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Fresh, light and wholesome, this Shrimp and Crab Appetizer Salad is perfect for entertaining — and it makes wonderful sandwiches too!
If you love seafood, you will love this Shrimp and Crab Appetizer Salad recipe. It also makes a terrific sandwich filling. Fresh, light and wholesome, it is perfect for entertaining and it couldn’t be easier to make.
I often make this salad for New Year’s Eve parties. It’s the perfect thing to serve after midnight as an elegant snack to enjoy with your glass of champagne. For cocktail parties, simply use smaller shrimp and serve the mixture as a sandwich filling or on crackers or crostini.
This recipe is equally good for everyday, whether you want to dress it up as a salad or serve it as a sandwich with your favourite bread (mine’s a light sourdough rye). If I’m making it as a salad, I like to use larger shrimp to make it look extra special.
Shrimp and Crab Appetizer Salad is a Versatile, Make Ahead Recipe
You can make this Shrimp and Crab Appetizer Salad (or sandwich filling) recipe earlier in the day and keep it in the fridge until it’s time to serve. To make the salad healthier, you can skip the mayonnaise and just use the crushed avocado as a binding agent. If I’m making this salad as a sandwich filling, I skip the mayo in the filling itself, and use it instead of butter on the bread.
I love the flavour of this salad as it is, but if you really like spicy food, try adding some finely chopped fresh (or frozen) red chili.
If you are serving it as a salad, this is the perfect opportunity to get those pretty glasses you’ve been saving for special occasions out of the cupboard and use them. After all, what are you saving them for? They deserve a moment in the spotlight!
Quality Ingredients Make the Difference
Because there are so few ingredients in this shrimp and crab appetizer salad, you want to be sure they are all good quality. Fresh seafood, crisp veggies and good mayonnaise will ensure that this Shrimp and Crab Appetizer Salad turns out beautifully. When it comes to crab meat, of course you can used canned white crab meat if you are on a budget or fresh is not available. I use Seafood and Eat It Cornish White Crab.
Provided you have no allergies, shellfish is really good for you. Shrimp and Crab both contain protein and healthy fats as well as zinc.
If you do add mayo, be sure it is a good quality mayonnaise you really like. I actually use Hellmann’s Light because I like it and it’s lower in calories, but a really rich mayonnaise does well here too.
Bigger shrimp work really well when you are serving this as a salad, but smaller ones are much better for sandwiches or hors d’oeuvres.
Whether you serve this shrimp and crab appetizer salad as a starter, light lunch or in a sandwich it is as perfect for everyday and it is for entertaining. Give this quick, easy and versatile recipe a try and you will see why it has become a real go to at our house – and beyond!
Shrimp and Crab Appetizer Salad – Printable Recipe
Shrimp and Crab Appetizer Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup prepared white crab meat canned crab meat is fine, and if you prefer to use a mix of white and brown crab meat that is fine too.
- 16 to 20 medium to large cooked shrimp, thawed if frozen or about a half to three-quarters of a cup of little cooked shrimp, thawed if frozen
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped red pepper
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped celery
- 4 spring onions or scallions, finely chopped or use fresh or dried chives if they are not available.
- 1 avocado, peeled, finely diced and lightly crushed If avocado is not available you can use a little more mayonnaise.
- ⅛ teaspoon celery salt
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1½ teaspoons lemon juice
- 1 to 3 tablespoons of your favourite mayonnaise optional
Instructions
- Mix the crab and shrimp together in a bowl with the red pepper, celery and spring onions.
- Add the avocado and stir to mix through.
- Stir in the lemon juice.
- Sprinkle with the celery salt and black pepper.
- Gradually add the mayonnaise, if using, a bit at a time, until the mixture just clings together.
- Spoon into pretty bowls and serve. I like to make sure there is a shrimp or two on the very top of the salad, it makes it look pretty. Or use as a sandwich filling or to top crackers or melba toast as hors d'oeuvres.
- Garnish with paprika or chopped, fresh parsley.
- (To prepare ahead of time, prepare to the end of step 4, cover and keep in the fridge until ready to serve. Portion out and garnish just before serving. Best served on the day it is made.)
