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This restaurant-style kani salad recipe tastes exactly like your favorite sushi spot’s version, but costs a fraction of the price and takes just 10 minutes to make! With perfectly shredded crab sticks, crisp cucumber matchsticks, and a creamy-spicy dressing, it’s absolutely addictive—you’ll seriously be making this kani salad weekly.
A Little Recipe History
What is kani salad? It’s a Japanese-inspired salad made with imitation crab and fresh vegetables. It’s a popular side dish found in restaurants outside of Japan and a well-known home-cooked dish within Japan, but it’s scarce to find at restaurants there. So, enjoy my easy, yummy version right at home!
Why This Recipe is So Good
- It takes only 10 minutes to make this deelish spicy kani salad! Make it on busy weeknights when you want something fresh and satisfying without the fuss, plus it’s a nice, light summer option, too! If you want to add a main to it, my Whole30 teriyaki chicken, Whole30 teriyaki salmon, or hibachi salmon or chicken recipes can create an entire meal for you!
- Even better, it costs less than $8 to make, compared to the $12-15 you’d pay at restaurants.
- It strikes the perfect balance between creamy and crunchy. Fresh cucumber and crispy panko breadcrumbs pair perfectly with the mayonnaise-based dressing – yum!
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Chef’s Tips
- Kani can be found in the seafood section at most grocery stores and is made from a combination of starch and white fish, then shaped to resemble crab meat. To prepare, peel strands down each kani stick until completely shredded. You’ll find that tearing off strands will be super quick and easy!
- For how to make kani salad, prep it ahead of time by making the dressing, then shredding the kani, and julienning the cucumber. When you’re ready to eat, simply toss everything together in a bowl and enjoy!
- This is the perfect unexpected side dish for a party or potluck! If you plan to make it for a gathering, go for it with the kani salad ingredients, except the sriracha—be more conservative here. Allow guests to control the spice by drizzling with more sriracha if they’d like.
- Store this dish in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. I even find that after one day in the fridge, the flavors intermingle, and this salad becomes even more delicious!
Recipe Variations
Spice it Up More: Double the sriracha and add a pinch of red pepper flakes for extra heat.
Make it Low-Carb: Skip the panko and add diced avocado for creaminess and crunch from chopped roasted peanuts or sesame seeds.
Load it with Veggies: Add thinly sliced radishes, shredded carrots, or bean sprouts for extra crunch and color. Edamame also makes a great protein-packed addition.
Protein Boost: Add cooked shrimp or real crab meat to the kani for a more substantial salad that serves as a light meal.
More Delicious Salad Recipes
- Cornbread Salad
- Avocado Salad
- Creamy Shrimp Salad
- 7 Layer Salad
- Amish Broccoli Salad
- Crab Salad
- Smoked Salmon Bagel Salad
- Simple Cucumber Tomato Salad
- Blackened Shrimp Salad
- Spinach Salad with Apples, Cranberries, and Maple Vinaigrette
Making changes to a recipe can result in recipe failure. Any substitutions or variations listed are simple changes that I believe will work in this recipe, but results are not guaranteed.
Kani Salad
Equipment
- Large bowl
Ingredients
For the dressing:
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon mirin see Notes
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sriracha see Notes
For the salad:
- 12 ounces kani shredded
- ½ cup cucumber julienned
- 2 tablespoons Panko breadcrumbs
Instructions
- Add all dressing ingredients to a bowl then stir to combine.
- Add in the shredded kani, julienned cucumber, and Panko breadcrumbs then toss to combine.
- Mirin: If you don’t have mirin, then you can use rice vinegar instead.
- Sriracha: Feel free to add as much or as little sriracha as you’d like in this recipe.
- Serving Suggestions: Pairs well with sesame crackers, over sushi rice for a quick poke bowl, or alongside other Japanese dishes, such as gyoza or miso soup. It’s also fantastic stuffed into avocado halves for a classy presentation.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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I added red pepper flakes too it was smacing
That sounds delicious!
This recipe was not only super easy to make, but genuinely came out really good! I used the Kewpie Asian mayo & had to use rice vinegar since I did not have mirin and it came out perfect. Since starting chemo I’ve been super into cooking since I can’t eat out at my fav spots, so finding something I loved and being able to make it was great! Thanks!
We’re so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Raisa! Thanks for sharing your experience. 🙂
Add a little lime juice too
Yum! Thanks for sharing!