Paula Deen Soda Cracker Salad is a no-cook side made with crushed saltines, chopped tomato, green onions, hard-boiled egg, and plenty of mayo. It comes together in 10 minutes and feeds 5. This old-school Southern side shows up at fish fries and shrimp boils all across the coast.
The crackers need to stay in rough chunks, not dust. Crush them too fine and you lose all the texture. The salad turns into paste instead of something with crunch. That contrast between the crispy crackers and the creamy mayo is the whole point of this dish.
Mix everything right before you serve it. The crackers soak up the mayo fast and go soft within 20 minutes. Chop the tomato, egg, and onions ahead of time, but hold off on the crackers until your guests are sitting down.
Paula Deen Soda Cracker Salad
Course: SaladCuisine: American, SouthernDifficulty: Easy5
servings5
minutes5
minutes570
kcalA cold, crunchy salad built on a base of crushed saltine crackers folded into mayo with fresh tomato, green onions, and chopped hard-boiled egg. No cooking required.
Ingredients
1 sleeve soda crackers
1 large finely chopped tomato
3 finely chopped green onions
1 1/2 cups mayonaisse
1 finely chopped or crumbled with hands hard boiled egg
1 pinch to taste salt
1 pinch to taste Pepper
Directions
- Crush the crackers: Crush crackers in a resalable bag or a bowl.
- Mix and serve: Mix with the tomato, green onions, mayonnaise and hard-boiled egg.
FAQs
What kind of seafood goes best with soda cracker salad?
Paula says to serve it with your seafood of choice. Fried catfish, boiled shrimp, and crab cakes all pair well because the creamy salad cuts through the richness. Cold seafood like shrimp cocktail works too.
Can you use Ritz crackers instead of saltines?
You can, but the texture changes. Ritz crackers are buttery and softer, so the salad will be richer and won’t have as much crunch. Saltines give it a cleaner, more neutral base that lets the other flavors come through.
How long does soda cracker salad keep in the fridge?
Not long. Once the crackers are mixed in, they start absorbing moisture and turn soft within 30 minutes. If you have leftovers, they still taste fine the next day, but the texture will be completely different.
Can you prep the other ingredients ahead of time?
Chop the tomato, green onions, and hard-boiled egg up to a day ahead and store them in the fridge. When you are ready to serve, crush the crackers, toss everything together with the mayo, and season it. Assembly takes about two minutes.
How do you keep the crackers from getting soggy?
Only crush and mix the crackers right before serving. If they sit in the mayo too long, they absorb it and turn mushy. Some people crush half the sleeve into bigger pieces and the other half smaller to get a mix of textures.
