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What To Serve With Crab Imperial – 11 Delicious Side Dishes

If you’re wondering what to serve with crab imperial, you’ve come to the right place.

In this article, I list 13 of the most popular side dishes for crab imperial.

In a rush? Here’s the short answer.

The best dishes to serve with crab imperial are hush puppies, garlic bread, and oven-roasted asparagus. A tossed green salad or coleslaw will keep it light, while popcorn shrimp or fried green tomatoes will add extra crunch. For a brunch dish, serve your crab imperial with an omelet.

Ready? Let’s jump right in.

Garlic bread

Imperial sauce is Y-U-M-M-Y. 

So it makes sense to serve something that you can use to mop up any sauce still left on the plate.

Plus, who doesn’t love garlic bread?

Cook enough because everyone will be going back for a second helping!

I like the sharing idea behind this cheese and garlic crack bread.

Tossed green salad

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Sometimes simple is best.

Salads are colorful, healthy, and easy to throw together at the last minute.

They’re also really light and will provide a refreshing contrast to the heaviness of your creamy crab. 

This easy tossed salad is super customizable and comes with a tasty 6-ingredient dressing.

Fried hush puppies

No, this is not the fried version of your favorite shoes if that’s what you’re thinking! 

Hushpuppies are a classic southern side dish made of cornmeal and buttermilk. 

They’re soft and pillowy on the inside with a crispy coating on the outside. Kind of like tater tots. 

You’ll often see them served with seafood, so they make the perfect pairing for your crab imperial. 

Kay’s recipe also features a yummy remoulade dipping sauce.  

Air-fried green tomatoes

Fried green tomatoes are another southern staple. 

Raw green tomatoes are breaded with flour and fried until golden brown. 

You can use oil, but an air fryer makes the whole process so much quicker. It’s also a lot healthier!

Green tomatoes verge on the sour side of the taste spectrum, so they work well with the richness of crab imperial. 

Vegetarianmamma has some tips that will make the breading even crispier! 

Sauteed broccolini

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Crab imperial is so indulgent that you need a side dish that will make you feel a little healthier. 

That’s where sauteed broccolini comes in.

Garlic, lemon zest, and fresh parsley lift the broccoli and make sure it can hold its own against the crab. 

Even broccoli haters will be converted by this recipe.

Sweet Vinegar Coleslaw

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Attending a potluck or summer barbecue?

You can’t go wrong with a big bowl of coleslaw.

But this one has a slight twist. 

A mayo-based coleslaw might be a bit too creamy paired with crab imperial, so I recommend trying out a different dressing.

This vibrant coleslaw dish is seasoned with caraway and celery seeds!

Marinated skirt steak

Crab imperial makes a great ‘surf’ dish in a surf and turf meal.

And if you’re looking for a delicious cut of meat that won’t break the bank, skirt steak is for you. 

Just don’t overcook it, or you’ll end up with tough meat. 

The lime juice in the Grandbabycakes recipe gives the steak a slight acidity that works well with the creamy crab imperial.

Omelet 

Got some leftover crab imperial and wondering how to serve it?

It can make a delicious weekend breakfast or brunch scooped on top of an omelet.

Put whatever you want in the omelet (I like cheese and chives), the only requirement is that you use at least 3 eggs!

No one wants a small omelet.

Jessica Gavin has a great guide on how to make the perfect omelet.

Popcorn shrimp

One of the best parts of crab imperial is the crispy breadcrumb topping – but why not make it even better and spread some breaded shrimp over the crab.

Guests will love how fun and original this is, and there won’t be any complaints about the taste!

You can even go a step further and glaze your popcorn shrimp.

Check out this recipe for popcorn shrimp with a sriracha honey sweet chili sauce.

Tip: don’t want anything fried? Garlic sauteed shrimp is another idea.

Oven-roasted asparagus

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If you want a veggie side dish that you can whip up in a snap to serve with crab imperial, oven-roasted asparagus has you covered. 

It’s easy without being boring and will add some crunch to the plate. 

The roasted asparagus takes on a smoky flavor that will bring out the natural sweetness of the crab.

Want to up the smokiness? Wrap the asparagus in some bacon.

This recipe from The Busy Baker uses lemon, which everyone knows compliments seafood.

Mashed roast potatoes

Mashed potatoes are usually made with boiled potatoes.

But have you tried making them with roast potatoes instead? 

Roasting potatoes will yield fluffier and more flavorful mashed potatoes – worthy of the extra time and effort! 

Drizzle melted butter on top before serving the mashed potatoes, and you’ve got one indulgent meal. 

Make these roasted mashed potatoes even tastier with the addition of lemon zest and garlic. 

Pro tip: Leave the skins on your potatoes for that extra roasted flavor. 

Best side dishes for crab imperial

  • Garlic bread
  • Tossed green salad
  • Fried hush puppies
  • Air-fried green tomatoes
  • Sauteed broccolini
  • Sweet Vinegar Coleslaw
  • Marinated skirt steak
  • Omelet
  • Popcorn shrimp
  • Oven-roasted asparagus
  • Mashed roast potatoes

What To Serve With Crab Imperial

In this short recipe, I show you exactly what to serve with your crab imperial.
5 from 1 vote
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Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: crab imperial side dishes, what to serve with crab imperial
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 1 person
Calories: 149kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 portion crab imperial

Instructions

  • Prepare your shawarma according to your favorite recipe.
  • In the meantime, choose one of the following sides to serve alongside it.
  • Side dishes include: garlic bread, tossed green salad, fried hush puppies, air-fried green tomatoes, sauteed broccolini, sweet vinegar coleslaw, marinated skirt steak, omelet, popcorn shrimp, oven-roasted asparagus and mashed roast potatoes.
  • Serve immediately and enjoy.

Nutrition

Serving: 100g | Calories: 149kcal

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