg Rolls!
KANI SALAD
Make this popular Japanese Steakhouse salad at home for a fraction of the price! Simple Kani salad loaded with crunchy veggies and strands of imitation crab with a slight kick from the dressing. This spicy crab salad is the perfect appetizer or side dish no matter what the occasion! This salad is packed with flavors and is the perfect balance of sweet, spicy and crunch!
WHAT YOU NEED-
- Imitation Crab– The key to this salad is Kani, which is the Japanese word for imitation crab. You want to use the leg/stick style of imitation crab, so that you can get the strands. If you use the crab chunks, you won’t get the strands that this salad calls for.
- Cucumbers– You want to use fresh cucumbers for this salad! Either mini cucumbers or the long English cucumber can be used.
- Carrots– Fresh carrots add extra flavor and crunch to this salad! If you prefer, you can leave the carrot out and just keep the salad with just cucumber and crab.
- Panko– Adding crunchy panko crumbs to this salad gives the salad a delicious crunch. Adding the panko crumbs is totally optional.
- Spicy Mayo– For the salad dressing, homemade spicy mayo sauce is what is used! I highly recommend that you use my homemade spicy mayo dressing, but you can also just swap it for a store-bought spicy mayo.
HOW TO MAKE SPICY KANI SALAD
With just a couple simple steps you can have this delicious spicy Kani salad ready to enjoy!
- Combine the ingredients for the spicy mayo dressing in a bowl. Set aside.
- Shred apart the crab sticks into thing strings lengthwise. (The imitation crab is already precut into strings; you must work with your hands to unstick the strings.)
- Using a julienne shredder, julienne cucumbers and carrots. Pat dry the cucumbers with paper towel to remove the juices. (Don’t use the heart of the cucumber, this is the juiciest part and it will give you wet and soggy salad.)
- Add the sliced crab, cucumbers, and carrots into a large bowl. Pour and toss in the spicy mayo dressing.
- Top with panko crumbs and sesame seeds and serve!
SALAD VARIATIONS
Elevate this salad by adding different ingredients to this dish! Here are some other ingredients that go great in this salad:
- Mango
- Avocado
- Corn
- Red Pepper
- Tobiko
QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE:
Kani salad, also known as crab salad, is a Japanese inspired salad made with Kani, cucumbers and a spicy mayo dressing. This salad is popular at Japanese steakhouses and served as an appetizer or side dish.
This is great to make ahead of time! Prepare the salad, cover and store it in the fridge. Top with the pank0 crumbs right before serving! Make it at least 1 hour to 2 days ahead of time!
Leftover Kani salad can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days!
For the best results, I highly recommend using this wooden julienne slicer! I love to use it for all my shredding, especially for this salad and my carrot salad.
For the best results, you want to have your ingredients shredded into thin strands.
Yes, you can totally leave out the carrots! The main ingredient in this popular salad is Kani and cucumbers
When making homemade spicy mayo, you can adjust the heat level by the amount of hot sauce you add.
PAIR WITH THESE ASIAN-INSPIRED DISHES-
This spicy crab salad makes for the ultimate side dish! Pair with these dishes for a delicious dinner:
Kani Salad (Spicy Crab Salad)
Ingredients
- 16 oz imitation crab
- 1 long English cucumber about 3 cups
- 2 medium carrots about 1 1/2 cups
- 1/3 cup panko crumbs
Spicy Mayo Dressing-
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 3 Tbsp sriracha hot sauce
- 1 tsp white vinegar
- 1 tsp granulated sugar
- 1 tsp lemon juice or lime juice
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine mayo, sriracha, vinegar, sugar, and lemon juice until creamy. Set aside.
- Using a fork or your fingers, shred the crab into thin strings lengthwise (The imitation crab is already pre cut into strings; you must work with your hands to unstick the strings.)
- Using a julienne shredder, julienne cucumbers and carrots into thin strands. Do not use the center of the cucumber to avoid soggy salad. (If you don’t have a julienne slicer, you can just cut them into thin strands with a knife.)
- With paper towel, pat dry the shredded cucumbers to remove the juices. (This will help you get crunchy salad instead of wet and soggy salad.)
- Add the sliced crab, cucumbers, and carrots into a large bowl. Pour and toss in the spicy mayo dressing.
- Top with panko crumbs and sesame seeds and serve. (For the best results, allow the salad to chill for at least an hour before topping and serving.)
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