• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Hilda's Kitchen Blog

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Book
  • About
  • Resources
  • Subscribe
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Book
    • About
    • Resources
    • Subscribe
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×
    • Recipes
    • Book
    • About
    • Subscribe

    You Are Here Home » Asian Recipes

    Published: Jan 11, 2023 Updated: Jan 11, 2023 by Nena Sterner | This post may contain affiliate links Leave a Comment

    Japanese Spicy Kani Salad

    Sharing is caring!

    14 shares
    • Share8
    • Yummly
    • Tweet
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    spicy japanese kani salad pinterest pin

    Japanese Spicy Kani Salad is a sushi lover's dream! It's light, flavorful, and just a little bit spicy. Pair it with Vietnamese spring rolls for a refreshing and filling lunch.

    spicy japanese kani salad

    So what is Kani salad? Well, Kani, or カニ, is Japanese for "crab". Kani salad is usually made with imitation crab, but you know what they say: tomato/tomahto.

    This Japanese crab salad recipe is the perfect side dish, especially for sushi lovers. This salad is like a deconstructed California roll with an added creaminess from the spicy mayonnaise dressing.

    Jump to:
    • 🧐 Why This Recipe Works
    • 🛒 What You Need For This Recipe
    • 🔖 Ingredients & Substitutions
    • 🦀 How To Make This Recipe
    • 🔖 Recipe Variations
    • 🤷🏻‍♀️ FAQs
    • 👩🏻‍🍳 Pro Tips
    • 🥒 Related Recipes
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    🧐 Why This Recipe Works

    • Spicy Kani salad is the perfect thing to whip up when you're in a hurry. It only takes a few minutes to assemble!
    • You can adjust the heat of the spicy Kani salad dressing by leaving out or reducing the amount of sriracha.
    • Kani salad will last 3 to 5 days when refrigerated in an airtight container.
    • Adding crabsticks to a salad is a great way to up the protein content of your salad!

    🛒 What You Need For This Recipe

    japanese spicy kani salad ingredients

    🔖 Ingredients & Substitutions

    • Cucumber: Persian cucumbers or English seedless work best but you can use any kind.
    • Carrots: I used pre-shredded carrots but if you want to julienne fresh ones that would be even better.
    • Imitation crab sticks: If you want to be boujee, replace the imitation crab meat with real crab meat!
    • Kewpie Mayo (Japanese Mayonnaise): Regular mayonnaise will suffice in a pinch but there's really nothing as good as Kewpie mayo.
    • Soy sauce: You can use ponzu sauce if you want, just leave out the mirin and lemon juice because they're already in ponzu.
    • Mirin: This can be used interchangeably with rice wine vinegar.
    • Sriracha: Sriracha sauce adds some heat to this Kani salad recipe. Adjust the amount if you want it hotter or milder.
    • Tobiko (fish roe) & Nori: I encourage you to try adding tobiko and nori. They add a nice umami flavor that I personally love.

    🦀 How To Make This Recipe

    Step 1: Using clean hands, peel crab sticks into thin strips. Place them in a bowl along with carrots, kewpie mayo, soy sauce, lemon juice, mirin, and sriracha. Stir to combine.

    crab mix ingredients in a bowl
    crab mix in a bowl

    Pro tip: I recommend using your hands to thoroughly mix your ingredients together.

    Step 2: Julienne the cucumber and place it at the bottom of a deep bowl. Top with a mound of crab mix. Garnish with a few avocado slices, toasted sesame seeds, a quick drizzle of sriracha, and kewpie mayo.

    crab mix on top of cucumbers
    spicy japanese kani salad in a bowl

    Pro tip: Try garnishing your Japanese Kani salad with tobiko, nori, or furikake. Especially if you love sushi.

    spicy japanese kani salad held by chopsticks

    🔖 Recipe Variations

    If you're a fan of mango sushi, you might want to try adding thin strips of mango to your Kani salad. This is a pretty common variation that you'll love if you like a little hint of sweetness in your food.

    You can also include sweet corn kernels or apple slices for a subtle touch of sweetness.

    Another common way to make Japanese spicy Kani salad includes mixing in panko breadcrumbs for added texture and crunch. If you'd like your Kani salad to be a bit more filling, you can add kelp noodles or glass noodles.

    japanese spicy kani salad in bowl

    🤷🏻‍♀️ FAQs

    What is Kani salad made of?

    Kani salad is a cold salad made from imitation crab, cucumber, and carrots mixed with a dressing made of Kewpie mayo, soy sauce, lemon juice, and rice vinegar. It is sometimes topped with avocado, sesame seeds, tobiko, nori, and sriracha. I often compare Kani salad to a deconstructed California roll. japanese spicy kani salad in bowl

    Is Kani real or fake crab?

    Although Kani is Japanese for "crab", it almost always refers to imitation crab which. Imitation crab is usually made of surimi which is pulverized white fish, often pollock.

    Is Kani already cooked?

    Kani, sometimes called "crab surimi", is almost always pre-cooked and therefore safe to eat cold. It's great as an addition to cold salads, or even by itself as a high-protein snack!

