If you’re wondering what to serve with your crab salad, you’ve come to the right place.
In this article, I list 33 of the most popular side dishes for crab salad.
In a rush? Here’s the short answer.
The best dishes to serve with crab salad are zucchini corn fritters, spicy cheese crackers, cucumber lemon orzo salad, and pita chips. You can also serve it with hoagie rolls, grilled avocado, and garlic butter potato skins. For a surf-and-turf twist, go for grilled T-bone steaks.
Ready? Let’s jump right in.
Dippers and breads
Crab salad is a delicious mix of crab meat and a refreshing sauce, and it’s perfect for stuffing into things like potato skins, sandwich rolls, or even avocados.
Or you can use the crab salad as a dip.
Both options will be delicious!
Hoagie rolls
Transform your crab salad into an easy, on-the-go meal by stuffing it in these homemade hoagie rolls!
I think hoagie rolls are the perfect sandwich bread.
They have a soft, fluffy inside and a firm crust that does a fine job of holding whatever you fill it with.
Psst…this recipe calls for two proofings, but you can skip one if you’re in a rush!
Why we love this recipe: your house will smell amazing while these bake.
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Hoagie rolls
Make a classic
Homemade brioche buns
Make it fancy
Classic French croissants
Zucchini corn fritters
If you’re a corn fan, this recipe is a must-try!
Each golden fritter is studded with sweet corn kernels and tons of shredded zucchini, making them super nourishing.
They make yummy snacks, but you can transform them into a complete meal with a serving of crab salad and some fresh greens on the side.
Why we love this recipe: it’s a tasty and easy way to add more veggies to your meals.
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Zucchini corn fritters
Keep it simple
Boiled corn on the cob
Make it trendy
Spiced corn ribs
Spicy Southern cheese crackers
Jazz up your crab salad with a side of these cheese crackers.
They’re spiced with cayenne, giving them a fiery kick. But you can mellow this out by dipping them in your cool, creamy crab salad.
And the best part?
You can prepare the dough ahead of time and store it in the freezer for up to two months, so you’ll always be able to have some cheesy crackers when the cravings hit.
Why we love this recipe: it’s dangerously addicting.
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Spicy Southern cheese crackers
Make it healthy
Multi-seed homemade healthy crackers
Make it fancy
Homemade gourmet crackers
Grilled avocado
Avocados are a great unique vessel to serve your crab salad in!
And grilling them infuses them with a delightful smoky twist that helps offset the creamy flavors of the crab salad, giving you a well-balanced bite.
Plus, it’s a low-carb combo that won’t leave you feeling hungry.
Why we love this recipe: it’s a fun and unusual way to enjoy avocados.
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Grilled avocado
Make it crispy
Air fryer avocado fries
Add a savory note
Bacon avocado fries
Garlic butter potato skins
Don’t like avocados?
Stuff your crab salad in these potato skins instead!
The garlic butter gives the spuds an indulgent taste, and by baking them twice, the skins get extra crispy – yum!
You also get a refreshing contrast between your cool crab salad and piping hot potato skins.
Why we love this recipe: everyone will be begging for second helpings of these.
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Garlic butter potato skins
Stick with the basics
Baked potato
Make it different
Popovers
Pita chips
I love serving crab salads as a dip with these homemade pita chips.
The chips are baked, not fried, meaning they’re nice and healthy.
And they’re sturdy enough to scoop up that chunky crab meat without breaking.
This recipe seasons the chips with garlic powder and oregano, but you’re free to go wild here and season them with your choice of spices and herbs.
I personally like a mix of chili and lime.
Why we love this recipe: it’s effortless.
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Homemade pita chips
Make it low-carb
Keto pita chips
Skip the oven
Fried wonton chips
More salads
Crab salad isn’t actually much of a salad… if I’d have been in charge of naming the dish I’d have called it chunky crab dip!
But the mix of creamy sauce and sweet crab meat make a welcome addition to most salads, especially summer-y ones.
Tossed green salad
It’s packed with mixed leafy greens, onions, sunflower seeds, and bacon, adding a crisp, crunchy bite to contrast the tender crab meat.
