Spicy kani salad is one of those rare recipes that is packed with flavor, but surprisingly so given how few ingredients it requires. “Kani” simply means crab in Japanese, though we’re leaning on budget-friendly surimi sticks here (imitation crab). They shred into silky ribbons that mimic real crab but cost a fraction of the price—music to any home cook’s ears.
Tossed with toasted tempura bits (or crunchy panko), orange tobiko, and a creamy, spicy dressing made with Kewpie mayo, punchy Sriracha, and sweet mirin, it is hands down my favorite sushi-bar salad.
Serve it as-is over a nest of julienned cucumber, spoon it over homemade crispy rice with spicy tuna, or add to poke bowls. There’s simply no wrong way to enjoy Japanese crab salad!
Years Of Testing For Perfect Results
Kani salad is the one side dish that I order every time I go out for sushi. I have strong opinions about what makes a crab salad successful, and you better believe I’ve worked hard on this recipe to get it just right.
Here are my spicy kani salad nonnegotiables:
- Start with high-quality surimi—cheaper crab sticks can eat rubbery.
- Don’t be shy with sriracha; it’s called ‘spicy’ for a reason. 😉
- Because the creaminess of the kani salad dressing with ribbons of crisp cucumber and a sprinkling of tempura crumbs for irresistible crunch.
Meal-Prep Friendly
Mix crab, cucumber, and kani salad dressing up to 24 hours ahead, but wait to add tempura until just before serving. Nobody wants soggy bits of tempura, ya know?
I like to use up any leftovers by adding them to fresh tuna poke bowls or throwing them on top of a oven-baked sushi casserole.
HMart Imitation Crab Is My Go-To
I get asked all the time where I buy crab sticks because, let’s face it, they’re not all created equally. I’ve tried every brand of imitation crab I can get my hands on; I’ve found the best option is from HMart.
- Where to find it: While most HMart locations are setup slightly different, they all have a refrigerated seafood section. This is where you’ll find salmon roe, caviar, and little styrofoam packages of crab sticks wrapped in plastic wrap. Hilariously, they’re not labeled.
- What makes it so great? They shred ridiculously easily! Some brands of imitation crab are impossible to shred, but that defining feature is what gives this Japanese salad its truly unique texture.
While you’re there, you grab tobiko (bright orange flying fish roe) and deep fried tempura bits.
Quick Spicy Mayo Dressing
The creamy Kewpie mayo dressing combines ultra-creamy Japanese mayo, sweet mirin and sriracha. Silky, tangy, and delicious! If replacing mirin wit rice vinegar, be sure to add a pinch of sugar.
Could you make this with real crab legs? Absolutely, but the charm (and convenience) of classic kani salad is that it’s made with budget-friendly surimi.
DIY Spicy Kani Hand Rolls (Temaki)
If you’re interested in turning crab salad into hand rolls at home, good news: it’s really simple. Here’s how to do it:
- Nori: Halve a sheet of nori; shiny side out.
- Rice: Press 2 tablespoons of warm sushi rice onto the left third.
- Fill: Add a spoonful of kani salad, a few cucumber matchsticks, and a pinch of tempura crumbs.
- Roll: Fold the bottom left corner over the filling, roll into a cone, then seal the tip with a grain of rice or drop of water. Top with extra topiko (or scallions!) and enjoy fresh. You want to eat these shortly after assembling so the seaweed stays crispy!
If you give this recipe a try, I’d be thrilled to hear your thoughts!
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10-Minute Spicy Kani Salad with Tobiko
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Kani Salad Dressing
- ⅓ cup Kewpie, Japanese mayonnaise
- 2 Tbsp mirin
- 1 tsp Sriracha
For the Salad
- ¾ lb kani, imitation crab sticks (about 8 sticks)
- ½ small cucumber, julienned or thinly sliced (see note below)
- 2 Tbsp tobiko, plus more for serving
- 2 Tbsp tempura bits
Instructions
- Make the kani salad dressing. Combine ½ cup Kewpie mayo, 2 Tbsp mirin, and 1 tsp Sriracha in a small bowl, then whisk to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding more Sriracha if you want more heat. Set aside.
- Shred the imitation crab. Use fingers or two forks to pull apart and finely shred crab sticks, then place in a large bowl.
