Spicy Kani Salad (like in sushi!) Recipe - My Therapist Cooks (2024)

Published: Last Updated: by Lindsay This post may contain affiliate links to products I use and enjoy. 6 Comments

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4.75 from 4 ratings

This easy spicy kani salad recipe is just like the filling of a crab salad sushi roll! Made with just three ingredients, I love this for meal prep to serve over rice or salad for a quick Japanese sushi rice bowl or poke bowl. Check out these crab salad sushi poke bowls for more spicy crab salad sushi fun!

Spicy Kani Salad (like in sushi!) Recipe - My Therapist Cooks (1)

Table Of Contents

  1. Ingredients
  2. Buy Key Ingredients
  3. Spicy Kani Salad Recipe FAQ
  4. Other Recipe Notes
  5. Step By Step Instructions
  6. Serving Suggestions
  7. Spicy Kani Salad
    • Other Favorite Asian Fusion Recipes

You know how at sushi restaurants sometimes they have Crab Salad Sushi Rolls or Crunchy Crab Rolls but really it's just imitation crab mixed with mayo? And sometimes there are Spicy Crab rolls that really are just fake crab mixed with mayo and spicy stuff?

Welp, I love crab salad. And spicy crab salad. And when either of those things are made into a sushi roll? I'm a seriously happy human being.

Table of contents

Ingredients

This spicy crab salad (also called spicy kani salad) can be as mild or as spicy as you'd like it to be. It tastes like lots of things I've had in various sushi restaurants, but is so easy to make at home.

I learned how to make this years ago from a sushi restaurant where I worked, and while, yes, kani salad isn't strictly authentic Japanese food, it is served and loved all over the world, so it DEFINITELY counts as sushi food.

Buy Key Ingredients

Imitation crab salad is made from three main ingredients: imitation crab, mayonnaise and Sriracha.

Kewpie mayo is different than other types in that it is slightly more vinegary, and gives the recognizable flavor of spicy mayo from American sushi restaurants in particular.

Mayo + sriracha is all you need to make spicy mayonnaise, and Kewpie makes a big difference in the final flavor.

Spicy Kani Salad (like in sushi!) Recipe - My Therapist Cooks (4)

I don't know why imitation crab is often found in sushi, but it is, here and in Japan. Don't be afraid of it! It's made mostly of white fish and tastes super delicious.

Spicy Kani Salad Recipe FAQ

What does spicy kani salad taste like?

Imitation crab (kani) tastes like crab - sweet, mild, and vaguely seafood-esque. The big flavor in this spicy crab salad comes from sriracha and mayonnaise - spicy, creamy, full of umami.

Can you eat spicy kani salad while pregnant?

First and foremost, women all over the world (including in the US) choose to eat raw fish while pregnant for a variety of reasons.

Kani is a fully cooked imitation crab product, so many people who choose NOT to eat raw fish during pregnancy DO eat spicy kani salad and other fully cooked seafood items while pregnant.

Is spicy crab salad cooked?

Yes and no? We don't do any cooking ourselves to make this recipe, but imitation crab, sriracha, and mayonnaise are all fully cooked ingredients. There is no raw meat or seafood in this recipe.

Is spicy kani salad gluten free?

Nope. Almost all imitation crab products aren't gluten free, so check labels really carefully if you need to avoid gluten for health reasons.

Other Recipe Notes

  • To make this not spicy (plain kani salad), just skip the sriracha altogether. If you'd like a little more flavor, some sprinkles of salt, pepper, and a spritz of lemon juice add a nice flavor.
  • You can make this ultra fancy by using real crab meat instead! The texture of real crab with mayo is really lovely, highly recommend if you're into that sort of thing. Using real crab meat is the best way to make spicy kani salad gluten free.
  • I find imitation crab sticks or imitation crab flakes taste exactly the same. Sometimes I can only find one or the other, but really any imitation crab product works great for this recipe.

Step By Step Instructions

To make spicy crab salad, finely chop or shred the crab with your fingers. You can do this a variety of ways - longer shreds or smaller pieces, it's up to you!

Add the kani to a bowl with the mayo and sriracha, and stir everything together. I like an even texture to the dish, but I've also chopped the imitation crab with a knife for larger chunks and loved the results as well.

