Ocean-Fresh Seafood Salad Recipe: A Splashy Summer Delight
Summers call for light, refreshing dishes that cool you down and tantalize your taste buds with a zesty seafood salad recipe.
Crisp vegetables and succulent seafood dance together in a delightful medley of flavors.
Fresh shrimp, tender crab, and delicate scallops create a seafood symphony that sings of ocean breezes and coastal cuisine.
Each bite promises a burst of maritime freshness and vibrant seasonings.
The recipe combines simple ingredients with bold, clean flavors that make every forkful extraordinary.
Quick to assemble and utterly delicious, this seafood salad transforms an ordinary meal into a gourmet experience.
Let’s find out this marine-inspired culinary adventure and let your palate sail to new taste horizons.
Quick Recipe Overview
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Calories: 306 kcal
Servings: 5
Ingredients for Seafood Salad Recipe
For Protein Base:
Crab Meat: Premium seafood that brings delicate ocean flavor and tender texture, choose fresh or high-quality canned options with minimal shell fragments.
For Binding and Creaminess:
Mayonnaise: Smooth base that holds ingredients together and adds rich, velvety consistency, select full-fat version for best taste and texture.
For Flavor Enhancers:
Celery: Crisp vegetable that provides subtle crunch and refreshing herbal note, pick firm stalks with bright green color and no wilting.
Old Bay Seasoning: Classic coastal spice blend that delivers zesty warmth and maritime character, perfect for seafood dishes.
Dill: Delicate herb that introduces light, tangy brightness, choose fresh when possible for more vibrant taste.
Salt: Essential mineral that amplifies overall flavor profile, use kosher or sea salt for cleaner taste.
Black Pepper: Sharp spice that adds subtle heat and complexity, freshly ground provides most robust flavor.
Tools to Toss Together a Seafood Salad
Cutting board: sturdy surface for chopping crab meat and celery.
Chef's knife: sharp blade for precise cutting of ingredients.
Medium mixing bowl: spacious container for combining salad ingredients.
Measuring cups: accurate tools for portioning mayonnaise and celery.
Measuring spoons: precise for adding Old Bay seasoning and dill.
Mixing spoon or spatula: helpful for gently blending all ingredients together.
How to Prepare a Creamy Seafood Salad
Crab Preparation Fresh seafood gets transformed by gentle chopping into bite-sized morsels, creating a perfect base for this delightful salad.
Celery Crunch Crisp celery adds a refreshing texture that complements the delicate seafood, bringing a vibrant garden-fresh element to the dish.
Flavor Symphony Creamy mayonnaise mingles with aromatic Old Bay seasoning and delicate dill, creating a harmonious blend that elevates the natural sweetness of the crab.
Gentle Mixing Soft folding technique ensures every morsel is lovingly coated with the zesty seasoning, creating a uniform and appetizing mixture.
Flavor Harmony Allowing the salad to rest in the refrigerator lets the ingredients dance together, intensifying the complex flavor profile and creating a more cohesive culinary experience.
Freshness Window Savor this delectable creation within two days for the most vibrant taste and optimal texture, ensuring a memorable seafood experience.
Tips to Brighten Your Seafood Salad Flavor
Choose high-quality, fresh crab meat from reliable seafood markets for the best taste and texture. Opt for lump or jumbo lump crab meat to ensure tender, delicate chunks in your salad.
Replace traditional mayonnaise with Greek yogurt for a lighter, tangier profile. Experiment with light mayo or a blend of mayo and sour cream to create a personalized creamy consistency.
Experiment with fresh chopped herbs like parsley, chives, or tarragon to elevate the flavor profile. Add a dash of smoked paprika or cayenne pepper for a subtle kick that complements the seafood.
Enhance the salad by mixing in cooked shrimp, chopped lobster meat, or diced imitation crab for a more complex seafood medley. Incorporate diced hard-boiled eggs or chopped almonds for extra protein and crunch.
Transform this salad into a gourmet appetizer by serving on crisp lettuce leaves or as a filling for mini croissants. Create a light lunch by placing the seafood salad atop mixed greens or serving with artisan crackers.
Serving Seafood Salad Cold and Fresh
Seaside Sandwich Delight: Pile this zesty seafood salad onto soft brioche or crusty sourdough bread for a gourmet lunch experience that transports you straight to coastal dining.
Elegant Lettuce Cups: Serve the chilled seafood mixture in crisp butter lettuce leaves for a light, refreshing appetizer that looks stunning at dinner parties or summer gatherings.
Gourmet Cracker Topping: Spread the seafood salad over premium crackers like water crackers or buttery Ritz for an instant sophisticated snack that's perfect for impromptu entertaining.
