Crab Salsa
Crab Salsa- Loaded with seasonal produce, this fresh salsa is made extra special with the addition of jumbo lump crab.
August 11, 2022 by Nicole Collins
What is the recipe developer’s equivalent to writer’s block?
Whatever it is, I had a MAJOR case of it a couple weeks ago.
I had some leftover crab meat that I had no plan for. Now usually, there is no such thing as leftover crab. But when there is, I always know exactly what I want to do with it.
But in this instance, I had a million ideas and zero ideas all at once.
There was a moment where I was literally sitting in my kitchen, staring into oblivion, willing my brain to think of absolutely anything to do with the crab meat.
And to make things more interesting, the recipe needed to involve corn too.
So once I streamlined my thoughts a smidge, I did as I usually do these days when I can’t make a decision. I turned to the internet.
That brings us to this moment. The results of my Instagram story poll is what we’re making today.
Today, we’re making Crab Salsa!
This recipe is super simple, super refreshing, and super luxurious all at the same time. We’re basically collecting all of summer’s best produce, making a simple fresh corn salsa, and mixing in some sweet jumbo lump crab meat to elevate this salsa to a new dimension.
It’s basically wrapping up summer in a bowl, so let’s get to it!
There’s really not much to do here. Chop some veggies, toss everything together, and devour. Aren’t those the best kind of recipes? For our veggies, we’re going to use a combo of corn, tomatoes, shallot, cucumber, and jalapeno. Dice everything into similar sized pieces, and that’s it for step one. Now, I will note that typically red onion is traditional in a salsa, but I think shallot is a little more delicate which works better with the crab. But if you need to use red onion in a pinch, it would be totally ok.
To highlight all the natural flavors of our veggies, we’re going to season our salsa with a little lemon juice, a little lime juice, a sprinkle of Old Bay, and a pinch of salt. We’ll give everything a toss to get those veggies coated in flavor. Then, it’s time to add our final two ingredients.
To finish this salsa, we’re going to mix in some diced avocado and some jumbo lump crab meat. We want to gently stir these into the salsa last, because we want both items to keep their integrity. We don’t want the avocado to mush or the crab to fall apart in our salsa. We want to see those big beautiful chunks!
Typically, I’ll tell you that it doesn’t matter if you get lump or jumbo lump crab meat. And though a little more of a splurge, I highly recommend using jumbo lump crab here if you can swing it. Jumbo lump crab meat is exactly that…jumbo lumps. And those large bits of luxurious crab not only look beautiful in this salsa, but the experience of biting into those soft little pillows of seafood really makes this salsa extra special. However, if lump crab is all you can manage, the taste will still be incredible.
From here, we eat! As with any salsa, you can dig right in with some tortilla chips. Or you can use this salsa as a topping for another protein. I actually really like this salsa over some scrambled eggs for brunch. It’s almost like having a deconstructed crab omelet!
Regardless of how you enjoy it, you’re in for a real treat. The veggies mixed together on their own would be absolute perfect. They’re a little sweet, a little spicy, a little acidic, a little crunchy…you can’t beat it. Then, add in that citrus to brighten everything up and the Old Bay to add a little depth, and you’re hitting top tier status. But then you throw in the crab, and you can consider the game changed. The crab makes this salsa feel so special and fancy. And you know what, it is!
Alright, everyone. I am totally not ready to let go of summer produce yet. So, we’re going to hang on as long as we can.
I hope you enjoy. And, let’s eat!
Crab Salsa
Serves: about 2 cups Print
Ingredients:
2 small tomatoes, diced and drained
1 medium shallot, minced
½ jalapeno, seeds removed and minced
1 ear corn, cooked and kernels removed
1 mini cucumber, diced
Juice of ½ a lime
Juice of ¼ of a lemon
½ tsp Old Bay
¼ tsp salt
1 avocado, peeled and diced
8 oz jumbo lump crab meat
Directions:
To a mixing bowl, add tomatoes, shallot, jalapeno, corn, cucumber, lime, lemon, Old Bay, and salt. Mix well to combine.
Add in avocado and crab. Toss gently to combine. Serve immediately.
Recipe notes:
*I usually say you can use either lump or jumbo lump crab meat, but I totally recommend getting jumbo lump if you can swing it. It’s not only beautiful, but those big hunks of crab really make this salsa special.
*I like to roast my corn for this salsa. Place corn in the husk on a sheet pan. Roast at 350 degrees for 30 mins. When cool to the touch, remove the husk and cut the kernels off the cob.
*You can serve this salsa with tortilla chips like any traditional salsa. Or, it’s a great topping for most proteins. I actually love it over some scrambled eggs for brunch.