Spicy Kani Salad (like in sushi!) Recipe - My Therapist Cooks (5)

Serving Suggestions

  • We make this a ton and most often serve it over rice or greens for quick lunches.
  • If we're going a little bit more involved, I make spicy crab salad poke bowls - one of my absolute favorite dinners ever.
  • A plain rice bowl is lovely too: sauteed spinach, plain white rice, a drizzle of soy sauce, and the kani salad.
  • Maybe unusual, but mango and avocado go VERY well with spicy crab salad no matter how you are serving it. The flavors separately or together give a very lovely island feel to the whole shebang.
  • I also think this would be super delish on bread....sort of like an egg salad sandwich or something. Am I crazy? Let's do that.
  • Spicy kani salad is also delicious rolled into a burrito with rice.
Spicy Kani Salad (like in sushi!) Recipe - My Therapist Cooks (6)

Here's our easy spicy crab salad! The flavor is so delicious, and for a 5-minute recipe it packs a TON of punch. It's delicious no matter how you serve it. Enjoy!

Spicy Kani Salad (like in sushi!) Recipe - My Therapist Cooks (7)

Spicy Kani Salad

Spicy crab salad just like at your favorite sushi restaurant, with just a few ingredients and tons of flavor. Look at you, making your own takeout!

4.75 from 4 ratings

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 10 minutes mins

Course Main Dish

Cuisine Japanese

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces imitation crab meat shredded or chopped
  • cup mayonnaise Japanese-style if you can find it
  • 2 tablespoons sriracha more or less to taste

Instructions

  • Combine the crab, mayo, and sriracha in a small bowl.

  • Taste – add more mayo if you’d like a creamier salad, or more sriracha for spicier.

  • Serve with white rice, on sandwiches, with rice cakes, or over a cabbage salad – you can’t go wrong with this one!

Notes

Make-Ahead and Storage: This kani salad recipe will keep great in the fridge for at least 3 days.

See my post on the crab poke bowls in these pictures. They are SO good!

Kewpie mayo is my favorite, and I think the flavor is definitely different enough to matter in this dish.

Tried this recipe?Let me know how it was!

This recipe was originally published in 2013 and has been updated with better instructions and images.

Other Favorite Asian Fusion Recipes

  • 3-ingredient Hibachi Shrimp
  • Marinated Tofu Steak
  • Hibachi Vegetables
  • Easy Shrimp Curry

« Rice Chopped Salad

Avocado Roasted Garlic Pizza with Arugula »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Spicy Kani Salad (like in sushi!) Recipe - My Therapist Cooks (12)Crystal

    Spicy Kani Salad (like in sushi!) Recipe - My Therapist Cooks (13)
    Excellent easy recipe that tastes so good. I added a sprinkle of Nanami Togarashi

    Reply

    • Spicy Kani Salad (like in sushi!) Recipe - My Therapist Cooks (14)funnyloveblog

      I'm so glad that you liked it, and LOVE the idea of adding togarashi! I'm all about toppings on a bowl-style meal like this.

      Reply

  2. Spicy Kani Salad (like in sushi!) Recipe - My Therapist Cooks (15)Zachari

    Spicy Kani Salad (like in sushi!) Recipe - My Therapist Cooks (16)
    I added just a bit of sh*taki dashi, freshly made (still hot) unagi & sushi vinegar to mine, just for unami and DANG it was good. I ended up going back to the grocery store to buy MORE imitation crab to make more and ate it dumped straight into my rice bowl☺️
    I may have found my new favorite junk food

    Reply

    • Spicy Kani Salad (like in sushi!) Recipe - My Therapist Cooks (17)Lindsay

      Yummmmmmm love the addition of the dashi and sushi seasoning!

      Reply

  3. Spicy Kani Salad (like in sushi!) Recipe - My Therapist Cooks (18)nancy

    Spicy Kani Salad (like in sushi!) Recipe - My Therapist Cooks (19)
    this sushi bowl is just want i was looking for! so easy to prepare and tasted amazing

    Reply

    • Spicy Kani Salad (like in sushi!) Recipe - My Therapist Cooks (20)Lindsay

      So glad you liked it!

      Reply

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Spicy Kani Salad (like in sushi!) Recipe - My Therapist Cooks (2024)

FAQs

What is spicy kani made of? ›

This kani salad recipe has so many strong flavors that go well together. The base is crab meat and cold rice noodles, with a fresh element from carrots, cucumbers, and scallions. The dressing is a tangy and spicy combination of sriracha, vinegar, and mayo.

