Dungeness Crab and Avocado Salad Recipe
This Dungeness crab and avocado salad combines sweet cooked crab, ripe avocado, crisp vegetables and a bright lemon-Dijon vinaigrette. It consolidates our best crab-and-avocado salad guidance into one Dungeness-focused recipe, with make-ahead instructions, product choices and useful variations.
Shop: Dungeness Crab Meat | Dungeness Merus Meat | Dungeness Crab Collection
Dungeness Crab and Avocado Salad
Serves: 2 as a main course or 4 as a starter. Active time: about 15 minutes. No cooking is required when using cooked crab meat.
Products You May Like
Ingredients
- 12 oz cooked Dungeness crab meat, checked for shell fragments and patted dry
- 2 ripe but firm avocados, cubed
- 4 cups mixed greens or butter lettuce
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 English cucumber, sliced or diced
- 3 tbsp finely sliced red onion
- 2 tbsp chopped chives, cilantro or parsley
- 1 tbsp dill or tarragon, optional
Lemon-Dijon Vinaigrette
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 1/2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1/2 tsp honey
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Method
- Whisk the lemon juice, zest, Dijon and honey together. Slowly whisk in the olive oil and season to taste.
- Pat the crab dry and keep larger pieces intact. Excess moisture can dilute the dressing.
- Toss the greens, tomatoes, cucumber and onion with just enough vinaigrette to lightly coat them.
- Cut the avocado shortly before serving. Divide the greens among plates and arrange the crab and avocado on top rather than vigorously tossing them together.
- Drizzle with the remaining vinaigrette, add fresh herbs and serve promptly.
Picked Dungeness Crab Meat vs. Merus
Picked Dungeness crab meat is the practical everyday choice and distributes easily through the salad. Dungeness merus meat provides larger, more uniform leg pieces when presentation matters. For more detail, see our crab meat types guide.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Prepare the vegetables, crab and vinaigrette in advance, but keep them refrigerated separately. Add the avocado immediately before serving because cut avocado browns and softens with time. If you need to assemble part of the salad ahead, combine the crab and vegetables without avocado and refrigerate for up to several hours; fold in the avocado at serving time.
Variations
Grapefruit, Avocado and Citrus-Ginger
Add grapefruit segments and toasted almonds. Replace the lemon-Dijon vinaigrette with a light dressing of lemon, lime and orange juice, fresh ginger, Dijon, honey and olive oil. This keeps the citrus-forward variation distinct without requiring another near-duplicate crab-and-avocado page.
Creamy Dungeness Crab Salad
For a classic creamy version, gently fold cooked Dungeness crab meat with a light dressing of mayonnaise, fresh lemon juice, Dijon mustard, finely chopped celery, chives and a small amount of Old Bay or similar seafood seasoning. Keep the dressing restrained so the crab remains the main flavor. Serve chilled over lettuce, with cucumber, tomato or avocado on the side. This variation is best for sandwiches, lettuce cups or a simple plated lunch.
Crab Louie
For the classic West Coast composed salad with egg and Louie dressing, use our dedicated Crab Louie recipe.
Sesame-Ginger
Replace the vinaigrette with rice vinegar, a small amount of soy sauce, sesame oil, fresh ginger and neutral oil. Add scallions, cucumber and sesame seeds.
Spicy Lime
Use fresh lime instead of lemon and add finely diced jalapeño or a small amount of chili sauce. Keep the dressing light enough that the Dungeness flavor remains prominent.
Related Dungeness Recipes
Browse whole crab, clusters and picked meat in the Dungeness Crab collection.
Also in Recipes
Siberian Sturgeon Caviar Recipes: 8 Easy Serving Ideas
Sevruga Caviar Recipes: 8 Easy Ways to Serve Small-Pearl Caviar
