Crab Roll Recipe

Putting a little Southern spin on classic New England lobster rolls with this simple and delicious crab roll recipe!

Course Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine American, Southern

Keyword crab roll recipe, crab rolls, recipe for crab rolls

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 3

Total Time 18

Servings - 6 people

Calories 304kcal

Author Blair Lonergan

1 lb. lump crab meat (or other crab meat of choice), drained if necessary, any shells or cartilage removed
1 stalk celery, finely diced
2 green onions, thinly sliced
⅓ cup mayonnaise, plus more to taste
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 tablespoon minced fresh dill
½ teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
¼ teaspoon sugar
Kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
4 - 6 hot dog buns, split
2-3 tablespoons salted butter, at room temperature
Optional garnish: fresh parsley, chives, or additional dill

Place crab in a large bowl. Add the celery and green onions; toss gently to combine.
In a separate bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the mayonnaise, lemon juice, vinegar, dill, Old Bay, and sugar. Add the mayonnaise mixture to the crab mixture; toss to coat. Taste and season with kosher salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve, or enjoy right away. Stir in additional mayo, to taste, if you prefer a more moist crab salad.
Butter the cut sides of the hot dog buns. Griddle, buttered-side down, until golden brown. Fill each bun with crab salad. Garnish with additional dill, chives, or freshly-chopped parsley.

Most crab does not come packed in much liquid; however, if your crabmeat is particular wet, it's best to pat it dry before adding it to the bowl. You don't want it to water down the dressing.
Use any variety of crab that you enjoy and that fits your budget. Jumbo lump crab is the best, but it's also very expensive. Other good options include lump crab, "special" crab, and claw meat.
Use a high-quality mayonnaise (we prefer Duke's brand) for the best flavor.
Scale the recipe up or down to suit the size of your family. For instance, if you're feeding a larger group, double all of the ingredients. For a smaller family, 8 ounces of crab should be enough.
For a classic New England-style preparation, use top-split hot dog buns like these.
Old Bay is a seafood seasoning that we love in Virginia, but you can omit that ingredient if you don't have it on hand.