You’ll fall in love with this West Coast classic, Crab Louie Salad, especially when we kick it up a few notches with some Southern flavor.

Table of Contents

1. Ingredients for Crab Louie Salad
2. How to Make this Crab Louie Salad Recipe
3. Crab Louie Salad Recipe Tips
4. More Seafood Recipes from I Heart Recipes
5. Crab Louie Salad Recipe (with a Soulful Twist)

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Welcome to salad season! As is customary this time of year, I’ve been getting a few requests for fresh salad recipes. I enjoy salads, and I LOVE sharing my recipes. If you’re looking for something memorable, a bit bougie, but ultra-flavorful for your next cookout, don’t miss this deceptively simple Crab Louie salad recipe.

Y’all know I’m a Southern girl through and through—raised on soul food like collards and cornbread. But I’ve also got that Pacific Northwest influence going on, and I’ve come to appreciate some of the local delicacies…like this killer Crab Louie Salad.

What is Crab Louie Salad?

Now, don’t let the name fool you—this salad has some serious history–right here on the West Coast in the early 1900s. Crab Louie was a fancy dish you’d order at a swanky hotel in San Francisco or up in Spokane.

Crab Louie Salad was also one of those dishes folks would serve when they wanted to impress company. Why? This salad is full of delicious, summer-fresh ingredients that come together so well you’ll see why it’s a salad that put certain establishments on the map.

So, the big question here is: who is this Louie, king of salads, and does he season his food?

The name Crab Louie (sometimes Crab Louis) comes from the original inventor of the salad. A gentleman. Louis Davenport from Washington—Spokane, to be exact–ran the Davenport hotel, and the first crab Louie salad was their signature dish.

Of course, no storied recipe comes without a little D-R-A-M-A. Some folks say the salad came from San Francisco, and the name Louie refers to a different chef, hotelier, or customer from the time. While the jury’s still out on who created the remarkable dish, what we do know is that this salad is fancy, fresh, and West Coast to the core—“Louis” gives it a royal sounding name to match.

Typically Louis salad dressing is made with Thousand Island, or a dressing concoction with Worcestershire sauce and  pickle relish. But regardless of what goes on top of the crab salad, it starts with a bed of lettuce, and an abundance of crab.

Until I tasted this salad, I didn’t get WHY it was so popular. Cold crab, crisp lettuce, creamy avocado, and bright lemon…and Cousins, I get it! This is the perfect salad that feels dressed up and bougie without even trying too hard. It’s cool, coastal, and just beggin’ for a little Southern (bacon) love.

So, of course, I took this West Coast staple salad and gave it a little soul, starting with crumbled bacon. Why? Well, because I’m Southern and we put bacon in our blessings.

You won’t find a fussy dressing here, either. I let the ingredients shine! Serve it up with whatever you’re feelin’…ranch, remoulade, white wine vinaigrette, or nothing at all. No matter how you fix it, you’ll feel like it’s summer on the shore with every bite.

Ingredients for Crab Louie Salad

So, y’all, whatdo you need to make this amazing crab Louie salad recipe? It’s pretty simple! The crab, the veggies, avocado, bacon, and a little hardboiled egg. It comes together like it was meant to be. Don’t forget to check out the recipe card below, where I’ve gotchu with exact measurements and directions!

• Crab Meat: Real or imitation, you do you. Here in Washington, we’re all about the sweet, tender Dungeness Crab, but if you’re down South, you might be more into the jumbo lump blue crab. Imitation crab more your thing? No judgment here!
• Romaine Lettuce: I use a jumbo romaine lettuce heart. You get that crisp sweetness that feels like a big step up from iceberg (but you could use iceberg in a pinch).
• Thinly Sliced Carrot: Grab your veggie peeler and make those thin ribbons that are just perfect for this salad.
• Hard-boiled Eggs: I usually dice up three good-sized eggs. More on getting the perfect hardboiled egg in just a sec.
• Roma Tomatoes: Truthfully, any ripe tomato will work, but Romas give that “real” garden tomato flavor that’s so hard to find these days.
• Green Onions: Green onion has that nice little bite that kicks things up a bit, but I know some of y’all prefer red onions, which would be okay here, too!
• Avocado: I know avocados can get a bit pricy, but hear me out—if you want a fancy salad, a creamy, ripe avocado is so worth it!
• Lemon: I’m all about the sauces and dressings, but in this case, lemon wedges are just the perfect way to go, a little tang and a lotta bright.
• Bacon: What can I say? This salad was nearly perfect but with bacon in the mix? It’s giving church potluck meets seaside brunch, in the best way.

How do I get the perfect hardboiled eggs for this salad?

Whether you’re making crab Louie salad, Cobb salad, or just looking for a high-protein snack, boiled eggs are a must. Every cook has their claimed method for getting perfect hardboiled eggs, so you listen to your heart on this, but here’s how I do it.

