This easy to make Red Potato Imitation Crab Salad is a crowd pleaser. It’s cool, refreshing, a little sweet, and goes great with any barbecue. Perfect for your upcoming 4th of July or other holiday celebration or weekend gathering.
Apparently, it also reminds my husband of the potato salad from Zippy’s Restaurant. Anyone out there that can confirm this? Let me know in the comments!
What is imitation crab?
Imitation crab is also known as surimi in Japan. It is made from white fish, such as pollack, and other preservatives and additives for a longer shelf life. It’s also much cheaper than fresh seafood or real crab making it an economical choice just so long as you only eat it occasionally.
Why is this potato salad so tasty?
I recently discovered that my son enjoyed the sweet and creamy red potato in my parents’ potato salad recipe. He got the courage to try it, despite his dislike of potatoes, because it is loaded with one of his favorite foods, imitation crab or surimi. He enjoyed this salad despite the “spicy” red onion flavor which provides some relief from the softness and creaminess of the salad.
Boiling the red potatoes in this dish enhances it’s natural sweetness. So, getting surimi with just 1 or 2 grams of added sugar isn’t noticeable.
How is this a healthier potato salad?
This dish started out with regular mayonnaise and more salt. I swapped it for light mayonnaise, but it still has to be Best Food’s!
My father added green peas for natural sweetness and color. I also make sure that I get imitation crab that has 2 grams or less of sugar on the nutrition label.
Slowly and gradually lowering salt and sugar amounts in any of your recipes is a great way to help tastebuds and your gut bacteria to get used to less of these flavors. If you want long-term and sustained changes to your diet, making small changes a little at a time does help. You’ll be surprised what you can do once you try!
Please let me know if you try this recipe for your next barbecue or as a side dish for your weekend dinner. I hope you love it as much as my family does!
Looking for other side dish ideas? Make veggies tasty with these recipes:
Red Potato and Imitation Crab Salad
Equipment
- 1 3-quart pot
- 1 large cutting board
- 1 chef's knife
- 1 Large mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 2 pounds red potatoes
- ¼ tsp salt
- 4 ounces imitation crab (surimi) shredded
- ¾ cup light mayonnaise
- ¼ cup red onion or 2 shallots diced
- 15 turns fresh ground black pepper about 3 pinches
- ½ cup frozen peas (optional) defrosted
Instructions
- Wash 2 pounds red potatoes and put in a pot with enough water to cover them. Turn heat to high. When the water reaches a boil, cook for 30 to 40 minutes depending on the size of your potatoes. Use a fork and pierce your largest potato to check for doneness. If the fork goes in easily it is cooked through.
- Drain the potatoes and let cool. You can put it in an ice bath to speed up the process or let cool on the counter for an hour. Peel off the potato skins when the potatoes are cool enough to touch.
- Cut the potatoes into ½-inch to ¾-inch cubes and place in a large bowl. Sprinkle ¼ tsp salt over the potatoes and stir to evenly coat. Add 4 ounces imitation crab (surimi), ¾ cup light mayonnaise, ¼ cup red onion or 2 shallots, 15 turns fresh ground black pepper, and ½ cup peas (optional). Mix until well combined.
- Store in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Best when served cold.
