Kani Salad

This plant-based kani salad is a unique twist on the popular Japanese dish featuring hearts of palm instead of crab meat. Tossed with fresh vegetables and egg-free Kewpie mayo, it pairs perfectly with steamed rice and crispy tofu for a balanced and healthy meal!

What is kani salad?

In Japanese, “kani” means crab, which is traditionally the star ingredient of this salad. Shredded crab is mixed with julienned vegetables and fruits like carrots, cucumbers, and mangoes. It’s then tossed in a creamy sauce, creating a refreshing-yet-satisfying side dish.

Although kani means crab, imitation crab is often used, changing the name of the dish to kanikama salad or imitation crab salad. Instead of crab or imitation crab, I’m using hearts of palm.

This popular vegan seafood replacement emulates the texture of crab and other seafood incredibly well. I already know you won’t miss the crab one bit!

Is kani salad vegan?

Of course, seafood makes traditional kani salad recipes non-vegan, but there are a few other items that need to be taken into consideration. As mentioned above, I use hearts of palm instead of crab meat or imitation crab.

The creaminess of the sauce comes from a special type of Japanese mayo known as Kewpie mayo (named after a popular brand name). I’ve already made a vegan version of this, so it’s a simple substitute to make!

The only other ingredient to watch out for is fish roe, which is a common garnish. I’ve left those out and used sesame seeds instead.

Ingredients & Substitutions

• Heart of palms: To replace the imitation crab. These are usually sold in cans or jars in the canned vegetable aisle. If you can’t find any, use tofu instead.
• Salad base: For a light, refreshing, and sweet element, add julienned cucumbers, carrots, and mangoes. For a more classic recipe, replace mangoes with just carrots and cucumbers.
• Green onions: Adds a slight bite and a savoriness that perfectly rounds out the salad. Green onions can also be replaced with Chinese chives or regular chives.
• Kewpie mayo: For a more authentic flavor, add vegan kewpie mayo to your salad. It’s richer, creamier, and slightly sweeter than traditional mayo.
• Sriracha: Provides the perfect level of heat without overpowering the rest of the ingredients. I strongly recommend Sriracha hot sauce, but feel free to use a togarashi spice blend, Sambal Oelek, or chili garlic sauce if you prefer.
• Lemon juice: Optional, but you can add it for some acidity if need be. I also like to use mirin or rice vinegar and a touch of cane sugar in place of lemon juice sometimes.
• Black pepper: For a slight kick, add cracked black pepper to taste.
• Black sesame seeds: Added as a garnish. Don’t worry if you can’t find black sesame seeds as white sesame seeds work in their place. Alternatively, try a mixture of both if you have them.

Instructions

• Step 1: Wash and drain the hearts of palm to remove their brine. Thinly slice each heart of palm lengthwise into strands. Next, julienne the cucumbers, carrots, mango and chop the green onions.

• Step 2: Prepare the dressing by combining Kewpie mayo, Sriracha, lemon juice, and black pepper in a bowl. Taste and adjust the ingredients based on your preferences.

• Step 3: In a mixing bowl, toss the sliced hearts of palm, cucumbers, carrots, mangoes, and green onions with the prepared dressing.

• Step 4: Garnish the kani salad with a sprinkle of black sesame seeds before serving.

How to serve mango kani salad

Once your mango kani salad is tossed and ready, serve it on its own for a light lunch, as an appetizer on sushi nights, or on the side of main dishes. I recommend recipes like sitr-fried glass noodles, chow fun noodles, tom kha soup, TikTok ramen, and Vietnamese pizza.

Storage

To keep your kani salad fresh, follow these storage tips:

• Fridge: Mango kani salad will keep in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days in the fridge. I find this salad tastes better once the flavors have had time to meld together, although the texture will be slightly softer.
• Freezer: Due to the nature of the sauce and thinly sliced vegetables, I don’t recommend freezing this recipe.

Variations

• Toppings: Add different flavors and textures with panko, sliced avocado, dashi, or crumbled nori just before serving your salad.
• Bulk it up: For a more filling mango kani salad, add glass noodles, rice noodles, or kelp noodles to the mix.
• Fruit: Instead of mangoes, try your kani salad with green apples, pears, or pineapples.
• Vegetables: Substitute the carrots and cucumbers with julienned daikon radishes, bell peppers, zucchini, corn kernels, or enoki mushrooms.
• Mild: If you are sensitive to spice, omit the Sriracha and black pepper.

Top tips

• Slice the same size: Slice the hearts of palm, carrots, cucumbers, and mangoes to a similar size for the best texture and balance of flavors throughout the salad.
• Use fresh mango: The texture is ideal when fresh mango is used, but frozen mango works too. Just let the mangoes thaw completely, then drain the excess water before adding them.
• Don’t dress too soon: Remember to dress kani salad right before serving to keep the texture crunchy. The longer it sits, the soggier it will become.
• Keep it chilled: If you are preparing the salad in advance, cut up the vegetables and mix the sauce, then keep them separately in your refrigerator until you’re ready to serve.

FAQ

Similar Recipes

If you enjoyed this kani salad recipe, try your hand at making some more light, healthy, and refreshing salads like these:

• Watermelon feta salad: Juicy, refreshing, and perfect for using up extra watermelon!
• Harvest salad: Filled with seasonal ingredients like butternut squash, apples, arugula, and pecans. 
• Pickled beet salad: Made with clementine oranges, spinach, and vegan cheese.
• Apple kale salad: The perfect dish to serve as lunch, a light dinner, or a side dish.