• Put your eggs in a large saucepan and cover them completely with cool-to-cold water.
• Put the saucepan on the stove and bring the water to a boil. Once it’s churnin’, cut the heat to low, cover the pot with a lid, and let the eggs simmer for exactly a minute.
• Take the pot off the heat (don’t touch that lid) and let the eggs sit for 13-15 minutes (use a timer; you don’t want to overdo it).
• Transfer those hardboiled babies into an ice bath in a large bowl when the egg timer goes off. The cold shock will stop the cooking, and honey, you’ve got some perfect eggs.

What if you want to dress it up a little?

Lemon juice is a great pairing with this salad, but if you’re anything like me, sometimes you want to dress up your salad a little and take her out on the town. Of course, I go back to my Southern roots to come up with a light remoulade that gives it the little oomph that you might prefer.

Whisk together a dash of Creole mustard with a dollop of mayo…pick your favorite–Best Foods (Hellman’s) or Dukes. Mix in some lemon, plenty of hot sauce (at least several dashes), and a healthy amount of Old Bay. You’ll end up with a spicy, fun sauce that goes really well with any crab (imitation or the real deal).

What other flavorful additions can I add to my crab Louie salad?

Some days, I feel like a simple salad and some days, I’m ready to put in some extra effort. If you’ve got the oven on or the grill out, you can roast your carrots for some of that smokey sweetness. Toss in some asparagus if you like, too. Hit the veggies with olive oil and garlic before roasting them up to really lock in the flavor. Red peppers are another great option for another sweet satisfaction.

How to Make this Crab Louie Salad Recipe

Whether you go with Dungeness crab (like we do up here in the PNW) or good ol’ Gulf crab, this salad will hit all the right notes. It’s pure joy on a plate!

Here’s how to make this simple, delicious summertime Crab Louie salad recipe:

1. Start by washing and cleaning all your vegetables. Make sure there’s no dirt lurking in that Romaine’s heart.
2. Cook up some bacon (if you don’t have any on hand like I typically do). Use your preferred method.
3. While the bacon cooks, peel the carrots with a veggie peeler to get long, thin strips.
4. Chop the onions, tomato, and already chilled hard-boiled eggs. Give a rough chop to your cooked crab meat, if needed.
5. Dice up the avocado last to keep it from turning brown.
6. You can serve up the salad tossed with lemon wedges on the side, or you can separate each ingredient out as shown in the photos (separation definitely makes it feel even more restaurant-worthy).
7. Add your favorite dressing or serve it up without. Either way, the salad is best when enjoyed right away…your way!

There you go, cousins! A West Coast salad that has soul food potential written all over it. It’scool, crisp, and flavorful. This Crab Louie Salad is fancy enough for brunch or Sunday supper, but it’s also at home on a summer picnic plate.

Crab Louie salad takes only about 15 minutes to whip together—perfect for those lazy summer days when you don’t feel like spending too much time in the kitchen.

Crab Louie Salad Recipe Tips

Y’all know it’s that time–time for some Cousin Rosie tips! Here’s how to make sure your Crab Louie turns out cool, crisp, and company-ready:

• Do some prep before to make it even easier to get together. You can prep the carrots, chop the onions, boil the eggs, and cook up the bacon the day before. Just be sure to keep it all stored separately, and assemble the salad right before serving so it stays crisp and vibrant. (Leave that avocado be until it’s time to serve.)

• Keep it chill—literally. This Crab Louie salad is best served cold. If you’re bringing it along to a picnic or BBQ, keep it on ice or in a cooler. I don’t think we need to mention that ain’t nobody want warm seafood in the sun, ya’ll!

• Use fresh crab if you can (if you prefer). Dungeness is the go-to here, but any lump crab meat or quality imitation crab will work just fine. The goal is to make sure it’s well-drained and chilled.

• Let folks dress it their way. Everyone has their own preference, so if you’re cooking for a crowd, serve up the Crab Louie salad plain with a few dressing options on the side. Ranch, Thousand Island, or a zesty remoulade all work great.

• Store up your leftovers smart. Keep any extras in an airtight container and eat within 1-2 days for the best freshness. Seafood salads don’t like to linger!

• Presentation counts! Garnish your salad with lemon wedges, paprika, or even a few sprigs of fresh dill. Little touches make it look like a million bucks, even if it only took 20 minutes.

More Seafood Recipes from I Heart Recipes

For all its beauty and fanciness, this Crab Louie salad recipe is easy and takes only 15 minutes to pull together. If you’re looking for more summer seafood ideas, don’t miss out on these yummy recipes:

• Ultimate Seafood Boil
• Seafood Lasagna Recipe
• Seafood, Chicken, And Andouille Sausage Gumbo
• Easy Crab Legs Recipe

If you love this recipe, leave me a review below.

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