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    Home » Recipes » Party Food

    Vegan Crab Salad

    Published: Jul 26, 2022 · Modified: Oct 21, 2024 by Richard Makin

    🌱 VG

    Publised on 26/07/2022. Last Updated on 21/10/2024 by Richard

    Jump to Recipe
    5 from 34 votes
    vegan crab salad

    The quickest vegan crab salad around! Packed full of flavour and bite with a gentle hint of seafood vibes - ideal for a party side or a sandwich stuffer!


    My vegan crab salad is for everyone who's ever prayed for an insanely quick vegan lunch that's packed with protein. Yeah - I know, School Night Vegan finally doing a recipe that's fast and healthy with no unusual ingredients - I have not been taken by the body snatchers - don't worry. You see, it's also BLOODY DELICIOUS, so it's absolutely still within my wheel house!

    There's a super simple solution to replicating that shredded crab-style bite and, actually, I shouldn't say this, but you can absolutely go rogue with this recipe! In fact, I encourage it! If you like your crab salad spicy, then go for it! Wan't to add capers? Woohoo! This is really just a base method and technique which will unlock a whole host of other recipes for you! Speaking of salads, you look like the kind of person who would LOVE my Crispy Gochujang Potato Salad and my Delicious Vegan Crab Cakes It makes a great companion to this crab salad! 

    vegan crab salad

    Most commonly, I stuff this salad into a sandwich or buttered hot dog bun with lettuce, crisps and radishes for a super convenient New-England-Style sea-food roll. But it's also so delicious you can also just serve as a side at a party for people to pack their plate with! 

    I've also tried this recipe in sushi with a little wasabi mixed in and the result is SO convincingly crabby! See - the possibilities for this vegan crab salad are endless!

    How do I make vegan crab salad!?

    As always, the FULL RECIPE is at the bottom of the page - scroll on down if you're in a hurry. If you've got time or want some extra pro-level tips on getting the perfect vegan crab salad, keep readin!

    1. Prep your tofu!

    extra firm tofu

    The key to a super crabby vegan crab salad is EXTRA FIRM TOFU! When I say extra firm, I mean it! It's the kind that has a real rubbery bounce and has already been compressed. Usually it's sold in water like regular or medium firm tofu, but the texture is completely different. I use a brand called Tofoo, which holds together perfectly!

    You're going to use the largest holes on a box grater and shred the tofu really roughly. This will result in the most crab-like texture. If you're using this recipe for sushi, I'd recommend using a microplane grater instead - it just makes the rolling process much easier. 

    2. Prepare the remaining ingredients

    extra ingredients

    Next you're going to whack all the remaining vegan crab salad ingredients into a nice big bowl. This is mostly some veggies, herbs and spices, but the key ingredient here is the vegan mayo. Vegan mayo varies a lot from brand to brand. I've tried many with this recipe, but my favourite store-bought is always Hellmanns, so use this if you can get it. If you're down for some home-made mayo, try this recipe with my vegan gochujang mayo or my vegan kewpie mayo!

    Again, feel free to go rogue at this point. If you fancy adding some horseradish for a more Russian Dressing vibe, go for it! If you want to throw in some sriracha for a spicy kick, feel free! 

    3. Stir your vegan crab salad together!

    vegan crab salad

    This is something to do with as much care as possible. Tofu is still rather fragile - extra firm or not, so don't break everything up too much! Just a nice fold and stir will do. At this stage you can cover the salad and store in the fridge for the next day - so if you are prepping for a party, this is a great make-ahead recipe!

    4. Serve and enjoy!

    vegan crab salad sandwich

    Whether you serve the vegan crab salad on its own or inside a sandwich, I like to sprinkle with a tiny bit of paprika and some extra fresh chives before serving. It's a good idea to serve this salad alongside something crunchy for added texture, like radishes or potato chips.

    And that's it! It really is the simplest recipe I think I've ever written down, but I can't recommend it enough! 

    vegan crab salad sandwich

    As always, it helps me MASSIVELY if you can rate and review this recipe below. This blog only exists because people like you actually use it and cook these recipes, so it would mean a massive amount to me if you could let others know that you rate this recipe or that you're just excited to make it!

