• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Seasoned by Jin
menu icon
go to homepage
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Pantry
  • Culture
  • Contact
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • About
    • Recipes
    • Pantry
    • Culture
    • Contact
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Appetizer

    Korean Cucumber and Crab Stick Salad

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe
    May 2, 2022

    This quick and easy Korean salad made with cucumber and imitation crab stick is a great way to bring color and texture to your table! A great side dish that’s light, creamy and delicious! Serve and enjoy it cold with your favorite Korean or Asian dishes! Try this easy salad recipe today!

    In the past, I had tasted crab stick salad served with my entree in few of the Korean restaurants. Unfortunately It’s not a common side dish and can’t be ordered as a take out. So when I had cravings for this dish, I decided to come up with my own version. Follow along to see how I made my version!

    cucumber and crab meat salad on the table
    crab stick salad served in a bowl

    What are imitation crab sticks?

    Imitation crab meat does not contain any real crab meat. Its actually made with white fish meat like pollock, starch, egg whites, sugar and crab flavoring. They are typically sweet and savory in taste. The colors resemble crab legs with it’s white on one said and red the other. Visually long and slender and can be easily pulled apart.

    The one I used for this recipe came in a shorter form and was not as stringy when pulled apart. You can find imitation crab meat in Asian grocery stores, typically in the freezer section. Mine however was stored in the refrigerator section.

    What are the ingredients in making this cucumber and crab stick salad?

    • shredded crab sticks (thawed out)
    • fresh cucumbers: Persian or Kirby
    • green onions
    • Japanese mayonnaise (Kewpie Mayo)
    • rice vinegar
    • sugar
    • garlic powder
    • black pepper
    • white sesame seeds
    • sea salt

    Pro-tip: Make sure to fully defrost the imitation crab meat. Frozen crab meat will not shred instead break into pieces.  You can defrost in the fridge overnight. Unused crab meat can be refrozen again.

    WHAT are the steps in making a CUCUMBER AND CRAB STICK SALAD?

    1. Defrost the crab stick in the fridge until easy to work with.
    2. Julienne cucumber and toss with salt. Set aside.
    3. Make the creamy sauce in a small bowl and set aside.
    4. shred or slice crab meat.
    5. Squeeze moisture from cucumber.
    6. Into a large bowl, combine crab meat, cucumber and sauce.
    7. toss gently and serve cold.
    korean crab stick salad with chopsticks photo
    korean crab meat salad close up photo

    can you use english cucumber?

    I don’t recommend using English cucumber for this dish due to their higher water content and tougher skin. Even after being salted, the English cucumber will not provide the crunchy texture like Kirby or Persian cucumbers.

    If you want to experiment with the flavors, here are some suggestions. But only use in moderation!

    • soy sauce
    • lemon juice
    • sesame oil
    • sriracha sauce
    • red pepper flakes
    • lime juice

    If you want to give more texture to this salad, here are some suggested ingredients.

    You made need to make additional creamy salad sauce to accommodate extra veggies.

    • sweet corn
    • Edamame
    • julienned onion or red onion
    • kelp noodles
    • black sesame seeds
    • bread crumbs

    How to serve and store cucumber and Crab stick salad?

    This salad taste best when served cold. Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for 2-3days if it was untouched and stored in an air-tight container.

    HOw is Japanese Mayonnaise different from regular mayonnaise?

    They taste and look different! Compared to the regular mayo, I felt like Japanese version tasted more sweeter, creamier with a bit of nutty. Personally I recommend Kewpie Mayo for this recipe.

    did you like this recipe?

    If you like Japanese crab salad /kani salad, you will enjoy this easy crab salad recipe too! Did you know that imitation crab sticks are very versatile and work well with many Asian dishes! If you want to know more ways to use crab sticks in your daily recipes, please check out below!

    • Crab Rangoon (Crispy Recipe)
    • More to come!

    You can also check out more recipes with cucumbers here:

    • EASY KOREAN CUCUMBER SALAD (OI MUCHIM) WITH MINI CUKES

    did you enjoy this recipe?

    Did you enjoy this Korean cucumber and crab stick salad? Be sure to check out some more!

