Crab Salad Sandwich

There are countless ways to enjoy the sweet-mild flavor of crabmeat, but this simple, straightforward sandwich might just be our favorite. (It’s also what Martha makes during summers in Maine when she comes across fresh crab.)  In this recipe, picked crab is combined with just a touch of mayonnaise and a squeeze of lemon juice, which helps the sandwich filling hold together while allowing the full flavor of the meat to shine through. Served on buttery, lightly toasted brioche with nothing but fresh butter lettuce and sliced tomato, it’s a taste of the seashore you’ll want to make again and again this summer.

What Type of Crab to Use in a Crab Salad Sandwich

Unless you have access to freshly cooked whole crabs (lucky you!), seek out fresh, cooked crab meat for this recipe. As it's already been picked from the shell, it's ready to use right from the container. However, you'll always want to pick through it to ensure no small bits of shells made their way into the meat.

When shopping for crab, you'll likely to come across several different grades, from jumbo to backfin to special. For this crab sandwich recipe, we recommend choosing jumbo lump, lump, or backfin meat as the larger chunks will lend a lovely texture to the filling.

The Best Bread for a Crab Salad Sandwich

We prefer a soft white bread such as brioche for this sandwich, rather than a crusty baguette or seedy multigrain. You can also spoon the crab mixture onto white or potato hamburger rolls, slider buns, or—like they do in Maine—split-top hot dog rolls.