Imitation Crab Ceviche
Imitation Crab Ceviche is a fresh, no-cook recipe loaded with crunchy vegetables, creamy avocado and tender imitation crab meat. This easy imitation crab ceviche recipe is light, refreshing and perfect for game day, a healthy lunch or a quick appetizer. It’s like a seafood salsa you can’t stop eating!
WHY YOU’LL ❤️ THIS RECIPE
If you love fresh, healthy recipes with bold flavor, this imitation crab ceviche will be your new go-to.
- 🦀 Imitation Crab is so tasty and easy! Healthy, sweet and delicious!
- 💪 Good for you! With only 145 calories in 1/2 cup – this is so good for you!
- 💵 Affordable! Fresh veggies and a package of crab is all you need! And this makes a BIG bowl!
What is Imitation Crab Ceviche?
Imitation crab ceviche is a quick and easy version of traditional ceviche made with pre-cooked imitation crab instead of raw seafood. It’s mixed with fresh vegetables, lime juice and herbs for a bright, refreshing dish.
Imitation Crab Ceviche Ingredients
Traditional ceviche is made with raw fish and the acid in the lime juice “cooks” the fish. Here – our fish (the imitation crab) is already cooked! This ceviche has all the flavor of the original but with pre-cooked fish. (Oh and it’s super healthy!)
- Imitation Crab – Already cooked and slightly sweet, making this recipe quick and budget-friendly. I prefer the chunk or flake style vs “legs” for recipes like this recipe.
- Fruits & Veggies
- Red onion – these are great raw and have a crispy crunch
- you could also use 2-3 shallots instead of a red onion
- Jalapeno peppers add a little spice but without the seeds it’s not too spicy
- If you’re really spice averse, you could use 1/4 of a green bell pepper
- Cucumbers – crunchy and such a clean flavor
- Tomatoes – I went with 3 small roma tomatoes because there’s less of the juice. You could also use 2 large tomatoes and just clean out some of the insides
- Avocado – adds creaminess that balances the acidity
- Limes – this is how everything “cooks” – the key to bright, fresh flavor in ceviche
- You could use bottled lime juice but fresh is best in this recipe
- Red onion – these are great raw and have a crispy crunch
- Seasonings – garlic salt, salt
- Herbs – fresh cilantro
- If you’re one of those anti-cilantro people, you can use a flat leaf Italian parsley
Make it Quicker & Easier or Tastier!
Crab Ceviche is pretty easy – I mean – there’s no cooking! But I still have a few ways you can make it your own.
- Pico de Gallo – you could add crab, avocado and cucumbers to a store-bought pico de gallo for a quicker short cut ceviche
- Real Crab Meat – get fancy and buy lumb crab meat from the seafood department (it’s already cooked too)
- Fruit – mango or pineapple would be delicious with this ceviche
How to Make Easy Imitation Crab Ceviche
I love a no-cook lunch and this is one of my favorites! As soon as it was done – I dove in and it was delicious! Here’s how to make this crab ceviche recipe:
- Squeeze juice from 1/2 lime over the diced avocado.
- Combine the onion, jalapeno, garlic salt, lime juice from 2.5 limes and 1 tsp salt in a large bowl and stir to combine. Add the cucumbers, tomatoes and cilantro and toss together.
- Gently add remaining salt, avocado and crabmeat to the bowl of vegetables and toss lightly so to not break up the avocado and crab meat.
- Taste and season to taste with salt, lime juice or hot sauce.
- Serve with tortilla chips – or get fancy and use a tostada (with a light smear of mayo) and pile it on!
Tips Tricks & FAQs
More Imitation Crab Recipes
- Chinese Buffet Crab Casserole
- Crab & Pasta Salad
- Imitation Crab Dip (coming soon!)
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Imitation Crab Ceviche
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 large avocado diced
- 1/2 red onion finely diced
- 1 jalapeno peppers seeded & minced
- 1/2 tsp garlic salt
- 3 limes juiced
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 mini seedless cucumbers finely diced
- 3 Roma tomatoes finely diced
- 1/3 cup cilantro chopped, about ½ a bunch of cilantro
- 12 oz imitation crabmeat shreds, roughly chopped
Instructions
- Squeeze juice from 1/2 lime over the diced avocado.1 large avocado
- Combine the onion, jalapeno, garlic salt, lime juice from 2.5 limes and 1 tsp salt in a large bowl and stir to combine.1/2 red onion, 1 jalapeno peppers, 1/2 tsp garlic salt, 3 limes, 2 tsp salt
- Add the cucumbers, tomatoes and cilantro and toss together.2 mini seedless cucumbers, 3 Roma tomatoes, 1/3 cup cilantro
- Gently add remaining salt, avocado and crabmeat to the bowl of vegetables and toss lightly so to not break up the avocado and crab meat.12 oz imitation crabmeat
- Taste and season to taste with salt, lime juice or hot sauce.
- Serve right away or refrigerate, covered for up to 4 hours before serving.