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So fancy and definitely perfect for holiday entertaining!
Thank you, Jill 🙂
I would have to call this, seafood heaven! Love this stuff and your recipe. Thanks.
Thank you so much 🙂
These are beautiful! I love the combination of shrimp and crab. I can’t wait to try this with some Dungeness crab soon! Thanks so the wonderful recipe!
Thank you, Debi! It would be lovely with Dungeness crab – enjoy!
Love recipes you can make ahead. Perfect for the holidays.
Thank you, Stephanie 🙂
Gorgeous! I love crab in pretty much anything and these look delicious! Thanks for the recipe!
I’m really glad you like it Kristine. Thank you 🙂
I am a big fan of prawn cocktail (however retro it may be) adding crab takes it to the next level! This looks delicious!
Me too, Emily! I love retro stuff. Thank you!
I love to mix shrimp and crab together. What a beautiful appetizer for a dinner party.
Thank you, Christie 🙂
This looks fabulous for a special meal cooked at home. Those shrimps look amazing
Thank you, Bintu 🙂
This sounds like a fabulous way to start a meal!
Thank you, Lisa. It really is delicious.
This is definitely my kind of appetizer! Thanks for sharing, April!
Shirley
Thank you, Shirley 🙂 It really is a favourite around here!
Thanks April. I can’t wait to try that salad. Been looking awhile for a good shrimp salad like I used to eat at a restaurant. I think this may be close.
I’m so glad you like the recipe, Debbie! It really is a favourite with our family and friends 🙂
Hi April, oh this looks and sounds so good and delicious. Thanks for sharing at C&C with J&J. Enjoy the week.
Julie
I’m so glad you like it, Julie! I hope you have a lovely week as well.
This looks so tasty April. I love anything with shrimps in it 🙂 Thanks for sharing at Creative Mondays 🙂 Hope you can join us tomorrow.
I’m so glad you like it, Claire! It’s a real favourite amongst my family, friends and guests 🙂
Thanks again for sharing at Creative Mondays last week, you are one of my features tomorrow April 🙂
That’s wonderful, Claire! What a lovely start to the week. Thank you so much!
April, I love that you served the salad in individual bowls! Looks so festive and delicious!
Thank you so much, Hadia 🙂
Your Shrimp and Crab Appetizer looks amazing! I can’t wait to do this for Christmas!
I hope you enjoy it as much as we do, Cathy! It really is tasty! Merry Christmas!
I am definitely trying this for a holiday party I’m hosting; it’s beautiful!
Thank you so much, Emily! I hope you enjoy it as much as we do 🙂
This looks so light and refreshing. I would definitely use it as a sandwich filling, or maybe just dip some crackers in it.
Thank you so much, Pamela! It really is lovely with crackers too. 🙂
Everything you make looks so delicious! I can’t wait to make this salad. It looks perfect for a summertime lunch.
Thank you so much, Catherine! I hope you enjoy it. It really is lovely for a summertime lunch, especially if you can eat outside!
I was so excited to feature your post on Full Plate Thursday,482! Thanks so much for sharing it with us and hope you will come back soon, have a great week.
Miz Helen
I was so thrilled to be featured, Miz Helen, thank you so much! Take care and have a lovely week.
April, this sounds amazing. Bookmarking.
Blessings.
Thank you so much, Paula! I hope you enjoy it as much as we do 🙂 Blessings to you too x
April, what a lovely appetizer salad! AND sandwich filling. And it always makes me happy to see someone saying they are no longer ‘saving’ their lovely dishes and glassware for special occasions. I have long used everything every day. To do otherwise really makes no sense when one stops to think about it.
Thank you so much, Jean! Also, I am so glad you use your lovely dishes and glassware regularly too.
How many servings does this make?
It makes 4 servings, Becky. However, it does depend on the size of your serving dishes. I tend to go with small and elegant for this salad. For example, if you decided to make it into a luncheon salad, it would serve two. I hope this helps.
This looks amazing!! I wonder if I could add some lobster tails?
Thank you, Sheila, and yes, absolutely! Lobster tails would be a delicious addition. You may want some extra dressing if you use shrimp, crab and lobster – but lobster tails are never a bad idea 😉