This Old-School Mock Lobster Salad Doesn't Have An Ounce Of Seafood

When you see the word "mock" included in the name of dish, it tends to mean that a titular aspect of said dish will not, in fact, be featured, and that the purpose of the recipe will be one of imitation. There is, for example, no actual turtle in the Cincinnati favorite, mock turtle soup. Whether in taste or texture, some foodstuffs are easier to imitate than others. So no one would blame you for doing a double-take at an old-school mock lobster salad that not only contains zero lobster, but also doesn't have an ounce of seafood in it at all. 

If you encounter recipes for mock lobster salad today, you will notice that they tend to be quite budget-friendly — ironic, considering that lobster is one of the 10 luxury food's that were once considered 'poor man's' options. A typical mock lobster salad recipe calls for celery, bell pepper, hard-boiled eggs, mayonnaise, broken-up saltine crackers, and tomato juice (or V8) — none of which sounds unappetizing, and all of which would go very nicely with some actual lobster. That said, some have reported that once combined, this curious mish-mash does produce a flavor and texture that is somewhat evocative of seafood. 

The precise roots of the dish are unclear, though it seems fair to assume it would have been created following the Gilded Age, when lobster became known as a delicacy enjoyed by the rich, but also prior to the rise of imitation seafood, which might have been used in place of lobster or crab — consult our ranking of imitation crab brands, from worst to best, if you feel inspired. It's also not unlikely to assume that mock lobster salad could have been the result of creative wartime cookery.

If you're looking for a dish to suit your particular dietary restrictions (or if you're just curious about what a mock lobster salad might taste like), you may wish to try your hand at our vegan recipe for hearts of palm-based lobster rolls. Full of New England flavor, this recipe manages to recreate some of that seafood flavor with briny capers, along with diced celery, fresh chives and dill, and a base of hearts of palm, all accompanied by a piquant dressing of vegan mayonnaise, Old Bay seasoning, lemon juice, and sriracha.

Of course, with no insult to those who do not or cannot eat lobster (or anything like it), there will always be those who feel there's no substitute for the real thing. If you're one of those people, you may instead wish to turn to our lobster roll recipe or, better yet, our cold lobster salad with grapefruit, avocado, and quinoa. In addition to its centerpiece ingredients, the salad comes packed with flavor thanks to the bold combination of lemon, honey, Dijon mustard, and fresh mint leaves, and is bound to leave you feeling like you've freshly arrived in Nantucket. Naturally, if the thought of the mock lobster salad is still at the back of your mind, no one will stop you from upgrading any of these recipes with some crushed saltines, if you really feel the urge.