    👩🏻‍🍳 Pro Tips

    • You can make Kani salad 3 to 5 days in advance, but of course, the fresher it is the better it will taste!
    • You can use regular mayo if you don't have Kewpie, but I promise that Kewpie is worth all the hype! You'll never want to go back.

    🥒 Related Recipes

    • gluten free soba noodles topped with nori and sesame seeds on a white plate
      Gluten-Free Soba Noodles Recipe
    • spicy bulgogi chicken
      Spicy Korean Chicken Bulgogi
    • fried rice
      Easy Fried Rice
    • teriyaki salmon bow
      How to Make A Perfect Teriyaki Salmon Bowl

    Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟rating in the recipe card below & a review in the comments section further down the page.

    Stay in touch with me through social media @ Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok, and Facebook. Don't forget to tag me when you try one of my recipes!

    📖 Recipe

    spicy japanese kani salad

    Japanese Spicy Kani Salad

    A light, refreshing, and spicy seafood salad that only takes a few minutes to make!
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Appetizer, Salad, Side Dish
    Cuisine: Japanese
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Total Time: 5 minutes
    Servings: 2 servings
    Calories: 332kcal
    Author: Nena Sterner

    Ingredients

    • 1½ oz imitation crab
    • 3 oz shredded carrot
    • ¼ cup Kewpie mayo
    • 2 teaspoon soy sauce
    • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
    • 1 teaspoon mirin
    • 1½ Tbsp sriracha
    • 2 Persian cucumbers (10 oz)
    • ½ small avocado
    • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
    • 2 teaspoon tobiko (optional)
    • 2 small strips nori (optional)

    Instructions

    • Using clean hands, peel crab sticks into thin strips. Place them in a bowl along with carrots, kewpie mayo, soy sauce, lemon juice, mirin, and sriracha. Stir to combine.
    • Julienne the cucumber and place it at the bottom of a bowl. Top with a mound of crab mix. Garnish with a few avocado slices, toasted sesame seeds, a quick drizzle of sriracha and kewpie mayo, and tobiko (optional).

    Notes

    • I recommend using your hands to thoroughly mix your ingredients together.
    • If you love sushi, try garnishing your Kani salad with nori or furikake.
    • You can make Kani salad 3 to 5 days in advance, but of course, the fresher it is the better it will taste!
    • You can use regular mayo if you don't have Kewpie, but I promise that Kewpie is worth all the hype! You'll never want to go back.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1cup | Calories: 332kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 14mg | Sodium: 943mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 5g
    Tried this Recipe? Please leave A Star Rating!Mention @HildasKitchenBlog or tag #HildasKitchenBlog!

    More Asian Recipes

    • ramen in a white bowl over a wooden plank
      8 Traditional Asian Vegan Noodles
    • bibimbap sauce in a bowl
      Spicy Korean Bibimbap Sauce
    • Tom Kha Gai soup in a green bowl
      Tom Kha Gai (Thai Coconut Chicken Soup)
    • lumpia being dipped in sauce
      Easy Filipino Lumpia Recipe

    Sharing is caring!

    14 shares
    • Share8
    • Yummly
    • Tweet

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




     

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    profile photo-Hilda

    Hi, I'm Hilda! I'm the creator of Hilda's Kitchen Blog, author of Mom's Authentic Assyrian Recipes, and a recipe contributor to Brian Baumgartner's Seriously Good Chili Cookbook (AKA Kevin Malone, from The Office).

    Are you looking for a little inspiration in the kitchen? Let me show you how to use unique ingredients to make tasty meals for your family! more about me →

    Get My Cookbook!

    cook book on a wooden board

    Easter Recipes

    • easter round up main photo
      35 Tasty Easter Recipe Ideas
    • a slice of carrot cake on a white plate
      Carrot Cake with Pineapple
    • kileche under a Christmas tree
      Kileche | Kleicha (Assyrian Holiday Cookies)
    • roasted carrots
      Parmesan Roasted Rainbow Carrots
    • healthy deviled eggs on a blue plate
      Healthy Keto Deviled Eggs
    • birds nests on a plate
      Bird Nest Recipe (Osh El Bulbul) Baklava

    Check Out My Etsy Shop!

    montana healing salves logo

    Popular Recipes

    • Katiafi pastry
      How to Make Kataifi Pastry from scratch!
    • smoked Tri Tip being sliced
      Traeger Smoked Tri-Tip
    • smoked turkey breast on the grill
      Traeger Smoked Turkey Breast
    • tri tip sandwiches featured image
      Tri-Tip Sandwiches with Caramelized Onions
    • orange powder in a jar with oranges around it
      Drying Orange Peels and How to Use Them
    • jiffy cornbread with creamed corn in a cast iron pan with a slice removed
      Jiffy Cornbread with Creamed Corn

    Featured On

    featured on

    Subscribe to Get my Latest Recipes!

    Privacy Policy

    Stay Connected

    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest

    Footer

    ^ back to top

    About

    • About Me
    • My Etsy Shop

    Policies

    • Privacy Policy
    • Accessibility Policy
    • Photo & Content Sharing Policy

    LET'S CONNECT!

    • Contact Page
    • Work with Me

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small percentage from qualifying Amazon purchases.

    Copyright © 2023 • Hildas Kitchen Blog • All rights reserved