    • Crab Rangoon (Crispy Recipe)
    • Homemade Pepero sticks with Chocolate
    • Korean Style Egg Salad Sandwich
    • Modern Vegan Kimbap
    • Japanese Style Chicken Wanpaku Sandwich
    • EASY KOREAN CUCUMBER SALAD
    cucumber and crab meat salad on the table
    Print Recipe
    3.67 from 3 votes

    Korean Cucumber and Crab Stick Salad

    This quick and easy Korean salad made with cucumber and imitation crab stick is a great way to bring color and texture to your table! A great side dish that's light, creamy and delicious! Serve and enjoy it cold with your favorite Korean or Asian dishes! Try this easy salad recipe today!
    Prep Time15 mins
    Course: Appetizer, banchan, Noodles, Side Dish
    Cuisine: Asian, Korean
    Servings: 1 people
    Calories:
    Author: Seasoned by Jin

    Ingredients

    • 1 Persian cucumber
    • 6 oz imitation crab sticks cold and defrosted
    • ½ tsp fine sea salt2

    creamy sauce

    • 1½ Tbsp Kewpie Mayo (Japanese Mayo)
    • 1 Tbsp rice vinegar
    • ½ tsp garlic powder
    • ½ tsp sugar
    • 1 pinch black pepper

    Garnish

    • 1 stalk green onion chopped
    • 1 pinch roasted white sesame seeds

    Instructions

    • Julienne cucumber. Place into a small bowl and sprinkle with sea salt. Toss and set aside for 5-10 mins. Squeeze excess water and set aside.
    • Shred imitation crab meat sticks. Or slice lengthwise. Set aside.
    • In a small bowl, combine creamy sauce ingredients. Mix until smooth.
    • In a large bowl, combine crab meat, cucumber and creamy sauce. Toss gently than garnish. Serve cold.
    Share on Facebook Pin Recipe

    Video

    Notes

    Tried this recipe?Mention @seasonedbyjin or tag #seasonedbyjin!

    recent posts:

    • rice bowl with jjajang sauce on top with cucumbers
      Jjajangbap (Rice with Black Bean Sauce)
    • profile photo of gilgeori toast
      Korean Street Toast Recipe (Gilgeori Toast)
    • pot of korean squid stew and ready to serve bowl.
      Spicy Korean Squid Stew, Ojingeo Jjigae
    • slow cooker chicken thigh with sweet pineapples
      Slow Cooker Sweet Hawaiian Chicken Recipe
    • finished folded kimbap on a plate
      Folded Kimbap Recipe (Korean Tortilla Hack)
    • stir fried rice photo
      Easy 15-Minute Fried Rice Recipe

    .

    Seasoned by Jin

    Hi there! Welcome to my blog! I am Jin, the creator behind Seasoned by Jin! I am a self-taught home cook and a total foodie! I love to cook and create new recipes ranging from simple to gourmet dishes! Please check out my site where I share my homemade recipes, personal stories, and inspirations with you! Cheers to Korean Food and Beyond!!

    More Appetizer

    • Easy Korean Cucumber Salad (oi muchim) with Mini Cukes
    • Crab Rangoon (Crispy Recipe)
    • Easy Homemade Egg Drop Soup
    • Spicy Korean Rice Cake with Cabbage, Tteokbokki

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Hi There! Welcome to my blog! I am Jin, the creator behind Seasonedbyjin. I am a total foodie and I love to constantly cook and create new recipes in my home kitchen based out of Northern Virginia! For delicious Korean food recipes and other fusion food ideas, please check out my website! Anyeong!

    More about me →

    LATEST

    • Jjajangbap (Rice with Black Bean Sauce)
    • Korean Street Toast Recipe (Gilgeori Toast)
    • Spicy Korean Squid Stew, Ojingeo Jjigae
    • Slow Cooker Sweet Hawaiian Chicken Recipe

    LET’S CONNECT!

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • about me
    • Privacy Policy

    Follow Us

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube

    Contact

    • Contact

    As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. 

    Copyright © 2022 Seasoned by Jin