17 Ways To Elevate Imitation Crab

The rising cost of groceries may have you rethinking how you integrate seafood into your meals. Imitation crab is a thrifty alternative for when you're trying to save money since real crab can be quite expensive. In some cases, there isn't any crab in it outside of a flavoring extract. Instead, the main seafood component is a blend of surimi, which is a fish paste derived from species like Alaskan pollock and Pacific whiting. Other ingredients will vary based on the brand and may include egg whites, mirin, paprika, and more. Imitation crab may not have the same protein content as expensive king crab, but it's still a wonderful option to keep in the fridge. 

Not to mention, there are loads of ways to elevate imitation crab that can take it from something you forgot you had in the fridge to a kitchen staple. Plus, it has a comparatively longer shelf life than fresh seafood. There are a few varieties on the market, including chunks, sticks, shreds, and flakes, to choose from. You can mix and match and use most of these in our recommendations, though some may require a particular product. 

All you need to make imitation crab taste like the real deal is to douse it in seasoned butter. Seasoned butter is just that, butter with a flavorful addition, which can vary based on how you want to spice it up. Since we're working with seafood, you can use options like dill, basil, parsley, tarragon, chili powder, or rosemary. Add your seasoning to a pan with melted butter and you'll be set.

You may choose to simmer the herbs in the butter and then strain it, or you can chop them up and leave them in. Both options are not too labor-intensive and can make your imitation crab burst with flavor. Think of how you like to season fish or seafood, and then add that seasoning to the mix. You can opt for fresh or dry herbs or a seasoning blend like herbs de Provence or garam masala.

When you want to have a fun date night or interactive meal with your kids, try making homemade sushi with imitation crab. Try a spicy crab salad sushi with crab, cucumber, and scallions, or go for a California roll with avocado and cucumber instead. Follow your favorite recipe and swap the fish for imitation crab, or get creative and add a rainbow of fillings to your sushi. 

To serve, add a sprinkle of black sesame seeds, dunk the pieces in soy sauce, and devour. This is a cool way to use up imitation crab, especially since it's often used in sushi. For a family activity, each person can customize their rolls with their favorite fillings. Put out small dishes with options like microgreens, shaved carrots, pickled radish, sliced bell peppers, and more. The world is your oyster, or in this case, imitation crab is your oyster.

Stir-fries are beautifully diverse. They're colorful, nutritious, and filled with an assortment of veggies and protein. Add any of your favorite veggies, such as broccoli, carrots, onions, snap peas, and mushrooms, to a wok to cook them, and then add your sliced imitation crab to bring it up to temperature. The crab doesn't need much cooking time since it's sold ready-to-eat. 

There are so many stir-fry recipes you can get inspiration from. Swap the imitation crab for other proteins or seamlessly integrate it into a vegetable dish. For example, try an orange chicken stir-fry with crab instead of chicken. You can do bigger pieces of crab or chop it into thin slices depending on how big of a bite you want. Lightly fry them in a little bit of sesame oil for a slightly nutty flavor to go with your other stir-fry ingredients.

Marinating works wonders for many different proteins, whether that's chicken, steak, or fish. Marinades can provide the imitation crab with a lot of flavor, which can be a scrumptious addition to sandwiches or pasta. While some marinade recipes often recommend leaving the protein in it overnight, this isn't the case for all foods. The biggest mistake you're making when marinating seafood boils down to letting it marinate for too long. Fish is a more delicate protein compared to something like beef brisket, so it doesn't need to marinate for more than two hours. 

While imitation crab isn't made solely of fish, it makes up a significant portion of its ingredients list. The longer you let it marinate, the softer it gets since the acidic ingredients in the marinade practically cook it. Imitation crab is ready to eat right out of the package, you can marinate it and serve it cold, or you can choose to heat it up.

Ceviche makes seafood the star — whether that's a shrimp or fish ceviche with sea bass or another white fish. Each recipe is a bit different, but they're equally packed with flavor. Channel this similar idea with an imitation crab meat ceviche. Follow a recipe for fresh crab ceviche and substitute all or part of it for the imitation version. It's tangy, zesty, and perfect for cooling off on one of those unbearably hot days. 

It has nice color from the tomato, jalapeño, cilantro, and the crab itself. The acidity of lime juice gives the dish brightness, while jalapeños or serranos will provide that hint of spice. Once it's ready, store it in the fridge until you're ready to serve — but don't let it sit for too long because you don't want the imitation crab to become limp and soggy. 

Imitation crab is known for its long, stick-like shape, but you can transform the way it looks by shredding it. Shredding gives it a texture that you can easily add to your salad or sushi, sprinkle on your seafood soup, or stir into your mac and cheese. For this genius knife-free hack to shred your crab, start by taking the meat out of its packaging, pressing down on the edge with your hand, and then applying pressure with your palm to slightly twist and squeeze the meat. 

This will separate it into strands while also expelling some of the liquid — which is important to consider when you decide what to do with your strands. You may want to do the shredding process with a tool, such as a stand mixer or a hand mixer, instead to preserve the liquid. Place the crab meat in the bowl and let the mixer run until you reach your desired shred size.

Richard Blais has a ton of tips and tricks for seafood, many of which apply to imitation crab. For one, if you happen to overcook imitation crab or another seafood, a sauce can potentially save it. Soy sauce is a quick way to give any type of seafood sauce a bolster of umami flavor, but you could also serve your imitation crab with something herby, like a fresh chimichurri, with loads of parsley, cilantro, and oregano.

If you air fry or bread your crab meat, you should consider some underrated sauces to pair it with. Since imitation crab is sometimes used in pasta dishes, Alfredo sauce, marinara, or pesto make a lot of sense as a pairing. Try a bright pesto that tastes decadent and nutty thanks to the pine nuts but still has that hint of freshness with the basil and lemon juice. Teriyaki sauce, gochujang, or wasabi can also pack on flavor with each dunk.

There is a cookbook's worth of seafood pasta recipes out there and just as many ways to use imitation crab in them. On one of those days when you're feeling utterly drained, you could easily add crab flakes to your linguine or spaghetti, drizzle on some marinara or pesto, and call it a day. But you could also follow along with something like a creamy seafood-stuffed shells recipe. Stuff jumbo pasta shells with imitation crab meat, shrimp, cream cheese, and other tasty ingredients to make a slightly spicy seafood pasta. 

For a homemade, from scratch dinner, try a crab ravioli recipe stuffed with shredded imitation crab meat, creamy ricotta, and fresh parsley. This dish makes for a gourmet dinner experience or something special to whip up for date night. Whichever pasta you end up creating, pair it with your favorite sauce, and enjoy each and every bite.