What is kani on a sushi menu? ›

In Japan, imitation crab meat is referred to as kanikama. In the U.S., it is often referred to simply as kani. Imitation crab is a key ingredient in California sushi rolls, along with avocado and cucumber, and is used as a crab substitute in Japanese cuisine.

What is Kani made of? ›

First, what is kani? Kani simply means 'crab' in Japanese. In this context, it refers to imitation crab meat. They look like real crab legs, but instead are made from white fish, such as pollock, that has been processed and mixd with starch to mimic the shape, texture, and flavor of crab legs.

What is Kani used in sushi? ›

The word “Kani” is actually Japanese for “crab,” usually imitation crab meat. Kani is most commonly served as a spicy Kani maki roll, consisting of cooked crab meat covered in rice and then wrapped in seaweed. Kani can be served shredded or in Kani sticks, which are meant to be eaten like crab legs.

Can you eat kani raw? ›

Can you eat imitation crab raw? Yes. It is pre-cooked, so you are able to eat it straight from the package. Many people use it as part of a larger recipe though, adding it to cream of crab soup, crab Rangoon or crab salad.

Does kani taste like crab? ›

Introduction to Kanikama: The World of Imitation Crab Meat. Kanikama is a processed seafood product that looks and tastes like real crab meat sticks. It's particularly common to see this ingredient in Asian recipes. This seafood ingredient is not new to the Japanese culinary world.

Does Kani need to be cooked? ›

NO, it's already cooked. You just need to add it to spinach and/or other things to make a salad. Or add it to a recipe of some kind, such as chowder, or a casserole.

What is imitation crab meat made out of? ›

Imitation crab is made with surimi, a paste made out of finely shredded or pulverized fish. After the fish is minced, it is heated and pressed into shapes that resemble meat from a crab leg. The resulting imitation crab looks similar to the original crab in its coloring and texture.

Is imitation crab good or bad for you? ›

Imitation crab is a highly processed food made by combining minced fish with starch, egg whites, sugar, salt, and additives to mimic the flavor, color, and texture of real crab meat. While it's significantly less expensive than real crab, it's also less nutritious.

Is imitation crab bad for cholesterol? ›

Imitation crab has low calorie, fat, and cholesterol content. This makes it a good choice for those who are trying to lose or maintain weight and are looking for low-cholesterol foods. If you're worried about the additives in such crab substitutes, there are also healthier, additive-free versions.

What kind of fish is imitation crab? ›

What Is Imitation Crab? The key to that flavor is surimi, a seafood paste made from white fish, artificial and natural flavors, starch, sugar, and sodium. And the preferred white fish in this amalgam is Alaskan Pollock—the same variety most commonly utilized in frozen fish sticks and fast-food seafood sandwiches.

What is the fake crab in sushi? ›

To make imitation crab, white fish is formed into the paste known as surimi. Binding ingredients such as egg whites, wheat, and starch, along with salt, vegetable oil, sugar, crab flavoring, and occasionally MSG are then added to the surimi. The paste is heated and pressed into rods resembling crab leg meat.

Do California rolls use real crab? ›

The main wrapped ingredients are the avocado and imitation crab (surimi sticks); these are all typically wrapped with seaweed, although soy paper can be used. Premium versions may use real crab, as in the original recipe. The cucumber may have been used since the beginning, or added later, depending on the account.

Why doesn t sushi use real crab? ›

Imitation crab is made of fish, usually Alaska pollock, and many other ingredients. It is nutritionally inferior to real crab. However, it is cheaper and more convenient, so many people prefer it, especially for sushi. It also is safer for those who need to avoid eating raw fish.

What's the difference between crab and kani? ›

In many cases, kani sushi is made with imitation crab meat, which is a processed seafood product made from white fish that has been flavored and colored to resemble crab meat. This is often referred to as “kanikama” or “surimi” in Japanese. Kani sushi is a popular delicacy in Japan and around the world.

Is spicy crab raw or cooked? ›

This spicy raw crab dish is prepared by mixing red chili powder and other seasoning with fresh raw crab. This is a very popular Korean cuisine that everyone loves.

Is spicy crab raw? ›

Yangnyeom means spicy sauce, and gejang is seasoned raw crab. It's sweet, soft, spicy, and has a jelly-like texture.

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