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Japanese Kani Salad

by Katerina

5 from 4 votes

Feb 06, 2023, Updated May 09, 2025

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Ready in only 20 minutes, this creamy Japanese kani salad is loaded with shredded crab, veggies, and a crispy panko topping. It’s the easiest, chilled Asian-style salad you’ve had in a while. And I love serving it with pork katsu and fried rice for a full-on takeout-style dinner at home!

Tossed in a creamy Asian-style dressing, this easy Japanese kani salad takes weekday side dishes to a whole other level. Topped with crispy garlic panko, it’ll be on your table within an impressive 20 minutes.

Packed with shredded crab, corn, carrots, and cucumbers, kani salad has just the right amount of sweetness and crunch. Don’t forget the quick sauce, which is full of your favorite Asian ingredients like soy sauce, sesame oil, and Japanese chili powder for tang, heat, and richness.

Ingredients For Kani Salad

Time to use up all those Asian sauces hanging out in your pantry! Below, I’ve listed the key ingredients you’ll need to make this Japanese kani salad, along with notes and a few easy swaps in case you don’t have everything on hand. Please scroll to the recipe card at the bottom for the full ingredient amounts.

• Carrot: Adds crunch and a touch of sweetness. Slice it into thin matchsticks for the best texture.
• Persian Cucumber: English cucumber works too, but remove the seeds if needed.
• Sweet Corn Kernels: A pop of sweetness that plays nicely with the creamy dressing. Fresh, frozen, or canned all work.
• Imitation Crab (Crab Sticks): The star of kani salad! Pull it apart with your hands or forks to shred it easily.
• Japanese Mayonnaise: Kewpie is ideal, but regular mayo will do in a pinch.
• Ponzu Sauce: Adds a citrusy, umami flavor. If you don’t have ponzu, you can sub with soy sauce + a splash of lemon or rice vinegar.
• Mirin: A sweet Japanese cooking wine, but you can mix sugar and rice vinegar, if needed.
• Soy Sauce: Low-sodium is totally fine here.
• Sesame Oil: Adds toasty flavor and a little richness. Try not to skip it.
• Cooking Sake: You can leave it out or use a splash of dry white wine.
• Black & White Sesame Seeds: You can use just one type if that’s what you’ve got.
• Shichimi Togarashi: This is a Japanese chili spice blend that’s optional, but recommended. Korean gochugaru chili powder is a great alternative, but add it to taste because it’s spicier.
• Panko Breadcrumbs: These get toasted for a crispy topping. Regular breadcrumbs won’t give the same texture, so stick with panko if you can.
• Garlic Powder: Mixed into the panko for extra flavor.
• Green Onions: Chopped scallions are a good sub.
• Toasted Sesame Seeds: These are used for garnish. You can toast your own by placing 1 to 3 tablespoons of sesame seeds in a pan over low heat. Shake the pan continuously and let them toast for 2-3 minutes or until fragrant.

What To Serve With Kani Salad

This salad is best with Asian-style dishes like my chicken lettuce wraps, bang bang shrimp, and pepper steak stir fry. It’s also great with Instant Pot Jasmine rice and pork or chicken katsu for a more Japanese vibe.

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5 from 4 votes

Japanese Kani Salad

by Katerina | Diethood

This creamy Japanese kani salad is loaded with crab, carrots, cucumbers, corn, crispy panko, and your favorite Asian sauces. 

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 1 small carrot
• ▢ 1 Persian cucumber
• ▢ ¼ cup sweet corn kernels
• ▢ 4 large crab sticks, or imitation crab meat
• ▢ 2 tablespoons Japanese mayonnaise
• ▢ 3 ½ teaspoons ponzu
• ▢ ½ teaspoon mirin
• ▢ 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• ▢ 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• ▢ ½ teaspoon cooking sake
• ▢ ½ tablespoon black sesame seeds
• ▢ ½ tablespoon white sesame seeds
• ▢ 1¼ teaspoons shichimi togarashi seasoning
• ▢ ½ cup plain panko crumbs
• ▢ ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
• ▢ green onions, for garnish
• ▢ toasted sesame seeds, for garnish

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Instructions 

• Prep the carrots. Peel the carrot and then slice it into thin matchsticks using a sharp knife. Place it in a medium-sized bowl.
• Prep the cucumber and corn. Slice the cucumber in half longwise, cut it into thin matchsticks, and place them in the bowl. Add in the sweet corn.
• Shred the crab. Use your hands or two forks to thinly shred the crab. Add it to the bowl with the carrots and cucumbers.
• Combine. Use your hands or salad tongs to mix the veggies and crab in the bowl. Set aside.
• Make the dressing and combine. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, ponzu, mirin, soy sauce, sesame oil, sake, and sesame seeds. Add to the salad and toss well until combined. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.
• Toast the panko crumbs. Meanwhile, add the panko crumbs and garlic powder to a pan set over medium-low heat. Spread them out in one layer and stir continuously so that they don't burn. Let them cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer them to a plate and set them aside to cool for 5 minutes.
• Combine and serve. Remove the salad from the refrigerator. Serve kani salad in serving bowls and top it with the toasted sesame seeds, green onions, and crispy panko.

Equipment

• Chef Knife
• Mixing Bowls
• Salad Tongs
• Measuring Cups and Spoons

Notes

• Crab Sticks: Crab sticks, krab sticks, imitation crab (meat), or seafood sticks are a type of seafood and can be found in the refrigerated section at any well-stocked grocery store.
• Japanese Mayonnaise: This mayonnaise incorporates yolks, resulting in a custardy texture and a richer flavor. 
• Shichimi Togarashi Seasoning: This is a Japanese spice blend with chili flakes, seaweed, and sesame seeds, amongst other things, and adds an umami flavor to dishes. Korean gochugaru chili powder is a good alternative, but add it to taste because it’s spicier.
• For a complete meal, top the salad with tempura shrimp and add a side of fried rice. 

Nutrition

Calories: 160kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 6mg | Sodium: 487mg | Potassium: 129mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 2138IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 66mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.

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How to Make Japanese Kani Salad

• Prepare the veggies. Peel the carrot and slice it into thin matchsticks using a sharp knife. Place it in a medium-sized bowl. Slice the cucumber into thin matchsticks and add them in. Add the sweet corn.
• Shred the crab. Use your hands or use two forks to shred the crab thinly. Shredding it thinly makes a more delicate salad, but you can shred it as thin or thick as you like. Mix it with the veggies until well combined.
• Make the dressing. Add the Japanese mayo, ponzu, mirin, soy sauce, sesame oil, sake, black and white sesame seeds, and shichimi togarashi in a bowl. Mix well to combine.
• Toss it. Pour the dressing over the veggie-crab mixture and toss it until completely combined. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.
• Make the crispy panko. Add the panko and garlic powder to a pan over medium-low heat. Spread it out evenly and stir continuously so that it doesn’t burn. Let it cook for 3-4 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer to a plate and set it aside to cool for 5 minutes.
• Serve. Add kani salad to taste into serving bowls and top with the toasted sesame seeds, green onions, and crispy panko. Don’t add the crispy panko before serving or it will soften.

More Side Salads

• Chickpea Salad
• Crab Avocado Salad
• Cabbage Cucumber Salad
• Zucchini Salad
• Tomato Burrata Salad
• Mediterranean White Bean Salad