Picnic Perfect Platter: Create a beautiful seafood salad centerpiece by surrounding the mixture with fresh cucumber slices, cherry tomatoes, and herb garnishes for a colorful, appetizing presentation.
How to Store Seafood Salad
Quick Refrigeration Strategy: Store the seafood salad in an airtight container with a secure, tight-fitting lid to maintain maximum freshness and prevent absorption of other refrigerator odors.
Smart Portioning Technique: Divide the salad into individual serving sizes before storing, allowing easy grab-and-go lunch options and minimizing repeated opening of the main container.
Flavor Boost Tip: Let the chilled salad rest at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before serving to help ingredients release their full aromatic potential and soften slightly.
Safe Consumption Window: Refrigerate immediately after preparation and consume within 48 hours for the best taste, texture, and food safety standards. Discard if any unusual odors or discoloration appear.
Coastal Mediterranean seafood salad combines fresh shrimp, calamari, and herbs in a zesty lemon dressing. Delicate ingredients blend perfectly, offering a refreshing taste that transports you to seaside Mediterranean shores.
Ingredients
Scale
14 oz (397 g) chopped crab meat
½ cup mayonnaise
1–2 celery stalks (finely chopped)
½ tsp Old Bay seasoning
½ tsp fresh or dried dill
Salt (to taste)
Pepper (to taste)
Instructions
Preparation: Carefully dice crab meat into uniform cubes, transferring the pieces to a medium mixing bowl with precision.
Texture Enhancement: Incorporate finely chopped celery to introduce a crisp, refreshing element that complements the delicate seafood.
Flavor Binding: Integrate mayonnaise thoroughly, ensuring complete coverage of the crab and celery mixture to create a creamy, cohesive base.
Seasoning Fusion: Sprinkle Old Bay seasoning and dried dill evenly across the mixture, infusing the salad with a complex, aromatic flavor profile.
Final Seasoning: Delicately adjust salt and black pepper to accentuate the crab meat’s natural sweetness without overpowering its subtle taste.
Blending Technique: Employ a gentle folding method with a soft spatula, carefully mixing ingredients to ensure uniform distribution of flavors and even coating.
Flavor Melding: Seal the bowl with a tight-fitting lid or plastic wrap, then refrigerate for a minimum of 30 minutes to allow seasonings to harmonize and intensify.
Serving Preparation: Before presentation, give the seafood salad a light stir to redistribute seasonings and guarantee consistent taste throughout the dish.
Freshness Management: Consume within two days of preparation to preserve optimal flavor, texture, and food safety standards.
Notes
Dice Precisely: Uniform ½-inch cubes ensure even texture and professional presentation in your seafood salad.
Chill for Flavor: Refrigerating for 30 minutes allows seasonings to meld and intensify, creating a more robust taste profile.
Handle Gently: Use soft folding technique to prevent breaking delicate crab meat and maintain its tender texture.
Store Smartly: Consume within two days to guarantee maximum freshness and prevent bacterial growth in seafood.
Founder, Head Recipe Developer & Cuisine Specialist
Expertise
Recipe Development and Testing, Modern American and European Cuisines, Food Styling and Photography, Culinary Education and Workshops
Education
Johnson & Wales University
Degree: Bachelor of Science in Culinary Arts
Focus: Comprehensive training in classical and modern cooking techniques, kitchen management, and global cuisines.
Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts
Program: Diploma in Pastry Arts
Focus: Specialized education in baking and pastry, emphasizing artisanal bread, confections, and plated desserts.
Michael Reynolds is the founder and head recipe creator at wd-50.com. With over 15 years of experience in the kitchen, he’s spent time working in top restaurants and now focuses on making great food easy for everyone at home.
Michael studied culinary arts at Johnson & Wales University and later trained in pastry at the Auguste Escoffier School. He knows his way around both savory meals and sweet treats.
At wd-50.com, his goal is to help you feel confident in the kitchen, whether you’re trying something new or cooking a favorite dish. He loves using fresh ingredients and simple steps that still bring out big flavors.
Michael Reynolds
Founder, Head Recipe Developer & Cuisine Specialist
Expertise
Recipe Development and Testing, Modern American and European Cuisines, Food Styling and Photography, Culinary Education and Workshops
Education
Johnson & Wales University
Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts
Michael Reynolds is the founder and head recipe creator at wd-50.com. With over 15 years of experience in the kitchen, he’s spent time working in top restaurants and now focuses on making great food easy for everyone at home.
Michael studied culinary arts at Johnson & Wales University and later trained in pastry at the Auguste Escoffier School. He knows his way around both savory meals and sweet treats.
At wd-50.com, his goal is to help you feel confident in the kitchen, whether you’re trying something new or cooking a favorite dish. He loves using fresh ingredients and simple steps that still bring out big flavors.