25 Easy Imitation Crab Recipes For Seafood Lovers

These imitation crab recipes are easy, delicious, and affordable!

Are you a seafood lover but can’t get any fresh crabs in your area? Try imitation crab!

Best Imitation Crab Recipes

Also known as crab sticks or Kani sticks, this Japanese invention is actually made from a fish called surimi.

It tastes like crab but is made with fish. You’ll definitely get that much-needed seafood fix!

From salads to appetizers, to casseroles and pasta dishes, here are some of the most delicious imitation crab recipes.

1. Crab Salad

Craving a rich and creamy seafood salad? You’ll love this one! It’s made with basic pantry ingredients.

Mix in shredded imitation crab meat, mayonnaise, minced onions, celery, dill, salt, and pepper. Chill for an hour, and it’s ready to be served!

This goes wonderfully with dinner rolls. You can even make it into a sandwich with lightly toasted white bread.

2. Hot Imitation Crab Dip

Hot imitation crab dip is the perfect way to enjoy toasted breads, crackers, tortilla chips, or veggie sticks like carrots or celery. 

It’s so easy to make, too, with simple ingredients! Add mayo, cream cheese, and your favorite spices and seasonings to imitation crab.

Microwave for 1-2 minutes and get ready to dip into some creamy crab goodness.

This also makes for a great sandwich filling!

3. Seafood Macaroni Salad

Seafood macaroni salad is the perfect side dish at barbecues!

This is a fantastic way to balance out strong and savory meaty flavors, and it only takes 15 minutes to prepare.

For this macaroni salad, I like to add in black olives, celery, and even some extra shrimp. The more seafood, the better, right?

For the best tasting seafood macaroni salad, be sure to keep it chilled in the fridge!

4. Cream of Crab Soup

Imagine this: It’s a cool, rainy afternoon on a Sunday, and you have a warm bowl of creamy crab soup. One taste, and you’re in soup heaven!

Cream of crab soup is one of my favorite appetizers, especially for a meal with lots of other seafood.

It’s also great for a light lunch along with a fresh salad!

5. Imitation Lobster Rolls

If you’re a big lobster roll fan like me, you know how frustrating it can be if you can’t find fresh lobsters!

That’s why I like to buy a pack of imitation crab meat sticks to make my very own imitation lobster rolls.

They’re super easy, too! Take some shredded imitation crab and mix it in with mayo, green onions, garlic powder, and pepper.

You can even add in some shredded lettuce. Place it on a lightly toasted bun and enjoy imitation lobster rolls in 15 minutes or less!

6. Crab Rangoon

Crab rangoon appetizers are a Chinese restaurant staple, but did you know that these crispy, deep-fried treats were actually invented in America?

Dip them in sweet and sour sauce for the perfect bite!

To make your very own imitation crab rangoon at home, you only need 3 ingredients; imitation crab, cream cheese, and wonton wrappers.

Mix your crab and cream cheese together, season with some salt, wrap in wonton wrappers, and deep-fry. Voila!

7. Copycat Crab Casserole

Crab casserole is another dish you’ll find in many Chinese restaurants, and it’s ideal for your next potluck.

This copycat recipe makes crab casserole from Hunan Chinese Buffet, a famous lunch hotspot in Mississippi.

Creamy, cheesy, and super yummy, you’ll love this casserole. And it takes less than an hour to make!

Serve it with some fresh vegetables to round out the meal.

8. Seafood Enchiladas

Imitation crab meat in your Mexican dish? Yep! This is a meal for the HUNGRY! One bite and you’ll know you’ve made good use of imitation crab sticks.

This recipe is a little more difficult to make, as you need quite a few ingredients, plus some tortilla wrapping skills.

But trust me, these seafood enchiladas are so worth the effort!

9. Mel’s Crab Salad

If you really love seafood salad, this sweet and creamy salad is sure to be a new favorite.

The salad consists of just crab and some celery, but the secret is in the dressing!

You’ll mix in two kinds of dressing: ranch and your own blend of mayo and soybean oil.

That perfect combination of sweet, creamy, and tangy will have you making this salad again and again.

10. Chinese Buffet Crab Casserole

Here’s another Chinese-style crab casserole you can try.

What I love about this recipe is that it’s not creamy, but it’s definitely not lacking in flavor either!

To make your own crab casserole with imitation crab, you’ll only need four ingredients: imitation crab, mayo, green onions, and mozzarella cheese.

11. Golden Corral Crab Salad

There’s a reason why Golden Corral is one of the most well-known buffets… their food is amazing! One of my favorites is their crab salad.

It’s rich and creamy with lots of crunchy celery bits.

Pair this tasty salad with some fried chicken, steak, or fish.

