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This zesty Seafood Salad brings together juicy shrimp, delicate crab meat, and crunchy veggies in a rich, tangy sauce. It's super quick to throw together—only taking about 15 minutes—and works great as a light meal, a side dish, or something fancy to start your dinner. The blend of seafood flavors and fresh ingredients makes this an easy go-to option you'll want to make again and again.
What Makes This Salad Special
You'll fall in love with how easy this Seafood Salad is to put together. You can switch things up based on what you like, and it won't weigh you down while still filling you up. The smooth, creamy sauce really brings out the natural sweetness in the seafood, and the veggies add that perfect crunch. Let it sit in the fridge for a while and it gets even tastier as all the flavors come together.
Main Components
- Ocean Proteins:
- 1 pound medium shrimp, cleaned and prepped
- 1 pound lump crab meat, checked for shells
- Crisp Veggies:
- 3 celery stalks, cut into tiny pieces
- 1 medium red onion, chopped small
- 1 red bell pepper, cut into little cubes
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped fine
- Sauce Mix:
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- To Top It Off:
- Fresh dill sprigs
- Lemon wedges
- Extra Old Bay seasoning
Getting Everything Ready
- Sort Out Your Seafood
- For raw shrimp, get some salted water bubbling in a pot. Toss in the shrimp and let them cook for 2-3 minutes until they turn pink. Then dunk them in ice water right away to keep them from overcooking. Dry them off and cut into small chunks. With the crab meat, carefully look through it to get rid of any shells but try to keep the big pieces whole.
- Chop Your Veggies
- Slice the celery at an angle into thin pieces. Cut your red onion in half first, then slice it into skinny half-circles. Chop the red bell pepper into small squares after taking out the seeds and white parts. Try to cut everything about the same size so it all mixes well.
- Get Your Herbs Ready
- Chop up your parsley leaves but throw away the stems. Save some whole dill pieces for decoration and chop up the rest. Keep the herbs in different piles until you're ready to mix everything.
- Set Up Your Workspace
- Put all your prepped stuff in separate bowls: the seafood, the chopped veggies, and the herbs. This makes it way easier to put everything together and makes sure all the good stuff gets spread out evenly.
Whipping Up The Sauce
Mix the mayonnaise, sour cream, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, and Old Bay in a small bowl. Stir it all up until it's nice and smooth, then add salt and pepper until it tastes just right. This sauce is what pulls everything together and gives your salad that amazing tangy, rich flavor.
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Bringing It All Together
Add the sauce to your seafood and veggies in a good-sized bowl. Mix everything gently so it all gets coated but doesn't break up the seafood too much. A big spoon or some tongs work best for this job.
Letting It Rest And Serving
Put a cover on your salad and stick it in the fridge for at least half an hour so all the flavors can mix and mingle. When you're ready to eat, give it a little stir, sprinkle some fresh dill or parsley on top, and put some lemon wedges around it for folks to squeeze over their portion. You can eat it by itself, scoop it up with some crackers, or serve it alongside other dishes.
Frequently Asked Questions
- → Can I prepare this earlier?
- Sure! Make it a few hours ahead and let it fridge. The flavors actually get better over time.
- → Can I swap the seafood?
- Of course! Use what you’ve got, just make sure the seafood you add is fully cooked beforehand.
- → How should I serve it?
- Serve chilled alongside lemon slices. Pair it with lettuce, crackers, or even toss it into a sandwich.
- → Will imitation crab work?
- Yep, it's a good option and kinder on the wallet than real lump crab.
- → Is Old Bay seasoning necessary?
- It brings a classic seafood taste, but it's totally fine to leave it out. The salad will still turn out yummy.