    Alternatively, take a picture and pop it on instagram! Be sure to tag me though - I can't wait to see how you use this recipe! Need more recipes for vegan salads? Why not try my caesar salad or my vietnamese bun chay!?

    vegan crab salad

    Vegan Crab Salad

    The quickest vegan crab salad around! Packed full of flavour and bite with a gentle hint of seafood vibes - ideal for a party side or a sandwich stuffer!
    4.98 from 34 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Servings: 4 servings
    Calories: 182kcal
    Author: Richard Makin

    Ingredients

    • 200 g extra firm tofu drained
    • 1 stick celery
    • Small bunch fresh chives finely chopped
    • 1 teaspoon fresh tarragon finely chopped
    • 1 teaspoon dill finely chopped
    • 80 g vegan mayonnaise
    • 30 g vegan creme fraiche or vegan sourcream
    • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
    • Zest of ½ a lemon
    • 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
    • 1 teaspoon old bay seasoning
    • Pinch nori flakes
    • salt and pepper
    Metric - US Customary

    Instructions

    • Use the coarse holes in a box grater to shred the extra firm tofu directly into a medium bowl.
      200 g extra firm tofu
    • Add the remaining ingredients and gently stir together until combined. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
      1 stick celery, Small bunch fresh chives, 1 teaspoon fresh tarragon, 1 teaspoon dill, 80 g vegan mayonnaise, 30 g vegan creme fraiche, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, Zest of ½ a lemon, 1 teaspoon dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon old bay seasoning, Pinch nori flakes, salt and pepper

    Video

    Notes

    - Be sure to use extra firm tofu for this recipe. Firm or silken are just too soft and will turn to mush as soon as you stir through the other ingredients. For that crab-style shred and bite, you'll need extra firm. I use Tofoo brand - you can find a link for this below.
    - If you like your crab salad spicy, try adding 2 tablespoon of hot sauce to the mix. I love using the "Extra Garlic" Sriracha for this, as it brings an extra level of flavour.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 182kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Sodium: 198mg | Potassium: 101mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 42IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 27mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @SchoolNightVegan or tag #schoolnightvegan!

    WANT MORE VEGAN LUNCHES!?

    Why not try:

    Vegan Meatball Sub Sandwiches

    Vegan Jackfruit Melt Sandwich with Quick Pesto

    The Best Vegan Tuna Salad

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    • Vegan Pumpkin Sticky Toffee Pudding
    • Sticky Roasted Butternut Squash with Apricot & Harissa
    • a vegan sausage roll on a plate with mustard and caramelised onions
      Vegan Sausage Rolls with Mushrooms and Tofu
    • Vegan cornbread Stuffing
      Easy Vegan Cornbread Stuffing with Apricots & Pecans

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      4.98 from 34 votes (26 ratings without comment)

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Karen Newsome

      September 29, 2024 at 12:51 am

      4 stars
      Could the tofu be substituted with Hearts of Palm?

      Reply
    2. Bonnie

      August 30, 2024 at 1:52 pm

      This looks so good! I might try it as I like to find new, healthy ways to enjoy food. How many days will this last in the fridge?

      Reply
    3. Vicky

      March 11, 2024 at 4:52 pm

      5 stars
      I didn't have all of the ingredients and adjusted it a bit. This recipe is crazy good (even when adapted)! Thank you for sharing!! I can't wait to finish it up the second half of this today 😀

      Reply
      • Vicky

        March 11, 2024 at 4:56 pm

        5 stars
        Also, I'm ordering your book!! So pumped to try more of your recipes!

        Reply
    4. Emma

      August 09, 2023 at 7:48 pm

      5 stars
      So, so, so good, Richard! Don't hate me, but I'm a vegetarian so I used home-made mayo with eggs and dairy sour cream, but the flavours from the nori, the bay seasoning, the mustard and the dill were incredible. What a terrific recipe.

      Reply
    5. Cedric

      July 30, 2023 at 10:10 pm

      5 stars
      So delicious and fast and easy!!

      I found this recipe when I was craving a crab salad sandwich and have made it twice! The first time, I followed the recipe exactly, the second time, I forgot the sour cream/crème fraiche and fresh herbs (had some dried) but it was just as good!! I definitely recommend adding the sriracha recommended. Also unbelievable how fast this recipe comes together!

      Reply
    6. star

      June 25, 2023 at 9:37 pm

      mayo is not vegan. looking for a recipe that caters to egg allergies but mayo has eggs so this is not allergy friendly nor vegan

      Reply
      • Veganish

        June 28, 2023 at 4:08 am

        It’s vegan Mayo (read?). Mayo is just emulsified oil, so vegan mayo is made with a plant based emulsifier like soy instead off egg.

        Reply
    7. Lori

      April 18, 2023 at 4:22 pm

      5 stars
      This was delicious! I will be making this often.

      Reply
    8. Jeannette

      December 15, 2022 at 4:14 pm

      5 stars
      I made this recipe two days in a row because it is just THAT good! My husband who is really just starting on a plant based journey was shocked that this was tofu. He said he didn’t taste or feel like tofu. It really is so fresh and delicious. I make it in the morning so it has plenty of time to absorb flavors.

      Reply
    9. Travelagentlucy

      October 02, 2022 at 2:01 pm

      This was honestly the best mock seafood sandwich I have ever had! it reminded me of store bought seafood cocktail sandwich filler I used to have as a child but a complete upgrade with all the fresh herbs & lemon.

      Reply
    10. Rich

      August 06, 2022 at 8:36 am

      5 stars
      So so good!!

      Reply

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