This seafood salad is also great for parties and potlucks. Your guests will love it!

12. Imitation Crab Cakes

I love crab cakes in all shapes, sizes, and flavors, but this crab cake recipe is my number one favorite!

Even with imitation crab meat, they taste just like the real thing.

The Old Bay spice plus the lemon flavors go perfectly together, and the crab cake really holds its shape.

You can enjoy them on their own, or turn them into a seafood burger! I like to serve them on special occasions.

13. Crab Alfredo

Alfredo is my go-to sauce whenever I’m craving some pasta.

When I discovered how well imitation crab goes with this dish, I couldn’t stop making it!

Just add some mushrooms, onions, and chicken broth to your own Alfredo sauce.

Toss in the imitation crab and pasta of choice for a satisfying and tasty meal you won’t forget!

14. Cheesy Crab Pasta

If you’ve never had a cheese and crab meat combo before, you’ll love this recipe!

My pasta of choice for this dish is shells.

Those little curves hold the rich but zesty crab sauce perfectly, so every bite is pure seafood perfection.

15. Shrimp and Crab Pasta

Seafood isn’t really known to be a kid-friendly meal, but this shrimp and crab pasta might be the exception!

It’s simple, delicious, and you can whip it up in less than 30 minutes.

This olive oil-based pasta is full of amazing ingredients.

Use spaghetti or your long pasta of choice, and the whole family will thank you for it.

Don’t forget to top it off with lots of parmesan! 

16. Crab Delight Bites

Looking for the perfect appetizers for when you have guests over?

These crab delight bites will surely impress your friends and family.

They’re made with crab meat, cream cheese, garlic, and jalapenos, then placed on mini phyllo cups.

Creamy, cheesy, and slightly spicy crab filling with a crunchy shell?

These tasty little bites will be gone in a flash, especially on game day!

17. Spicy Crab Salad Sushi

Making sushi at home is even easier with imitation crab meat!

These tasty rolls take just like what you get at your favorite sushi joint.

Granted, when you first try your hand at making sushi, the rolls might not be exactly eye-pleasing.

But you know what they say: practice makes perfect. You’ll get the hang of it!

You can also make a decent California roll with imitation crab.

18. Crab Pasta Salad

Fake crab meat in a pasta salad? You’ve just met your new favorite potluck dish.

This dish takes traditional pasta salad to the next level with its seafood flair.

This creamy, dreamy recipe is just so perfect for summer.

19. Spicy Kani Salad

If you want an easy recipe that has a little bit of a kick, you can’t go wrong with this spicy kani salad.

The dressing is made with creamy mayo and firey Sriracha, so it truly packs a punch.

This tasty salad is the perfect side dish to serve with homemade sushi.

20. Crab Rangoon Pizza

Believe it or not, you actually can take everything you love about crab rangoon and put it on top of a pizza!

It might sound odd, but it really works.

Complete with a cheesy spread, imitation crab meat, gooey mozzarella cheese, and a sweet chili dipping sauce, it’s just too good.

If you’re still on the fence, don’t knock it ’til you try it!

21. Imitation Crab Sushi Bake

Feeding a sushi-loving crowd for dinner? Instead of trying to make a huge amount of rolls, whip up this casserole instead.

It’s full of crab meat, sushi rice, cream cheese, green onions, soy sauce, and a whole host of other incredible flavors!

People will practically beg you for the recipe after trying this.

22. Vegan Crab Cakes

Believe it or not, there’s a vegan version of crab meat. It comes in the form of hearts of palm.

With the right amount of Old Bay seasoning, dill, and panko breadcrumbs, you get the same flavor and sensation of traditional crab cakes.

You might even be able to fool die-hard seafood lovers with these!

23. Crab-Stuffed Salmon

Swap out the real crab meat for fake crab in this recipe, and you’re good to go!

There’s really nothing more indulgent than salmon stuffed with a buttery crab meat mixture.

Since this recipe is baked, the cleanup is quite easy, though the dish looks like something you’d get at a fancy restaurant.

24. Crab Rangoon Crescent Rolls

Here’s another crab rangoon variation you won’t want to pass up.

Instead of filling crispy wontons, with this recipe, you fill up buttery crescent rolls with the cream cheese and crab mixture instead.

The tender, flaky crust combined with the creamy, hot filling makes for one of the most decadent appetizers you’ll ever have.

I dare you to eat just one.

25. Creamy Crab Bisque

This is another recipe where you can simply substitute fake crab for the real deal.

This bisque is creamy, velvety, and so full of rich flavor.

It’s a super indulgent appetizer, or it can be served as a main dish, given how heavy it is.

Add a dash of sherry on top for a treat you won’t forget.