The Best Crab Louie Salad Recipe (video) (2024)

The ultimate seafood salad recipe! You’re going to love my Crab Louie Salad recipe, prepared with a tangy homemade Louie dressing. This crab salad has it all – avocado, lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, radishes, and more. I love to use king crab legs for my salad, but this recipe will also work with shrimp. Drizzle on the homemade dressing and enjoy with a squeeze of lemon juice. This salad is especially great for summertime!

Watch My Crab Salad Video Tutorial

Watch my YouTube Crab Louie Salad video tutorial for step-by-step instructions. Get tips for assembling the salad and see how I make the easy dressing. Want to stay up to date on the newest recipes? Make sure to subscribe to my website email list and my YouTube channel and turn on notifications.

Ingredients for Crab Louie Salad & Dressing

Here are my tips for the main ingredients you’ll need to prepare this incredible crab salad. Find the full list of ingredients with measurements in the printable recipe card below.

• Crab – I love king crab or golden king crab best for this salad. You can also use pre-cleaned, canned crab, or imitation crab legs. co*cktail shrimp also works great!
• Romaine Lettuce – romaine, butter, or crispy spring greens.
• Avocado – a must for me!
• Eggs – hard or soft-boiled eggs add some extra protein and flavor.
• Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Radish, Asparagus
• Mayonnaise, Ketchup, & Relish – some of the main items for the salad dressing.
• Lemons – for the salad and for the dressing. Fresh lemon juice works best!

Supplies & Tools for the Recipe

Need some supplies or tools to prepare this incredible crab louie salad at home? Shop my Amazon Affiliate links for the items I use in my kitchen. Using these links won’t cost you extra and I’ll earn a small commission.

• Citrus Juicer/Press
• Large Salad Platter
• Wusthof Ikon Knife
• Epicurean Cutting Boards
• Small, Rubber-tipped Tongs

Making the Louie Salad Dressing

Start making your crab salad by preparing the salad dressing. This dressing can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to one week.

1. Pour the olive oil into a measuring cup. Zest the lemon first, then squeeze the juice into the cup.
2. Next, add in the mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, relish, chopped capers, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, paprika, and onion powder.
3. Grate or press the garlic cloves, then whisk everything together. Cover and set aside the dressing until ready to serve.

Easy, Hard-Boiled Eggs

This is another portion of the recipe that can be made ahead of time. You can even use store-bought hard-boiled eggs for this crab salad!

1. Place the eggs into a saucepan filled with cold water. Salt the water generously, then bring the eggs to a boil over medium-high heat.
2. Set a time for 6 minutes for soft-boiled eggs, or 9 minutes for hard-boiled eggs. Immediately after cooking, remove the eggs into a bowl filled with ice to stop the cooking process.
3. Once the eggs are cooked, peel them and set aside.

Quick Oven-Roasted Asparagus

You can enjoy this incredible crab louie salad with either steamed or oven-roasted asparagus. I prefer mine roasted since I find it’s more flavorful.

1. Preheat the oven to 425F and line a small baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Wash the asparagus, then gently snap off the fibrous ends of each asparagus spear and lay flat on the baking sheet.
3. Drizzle the asparagus with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 10 to 12 minutes, just until the asparagus is tender.

Preparing the Veggies

While the eggs and asparagus are cooking, prepare the rest of the vegetables.

1. Thinly slice the cucumbers and radish. Cut the cherry tomatoes in half. Slice the lemon into wedges, too. Thinly slice the red onion.
2. Slice the avocado into quarters, then in half again to create thin wedges. Squeeze lemon juice over the avocado to keep it from browning.

Shelling the Crab

I get pre-cooked king crab legs at Costco or Whole Foods. You can also use Dungeness crab for this recipe, or cooked co*cktail shrimp.

1. To clean king crab, I recommend protecting your hands with safety cut gloves since the shell is quite spiny and spiky!
2. First, split each leg into manageable pieces by snapping first down then up on each joint. Gently pull the joints apart, revealing the meat inside.
3. If the meat doesn’t pull out right away, use scissors to cut the shell lengthwise and pull out the meat. For smaller pieces caught in the shell, use a chopstick to push it out.
4. Keep the crab well chilled until ready to arrange the salad!

How to Make Crab Louie Salad

Once you have all the ingredients ready to go, this crab louie salad is super easy to assemble!

1. Use a large platter to assemble the salad. First, spread the lettuce along the edges, then fill up the center.
2. Place the asparagus on either side of the platter. Sprinkle and spread the cucumbers, radishes, tomatoes, and red onion throughout the salad.
3. Quarter the eggs and add them on top, along with avocado and lemon wedges. Sprinkle the whole capers over the salad.
4. Add the shelled crab into the center of the salad. Give the dressing on last mix and spoon it over the salad generously. Serve extra salad dressing on the side.

Serving Suggestions for Crab Salad

Once you have the salad assembled, you can dress it immediately and dig into enjoy!

Need to serve it later? Simply cover and refrigerate the salad and dressing separately. Add the dressing right before serving.

I enjoy this salad with toasted bread or warm garlic bread on the side. Squeeze lemon juice over each serving before enjoying.

More Recipes!

Enjoyed this incredible seafood salad recipe? Check out some of my other recipes you’re sure to enjoy!

• King Crab Rolls – these are the best rolls ever! Juicy, sweet crab in a garlic and herb butter, served on warm brioche bread rolls!
• The Best Crab Cakes – the most delicious crab cakes you’ll ever have, served with a homemade tartar sauce.
• Smoked Salmon Potato Salad – a unique potato salad with chunks of salmon, soft-boiled eggs, salmon roe, and a zesty lemon dressing.
• Avocado Salmon Salad – an easy salmon salad with spring greens, soft cheese, avocado, and a poached egg.
• Easy Greek Chickpea Salad – refreshing, easy, and crunchy!