Then everything is tossed with a dijon honey mustard dressing, giving this dish a sweet-tangy bite.
Serve a hefty helping of your crab salad over this leafy salad for a light but satisfying meal.
Why we love this recipe: it has a 4.99 rating from 325 votes.
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Tossed green salad
Make it Greek-style
Maroulosalata
Keep it simple
Arugula salad with lemon vinaigrette
Cucumber lemon orzo salad
Want a hearty dish to pair with your crab salad?
You can’t go wrong with this cucumber lemon orzo.
The combination of fresh herbs, crunchy cucumbers, and lemon juice gives this dish a refreshingly zesty bite that’s perfect for warmer days.
Pro-tip: don’t rinse the orzo – the extra starch helps the dressing and herbs stick better.
Why we love this recipe: it’s great for potlucks, picnics, and outdoor parties.
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Cucumber lemon orzo salad
Add more veggies
Greek orzo salad
Add leafy greens
Orzo arugula salad
Tomato corn salad
Not a fan of leafy greens but still want to give your crab salad a nutritious boost?
Pair it with this tomato corn salad instead!
Not only do you get some added crunch from the cucumbers, but you also get a juicy burst of sweet and tart flavors from the tomatoes and corn kernels.
It’s one of my favorite simple salads.
Why we love this recipe: you can throw it together in 5 minutes.
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Tomato corn salad
Make a summer classic
Tomato cucumber salad
Make it Tex-Mex style
Black bean and corn salad
Meat
Turn your humble crab salad into a luxurious surf-and-turf meal by serving it with some tasty meat.
Anything you cook on the grill will be perfect, from steaks and ribs, to wings and pork butts.
Grilled T-bone steaks
Because T-bone steaks are naturally tender, you don’t need a marinade – a simple dry rub is all you need to make them tasty.
I love this recipe’s homemade rub. It’s got sugar, smoky paprika, garlic, mustard, and thyme.
Pro-tip: after patting your steaks with the dry rub, pierce them with a fork to ensure the seasoning seeps all the way down into the meat.
Why we love this recipe: it’s an excellent guide for grilling steaks, especially for beginners.
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Grilled T-bone steaks
Skip the grill
Reverse seared filet mignon
Make it affordable
Marinated flank steaks
Baked BBQ boneless chicken thighs
Not in the mood to grill?
These baked BBQ chicken thighs are an excellent alternative.
Unlike the T-bone steaks, these chicken thighs will benefit immensely from a marinade, so don’t skip it!
After cooking, the thighs are brushed with barbecue sauce, giving them a saucy, sweet-savory note that perfectly contrasts your crab salad’s creamy flavors.
Why we love this recipe: it’s budget-friendly and can easily feed a family.
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Baked BBQ boneless chicken thighs
Make it spicy
Nashville hot chicken tenders
Fire up the stovetop
One-pan BBQ chicken thighs
What to serve with crab salad
- Hoagie rolls
- Zucchini corn fritters
- Spicy Southern cheese crackers
- Grilled avocado
- Garlic butter potato skins
- Pita chips
- Tossed green salad
- Cucumber lemon orzo salad
- Tomato corn salad
- Grilled T-bone steaks
- Baked BBQ boneless chicken thighs
What To Serve With Crab Salad
Ingredients
- 1 portion Garlic butter potato skins
- 1 portion Grilled T-bone steaks
- 1 portion Tomato corn salad
- 1 portion Grilled avocado
- 1 portion Zucchini corn fritters
- 1 portion Spicy Southern cheese crackers
Instructions
- Prepare your crab salad according to your favorite recipe.
- In the meantime, choose one of the following sides to serve alongside it.
- Side dishes include: hoagie rolls, zucchini corn fritters, spicy southern cheese crackers, grilled avocado, garlic butter potato skins, pita chips, tossed green salad, cucumber lemon orzo salad, tomato corn salad, grilled t-bone steaks, and baked bbq boneless chicken thighs.
- Serve immediately and enjoy!
