Whether stuffed into a tomato or spread between two slices of bread, this vegan “crab” salad will satisfy your seafood craving. No cooking required! It’s quick, easy, delicious, and has numerous options for serving!
Maybe I’ve been on a seafood kick lately (or is it veafood?!) because last night I made my Mushroom “Scallop” Scampi and tonight, of course, it was this Jackfruit “Crab” Salad. Perhaps it’s just because my husband keeps bringing me back yummy gifts from the Asian market. I knew the day he showed up with a box full of jackfruit I’d be creating some new recipes with it, and oh boy was I excited!
To be honest, the first time I made this Jackfruit Crab Salad, I simply threw things in a bowl real quick, mixed them up, grabbed a box of gluten-free crackers, and rushed to the living room because the Warriors game was starting. It was very impromptu. I looked at what ingredients I had, and thought, “That sounds yummy,” and then gave it a try. Michael loved it. I had to agree, it was quite delicious, and I couldn’t wait to mix some up again to make a “crab” melt. As I said, I just threw some ingredients together, but when it turned out so delightful, I grabbed my notebook and at least wrote down what I used, even if exact measurements were unknown.
A bit of time to went by between when I first made the crab salad and when Michael brought me that big box of jackfruit. Then it was winter time, so I decided it’d be best to wait for the warm weather to come back before sharing this recipe with you.
Spring is warm enough, right? It was actually on the cold side today, the weather has been up and down lately, but I’m ready for the summer foods! Last week I made this for the first time in a while, and that is when I finally wrote down my measurements. I did something with it I hadn’t done before, I use it to fill nori rolls! I spread vegan cream cheese on the nori sheet, put a few spoonfuls of the “crab” salad, a couple sticks cucumber and some shredded cabbage. I then rolled them up and sealed the nori with a little water. Super good and super easy!
How easy is it, you ask? Let me explain how this crab salad is made. Just like any recipe with canned jackfruit, the first step is to drain and rinse the fruit. Please be SURE to buy green, or young, jackfruit canned in water, this recipe will not work with jackfruit which was canned in brine. I find mine at a local Asian market or have also ordered it online.
Once you’ve drained and rinsed the jackfruit, squeeze out the extra water. I use my hand to do this, or you can use cheesecloth, but this is a quick step, it doesn’t have to be perfect. Next, go through each piece and remove any seeds. You then need to slice off any hard chunks on the jackfruit pieces, and what remains, chop into smaller pieces.
Now that the jackfruit is ready to use, you simply mix it in a bowl with the remaining ingredients. It’s that easy! Once you have your jackfruit crab salad made, you can choose one of the many delicious ways to prepare it. Each serving is squeezed with lemon before enjoying.
I showed you one of the nori rolls I made last week, but remember when I mentioned “crab” melts? They are one of my favorite things. “Crab” melt night I had a cheat day because I hardly ever eat bread, but with this, I make an exception. For my husband, I buy gluten-free bread, or sometimes I make us hot sandwiches using this 3 Ingredient Paleo Naan recipe, by My Heart Beets. The picture below is of a melt I made for my son on sourdough bread with tomato slices, Follow Your Heart Gouda, and Daiya Cheddar — because when you can’t decide, why not use both?!
If a grilled sandwich with the melty cheese isn’t your thing, you can, of course, make your sandwich cold. This one here went in my son’s lunch. Along with the jackfruit crab salad, it has vegan mayonnaise, lettuce, and tomato, on a french roll. If needed, of course, use gluten-free bread, or for me, I’ll use a low carb-veggie bread that’s made by a local bakery.
Many gluten-free breads I know aren’t very tasty, so why make a sandwich when there are so many options?! Simple and light, this salad is delicious, piled onto lettuce leaves.
These cucumbers make for a nice, crisp option! I got this idea when running across a salad recipe using shaved almonds. Using a small spoon, scoop the seeds out of the middle of the cucumber, but be careful to stop before you reach the bottom, leaving a base on each piece. To make room to include more of my salad, I also scraped along of the inner wall, making the hollowed out area a little wider. Try not to make your cucumber chunks too tall. The shorter ones are easier to eat unless cut in half.
My husband has been on an avocado kick lately. Well, to be honest, we both probably have a little avocado on the daily. It’s a food we’re both very fond of, but he’s been watching the numbers on his macronutrients and is eating even more of them to keep well with his healthy fats. Stuffing this salad into an avocado was the perfect option for him!
I’ve been making stuffed tomatoes like these for years, only using a chickpea tuna recipe which I love! This was my first time trying them with the jackfruit crab, and it worked great with them as well! I like buying the Campari tomatoes for this, because they’re smaller and I think a perfect size. Both these stuffed tomatoes and the cucumbers above, make for an ideal finger food to serve at parties and other social gatherings.
I have one more creation to share using this Jackfruit Crab Salad. This was one I thought of last minute, right before I was about to make this post. I’m so glad I thought of it too because it turned out to be my new favorite! These baked tomatoes came out so incredibly yummy! They’re also a great gluten-free option when wanting a warm meal!
For these, I bought large tomatoes, sliced them in half, and scooped out the seeds. I then filled each half with the Jackfruit Crab Salad and topped them with vegan cheeses. Just like the “crab” melt, I used a combo of Follow Your Heart Gouda and Daiya Cheddar. I let them bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes. After they baked, I stuck them under the broiler for another minute or two, allowing the cheese get extra melty and to get the tops slightly browned. The baked tomato halves made for a delicious meal, and I’ll definitely be making them again sometime soon.
I’m delighted to be sharing this recipe with you. I love the way it came out and am confident I presented you with many delicious, gluten-free options. I didn’t include pictures for these, but don’t forget you can always use this salad on gluten-free crackers, or stuffed into celery!
I hope you love my Jackfruit Crab Salad as I do! Please take pictures of yours and tag me on Instagram, @veggiesattiffanis! Also, I’d love to see your comments below. Tell me, how do you eat your Jackfruit Crab Salad?
Jackfruit Crab Salad
Ingredients
- 2 17 oz cans green jackfruit IN WATER! This recipe will not work with jackfruit canned in brine or syrup.
- 1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp vegan mayonaise If nut or soy-free make sure to check ingredients. Follow Your Heart has a soy-free variety if necessary
- 1/4 cup (or more) sliced black olives
- 1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
- 1/4 cup celery, finely diced
- 1 green onion, chopped about 1/4 cup
- 2 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
- 1/2 tsp kelp powder This can be found in health food stores or ordered online.
- 1/2 tsp Old Bay Seasoning
- 1/4 tsp paprika
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/8 tsp salt
- lemon wedges enough for each serving
Instructions
- Drain the cans of jackfruit. Rinse the fruit well, remove any seeds, and squeeze extra moisture from each piece (I use my hands, or you can use cheesecloth). Chop off the hard chunks of the fruit and discard. You want to keep the shredded looking pieces of the fruit. Chop into smaller pieces and add to a medium mixing bowl.
- Add everything but the lemon wedges to the bowl with the jackfruit. Stir until well combined. Taste and adjust seasonings, if desired. Squeeze with lemon before filling into sandwiches — or if stuffing into veggies, serve with a lemon wedge to squeeze on before enjoying.
Notes