Paula Deen Lighter Crab Salad

Paula Deen Lighter Crab Salad is a quick, fresh summer salad made with lump blue crabmeat, sweet corn and creamy avocado, ready in 20 minutes. This no-cook light crab salad lunch fits a summer cookout, a Sunday supper, a bridal shower or an easy weeknight dinner on the hottest days.

Fold the crabmeat and avocado in gently at the very end, because stirring hard breaks the lumps into mush. Toss them in early or too roughly and you lose the big sweet bites that make the salad worth the price of crab.

Paula keeps this lighter by using lime juice and a spoonful of olive oil instead of a mayo dressing, so the crab tastes like crab. Raw corn cut straight off the cob and a minced jalapeño add crunch and a little heat without any cooking.

Paula Deen Lighter Crab Salad

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Course: SaladCuisine: American, SouthernDifficulty: Easy

Servings

10

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking timeminutes

Calories

190

kcal

Crisp corn, cucumber and tomato get a bright lime and cilantro dressing, then lump crab and creamy avocado are folded in last. It is served over lettuce leaves, so everything stays cool, crunchy and tender.

Ingredients

• 1 cup halved grape tomatoes
  

• 1 large ear shucked corn on the cob
  

• 1/2 medium thinly sliced hothouse cucumber (seedless)
  

• 1/2 small thinly sliced vidalia onion
  

• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  

• 1 minced jalapeño pepper
  

• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  

• 1 tablespoon extra- virgin olive oil
  

• 1/2 teaspoon salt
  

• 8 oz picked through fresh lump blue crabmeat
  

• 1/2 peeled, pitted, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces haas avocado
  

• 4 leaves green leaf lettuce
  

Directions

• Toss the vegetables: Combine 1 cup halved grape tomatoes, 1 shucked ear of corn, 1/2 sliced cucumber, 1/2 sliced Vidalia onion, 1/4 cup cilantro and 1 minced jalapeño in a large bowl. Add 2 tablespoons lime juice, 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt, then toss until coated.
• Fold in the crab: Add 8 ounces of picked-through lump blue crabmeat and 1/2 of a cubed avocado to the bowl. Fold gently so the crab lumps and avocado pieces stay whole.
• Plate and serve: Divide 4 green leaf lettuce leaves among 4 plates. Spoon the crab mixture evenly on top and serve at once, while everything is still cold and crisp.

Tools for this recipe

• Pyrex 3-piece glass mixing bowl set, Victorinox Fibrox 8-inch chef's knife, OXO silicone spatula set, Partanna Sicilian extra virgin olive oil, 1 liter. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I use canned crabmeat instead of fresh lump crab?

You can, and drained canned lump crab works fine in a pinch. Pat it dry first so the salad doesn't turn watery, and fold it in gently so it doesn't shred.

How long does lighter crab salad keep in the fridge?

It is best eaten the day you make it, because the avocado browns and the vegetables release water. If you have leftovers, cover them tightly and eat them within a day.

Can I make this crab salad ahead of time?

Chop the vegetables and mix the dressing ahead, and keep them in the fridge. Add the crab and avocado right before serving so they stay fresh and the lumps stay intact.

Can I use frozen corn instead of fresh corn on the cob?

Thawed frozen corn kernels work when fresh corn is out of season. Drain them well, since extra water will dilute the lime dressing.

What is the most common mistake with this salad?

Stirring too hard after the crab goes in is the biggest one, because it turns lump crab into shreds. Use a gentle folding motion and stop as soon as everything is coated.