You don't need to cloak your crabmeat in mayo to make the most amazing crab roll. Toss your fresh crabmeat with a simple lemon vinaigrette and just a touch of mayo on the bun with a shiver of spice to keep it nice (and so it won't get soggy).
This recipe is inspired by the famous Dungeness crab roll at the ever popular Town restaurant in San Carlos, CA. It's one of those restaurants that locals love, is always crowded, and serves fresh food in generous portions.
Pair this crab roll with kettle cooked potato chips or air fryer sweet potato fries.
And if you're a crab adorer, you'll want to check out this recipe for a quick and easy crab pasta with no heavy cream and these inspiring recipes to make with fresh crabmeat.
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Ingredients
The star of the show is fresh crabmeat with a few other simple ingredients in supporting roles.
- Lump crabmeat - Freshly picked crabmeat from a freshly steamed crab is ideal, but use the best quality lump crabmeat available to you. I like to buy whole Dungeness crab in the winter, when they they're in season, because I don't mind picking out the meat.
- You can buy already picked crabmeat. If it comes in a plastic tub, it seems to be fresher and from the US.
- Otherwise, there is canned crabmeat sold in the refrigerator section that I've seen from Vietnam or shelf stable crabmeat sold next to canned tuna. (I haven't tried these to know what they taste like.)
- Mayonnaise - This recipe doesn't use a lot of mayo, but a little helps keep the bun from getting soggy. If you don't love mayo, I didn't either until I had Primal Foods avocado oil mayo, which has a more buttery rather than cloying flavor.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
This takes just about 15 minutes to make. These should be eaten right away, so have your stomach ready.
Step 1: Make the lemon vinaigrette by mixing lemon juice and olive oil together in a bowl large enough to fit the crab.
Step 2: Mix the crab, parsley, and salt to taste into the lemon vinaigrette.
Step 3: In a separate bowl, mix together the mayo and hot sauce.
Step 4: Spread about a tablespoon over the inside of a soft hot dog bun.
Step 5: Stuff the crab into the buns and serve with fresh lemon wedges.
Hint: If the bun is a bit old and stale-ish, freshen it up with a light toasting in the oven for 3-5 minutes in a 350 degree F oven.
Variations
Since lump crabmeat can be painfully expensive, you can easily substitute other shellfish for a lovely, lemon-y, seafood roll.
- Bay shrimp - These are usually the least expensive shrimp you can buy, since they're so tiny. But they're also so plump and juicy and would make an excellent shrimp roll.
- Good quality canned tuna - A tuna packed in olive oil and still really moist would be nice too. Just drain off some of the excess oil before tossing with the lemon vinaigrette.
- Lobster meat - Also painfully expensive, but people still love it so much. Use the claw meat, which tends to be less expensive than the body meat.
- Low Carb/Gluten Free - Serve on large romaine lettuce leaves to serve as the 'bun.'
- No Mayo -
See this spicy version of this recipe on my website! (placeholder for in-content link)
Storage
This really should be eaten right away, otherwise the bun gets soggy and the crabmeat starts to lose its juices.
Just have your ingredients prepped beforehand to make it go a little bit quicker.
Tips to make it better @home
- Use a good quality, fresh lump crabmeat.
- If you don't have crabmeat, substitute fresh bay shrimp, a good quality canned tuna, or even lobster meat.
- Serve on romaine lettuce leaves for a low carb / gluten free option.
- Skip the mayo, if you really can't stand it. Top with hot sauce for a little extra spice!
Related Seafood Recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Side Dishes
Need ideas for sides? Try these:
Recipe
Crab Roll
Ingredients
- 1 c lump crabmeat (about 6 oz) Use up to 1 ½ c for very full rolls
- 2 ea hot dog buns or New England split top frankfurter rolls
- 2 Tb mayonnaise I recommend Primal Food Avocado oil mayo
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce such as sriracha or Louisiana Crystal
Fresh Lemon Vinaigrette
- 1 Tb extra virgin olive oil
- 1 Tb fresh lemon juice
- 1 Tb fresh chopped parsley
- salt to taste for me this is ⅛th teaspoon of pink Himalayan salt or table salt
Optional
- lemon wedges to serve
Notes
-
- Use a good quality, fresh lump crabmeat. If you really want to make them burst with crab, use ¾ c of crabmeat per roll.
- If you don't have crabmeat, substitute fresh bay shrimp, a good quality canned tuna, or even lobster meat.
- Serve on romaine lettuce leaves for a low carb / gluten free option.
- Skip the mayo, if you really can't stand it. Top with hot sauce for a little extra spice!
Food safety
Here are a few friendly tips to keep in mind when preparing food:
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
Fortune Cookie 🥠
Even if you're on the right track, you will get run over if you just sit there.
Will Rogers
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