Creamy Crab Pasta Salad with Cucumber & Dill

Based on the photo, this looks like a creamy seafood/crab pasta salad made with pasta, imitation crab or cooked crab, cucumber, onion, and a creamy dill dressing. The exact ingredients cannot be determined from the image alone, so this recipe is designed to closely recreate the dish shown.

Yield
6 servings

Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 10–12 minutes
Chill: 1–2 hours
Total: about 1½–2 hours

Ingredients
For the salad
12 oz (340 g) rotini, fusilli, or small shell pasta

12 oz (340 g) imitation crab meat, chopped

Or use 12 oz cooked real crab meat

1½ cups cucumber, diced

½ cup celery, finely diced

½ cup red onion, finely diced

½ cup bell pepper, diced

2–3 tbsp fresh dill, chopped

2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

2 green onions, sliced

Creamy dressing
¾ cup mayonnaise

½ cup sour cream

2 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

1 tsp garlic powder

½ tsp onion powder

1 tsp dried dill

½ tsp paprika

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp black pepper

1–2 tbsp pickle juice or white vinegar

1–3 tbsp milk, as needed for consistency

Optional additions
For a richer seafood flavor:

½ tsp Old Bay-style seafood seasoning

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

½ cup shredded cheddar

¼ cup sweet pickle relish

½ cup peas

1–2 tbsp finely chopped jalapeño

Full Step-by-Step Recipe
1. Cook the pasta
Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil.

Add the pasta and cook according to the package directions until al dente.

Do not overcook it—the pasta will absorb some of the dressing as it sits.

Drain and rinse briefly under cold water to stop the cooking process.

Allow it to drain thoroughly.

2. Prepare the vegetables
Dice the cucumber, celery, red onion and bell pepper into relatively small pieces.

For a less sharp onion flavor, soak the diced red onion in cold water for 5–10 minutes, then drain.

3. Prepare the crab
If using imitation crab, tear or chop it into bite-size pieces.

If using real crab, check carefully for shell fragments and gently break the meat into chunks.

4. Make the creamy dressing
In a bowl, whisk together:

Mayonnaise

Sour cream

Lemon juice

Dijon mustard

Garlic powder

Onion powder

Dill

Paprika

Salt

Black pepper

Pickle juice or vinegar

Whisk until smooth.

If it is too thick, add milk 1 tablespoon at a time.

5. Combine
Place the cooled pasta in a large mixing bowl.

Add:

Crab

Cucumber

Celery

Red onion

Bell pepper

Green onion

Fresh dill

Parsley

Pour approximately ¾ of the dressing over the mixture.

Fold gently until everything is coated.

6. Chill
Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Two hours is even better because the flavors have time to develop.

7. Final adjustment
After chilling, the pasta may have absorbed some dressing.

Stir in the remaining dressing as needed.

Taste and adjust:

Salt → more seasoning

Lemon → more brightness

Dill → stronger herb flavor

Pickle juice → extra tang

Mayonnaise/sour cream → creamier texture

Garnish with fresh dill and parsley, just like the photograph.

How to Make It Look Like the Photo
For the closest presentation:

Use small spiral or shell pasta.

Cut the cucumber into chunky pieces rather than tiny dice.

Use plenty of pink-and-white imitation crab in large pieces.

Keep the dressing fairly thick and creamy.

Add lots of fresh dill.

Place a small bunch of fresh dill in the center before serving.

Sprinkle a little black pepper and paprika over the top.

Nutrition & Nut/Allergen Information
Does this recipe contain nuts?
No. The basic recipe contains no peanuts or tree nuts.

However, if you have a serious allergy, check the labels of imitation crab, mayonnaise, mustard, seasoning blends, and other packaged ingredients for allergen statements and cross-contact warnings.

Important allergens
Depending on the ingredients used:

Fish/shellfish: imitation crab can contain fish and/or other seafood ingredients; real crab is shellfish.

Egg: mayonnaise commonly contains egg.

Milk: sour cream contains dairy.

Wheat/gluten: regular pasta contains wheat.

Soy: some imitation crab products contain soy.

For a seafood allergy, do not assume imitation crab is seafood-free.

Approximate Nutrition
Using imitation crab, regular mayonnaise, sour cream and 12 oz pasta, divided into 6 servings:

Nutrient Approx. per serving
Calories 430–480 kcal
Protein 15–18 g
Carbohydrates 45–52 g
Fat 20–25 g
Saturated fat 4–6 g
Fiber 2–3 g
Sugar 4–6 g
Sodium 700–1,000 mg

These are estimates, not laboratory values. Sodium can vary considerably depending on the imitation crab, mayonnaise, pasta seasoning and added salt.

Substitutions
Lower-calorie
Replace half the mayonnaise with:

Greek yogurt

For example:

½ cup mayonnaise

¾ cup plain Greek yogurt

Higher protein
Use:

Real crab

Greek yogurt in the dressing

High-protein pasta

No dairy
Replace sour cream with:

Dairy-free sour cream, or

Unsweetened dairy-free yogurt

Egg-free
Use an egg-free mayonnaise.

Gluten-free
Use certified gluten-free pasta and verify the imitation crab and seasonings are gluten-free.

No seafood
Replace the crab with:

Cooked diced chicken

Chopped hard-boiled eggs

Chickpeas

Recipe Q&A
Can I make this the night before?
Yes. In fact, it often tastes better the next day. Reserve some dressing and mix it in before serving if the salad becomes dry.

How long does it last?
Keep refrigerated in a covered container and use within 3–4 days. Keep it cold during serving.

Can I freeze it?
Not recommended. The mayonnaise/sour cream dressing and cucumber can become watery and change texture after thawing.

Can I use real crab?
Absolutely. Fresh cooked crab gives the salad a much better seafood flavor.

Can I use canned crab?
Yes. Drain it extremely well and gently pick through it for shell pieces.

What pasta is best?
Rotini, fusilli, shells, bow ties, or macaroni all work. Shapes with ridges or curves hold the creamy dressing particularly well.

Why is my salad watery?
Cucumber releases water as it sits. For a thicker salad, remove excess cucumber seeds and pat the cucumber dry before adding it.

Why did my dressing become dry?
Pasta absorbs dressing during refrigeration. Simply stir in a little reserved dressing, mayonnaise, sour cream, or milk.

Can I leave out the celery?
Yes. Cucumber alone works perfectly.

Can I make it spicy?
Yes. Add ¼–½ tsp cayenne, chopped jalapeño, hot sauce, or a pinch of chili flakes.

What can I serve with it?
It works particularly well as a cold side dish with:

Grilled chicken

Grilled fish

Shrimp

Burgers

BBQ

Sandwiches

Grilled vegetables

Is this the exact recipe from the photo?
The image doesn’t provide the original ingredient list, so the recipe above is a close

Author
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Sara Mitchell

Sara Mitchell is an expert restaurant content creator who writes easy-to-read guides about CAVA and other Mediterranean fast-casual chains in the United States. She covers locations, menus, prices, and hours, making it simple for visitors to find nearby restaurants and what to order quickly.

With years of experience in restaurant research and local SEO, Sara creates accurate, user-friendly guides that work for both people and search engines. Her goal is to help users go from search results to their nearest restaurant or menu choice with as few clicks as possible.