- Toss with spicy mayo. Spoon all except 2 Tbsp of the dressing on top of the shredded kani, then toss to combine.
- Add remaining ingredients. Add tobiko and tempura bits, then toss and taste salad. If you want more dressing, add remaining 2 Tbsp. If you want it spicier, add a bit more Sriracha to dressing, whisk to combine, then toss with kani salad.
- Assemble, then serve! Place shredded cucumber on a serving plate, then top with spicy kani salad. Add a little extra tobiko and/or tempura bits on top, then serve immediately. Alternatively, you can toss the shredded cucumber with the kani. Enjoy!
Notes
- Mirin swap: If using rice vinegar instead of mirin, add about ½ tsp granulated sugar to balance the dressing.
- How to shred cucumber: A julienne peeler makes quick work of it and mimics the shape of shredded kani (our preferred method). You can also slice into thin matchsticks with a knife or grate using a food processor.
- Make ahead: Combine the crab, cucumber, and dressing up to 24 hours in advance, but wait to add tempura or panko until just before serving.
- Leftovers: Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Refresh the texture with a new sprinkle of panko or tempura before serving.
Nutrition
This post was originally published in July 2020. It has since been updated with tips, tricks, and additional information to make it easier for you to recreate at home.
Just made this for the 1,000th+ time. So good. I always make a double batch and eat by itself or as part of a poke bowl (also use the Well Seasoned Studio poke recipe – it’s ammmmaaaaazzzing).
Ahhhh it’s so delicious, Maggie!! Love the pop from the roe!! xo, Ari
Hi! Can you please share what your preferred brand of imitation crab is? I’m having trouble finding a brand that’s easy to shred and get the right texture
Hi Mimi! I’ve totally had this problem too. I find that the more expensive brands (organic) tend NOT to shred as well. This might be the only time I say get the least expensive item, but the non-fancy stuff always shreds best for me. As far as brands, I usually go to Mitsuwa, a large Asian grocery store that has a lot of options. Unfortunately, I don’t know the names of any of them. Do you have an Asian store nearby? That might be your best bet! xo, Ari
Osaki Brand, same brand they use at Japanese restaurants
Needed a light dinner after a super filling lunch (your Green Shakshuka — ha!), and this was absolutely perfect. Sat the kani and cucumber atop your sushi rice recipe. I can’t find tobeko, but found fried onions to be a good sub for that pop of saltiness. I bet the tobeko is great here, though. Thanks!
This kani salad is our favorite ever! Nice substitution, the crunch sounds delicious! xo, Ari
We Love Kani salad, and you recipe looks great! Just wondering if you have or think it would work to substitute fat free plan Greek yogurt for some of the mayonnaise to make this lighter. I do this with chicken and other mayonnaise based salads and this has worked beautifully.
Hi Lisa! I do not think using Greek yogurt would be a good substitute. Not saying you can’t do it, but it will definitely not taste the same. Kewpie mayonnaise uses egg yolks (versus whole eggs traditionally used in American mayo) and has a distinctly rich, smooth, umami flavor that is more robust than traditional mayo. If you’re intending for it to taste like what you’d get at a sushi restaurant, I’d stick to Kewpie! xo, Ari
Delicious! And SO easy to make…
I had spent about 30 minutes looking for a recipe – and this was a perfect fit.
Thank you 🙂
Isn’t it the best?! I could eat this kani salad every day! Thanks so much! xo, Ari
Very good, know it’s not Japanese but will add a chopped boiled egg next time
Super easy and tasty. I def required more Siracha but that was easy enough to adjust. Shredding the crab was the most tedious and time consuming step of this recipe, but worth the end result.
Shredding the kani is absolutely the worst part. If you can find the store packaged kani at a local HMart, that is hands down the easiest kani to shred I’ve found so far. Some people online have suggested attempting to shred it in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment. This did NOT work for me. I think it depends on the brand you buy. Worth it in the end, though! xo, Ari
Wonderful recipe, my whole family loved it. I did have sriracha or tobiko handy but substituted sichimi togarashi and masago and BAM! It was awesome! Thanks!
Love that you were able to use what you had on hand. This is definitely one of my favorites and so easy to make!