Spicy Crab Salad for Sushi

This spicy crab salad recipe is perfect for making sushi at home, and it’s so easy! Just whip up the simple sauce and mix in the chopped crab stick. You can decide how finely you want to shop/shred your imitation crab sticks, I like to chop them to about half an inch in length before shredding.

If you're new to making sushi, please see the Sushi Beginner's Guide before getting started! This includes guides to all the basics, FAQ, and how to source ingredients. This site focuses on Americanized/Westernized sushi, check out the Types of Sushi page to learn more!

If you're looking for the non-spicy version of this, check out my crab salad recipe linked below!

Crab salad is an iconic ingredient in Western/American style sushi and is typically made using imitation crab stick, Japanese mayonnaise, and a few other ingredients for flavoring. This recipe is not as heavy on the mayo as what you find in most restaurants, which I find significantly more enjoyable. This version adds sriracha sauce to make the mixture slightly spicy!

How spicy is this recipe? I consider this recipe to be mild, which is common for most "spicy" seafood mixes used in sushi. If you're a spicy food lover I recommend making the recipe as written, tasting it, then adding more sriracha sauce to taste until it reaches your desired spiciness level.

It's important to note that imitation crab is more than just "fake crab", it's a distinct food product with a rich history in both Japan and the western world. You can read more about this in the ingredient's section of this post! Some restaurants do prepare their crab salad with real crab meat. I plan to test a recipe for crab salad made with real crab meat in the near future!

Serving Size

The amount of filling used in a sushi roll is completely up to your personal preference. If you plan to fill the roll with only this mix this will be enough for one roll. I prefer to add cucumber and/or avocado to my rolls, making 1 batch stretch to fill 2 rolls. One batch can also be used as a topping for two specialty rolls, or for about 12 bite sized pieces such as crispy rice or gunkan.

One batch is enough for:

• 1 very loaded sushi roll
• 2 sushi rolls with other fillings (such as cucumber and/or avocado)
• 2 toppings for sushi rolls (top 2 rolls)
• 12 bite sized pieces (such as crispy rice or gunkan)

Ingredients & Substitutions

Don't forget to check out the guides on Buying Fish For Sushi and Buying Other Ingredients for Sushi if you're not sure where to find what you need! I include online product links for reference, but it's typically much cheaper to purchase these items locally, so check out your local options!

Imitation Crab Stick

• Imitation crab is a seafood product made from fish (typically cod) that is processed to resemble crab meat. Though it may not be the most appealing description, imitation crab sticks are essentially the seafood version of a hotdog.
• Imitation crab is more than just "fake crab" it's a distinct food with a rich history in both Japan and the western world. I encourage you to check out this video to learn more!
• You can find imitation crab at most major grocery stores in the US, but you will find a larger selection at an Asian grocery store. Sometimes labeled as krab, kanikama, surimi, or kamaboko.
• You can sub an equal weight of cooked real crab meat if desired. I'll be developing a recipe for crab salad made with real crab sometime soon.
• Crab stick may not be gluten free, please check the package carefully if you have a dietary restriction.

Japanese Mayonnaise

• Japanese mayo is distinct from the mayo that most Americans are used to. Mayo is made by emulsifying (blending) raw egg and oil. American mayo uses the whole egg, while Japanese mayo uses only the egg yolk. This results in a richer flavor and texture that is noticeable in the final recipe.
• You may be able to find Japanese mayo in a US grocery store (check the international aisle if is one), or you can find it at an Asian grocery store or online (link). I recommend Kewpie brand.
• You can substitute regular mayo in a pinch, but this will effect the flavor and texture of the recipe.

Toasted Sesame Oil

• Toasted sesame oil (sometimes listed as roasted sesame oil) has a strong umami (savory) and nutty flavor. It is a must-have sauce for homemade sushi!
• Toasted sesame oil is made from toasted sesame seeds, and has a stronger flavor than regular sesame oil. Typically it will be explicitly marked as "toasted" however not all brands make this distinction, including my recommended brand linked below.
• You can find toasted sesame oil at most major US grocery stores, Asian grocery stores (wider selection), or online (link).

Lemon Juice

• Use fresh squeezed lemon juice for best results, however bottled lemon juice is easy and perfectly acceptable for this recipe! (link)

Sriracha Sauce

• This iconic hot chili sauce is a must-have for sushi at home! I recommend the most popular Huy Fong brand, other brands may vary in quality and flavor.
• Sriracha sauce is widely available and can be found at most major grocery stores in the US. It can also be found at Asian grocery stores, or online (link)

Soy Sauce

• Any soy sauce you have on hand will do just fine for this recipe, I typically use Kikkoman brand (regular link) (low sodium link) (gluten free link). This should be easy to find at any major grocery store.
• If you're cooking with soy sauce often, consider stocking up with a large jug (regular link) (low sodium link) (gluten free link) I typically purchase the 64 oz jug.
• There's a wide variety of interesting soy sauce options out there, however their uniqueness will likely be lost in this recipe. I recommend saving those for your dipping soy sauce and using a staple soy sauce such as Kikkoman for this.
• I do NOT recommend substituting ponzu sauce for most recipes. The citrus in ponzu sauce can cook raw seafood (think ceviche) so any prolonged contact/marinating is not recommended.

What to Make

There are many recipes on this site that call for spicy crab salad, click the link below to see them all, or check out the featured rolls below!

Send me pictures of your creations -- it'll make my day! Message @CraftyCookbook on Instagram or tag me in a post! Please note, tagged posts are only visible to me if your account is public. Did you make any interesting changes or substitutions for this recipe? Tell me about them in the comment section below!