Crab-stuffed Cucumber Cups make an easy refreshing appetizer. They’re paleo, gluten-free, dairy-free and delicious!
Make a quick crab salad with crab, avocado, red pepper, jalapeño, cilantro and a bit of mayonnaise to fill these Crab-Stuffed Cucumber Cups the next time you need an easy seafood appetizer.
Last week, after a full day on the ocean and an onboard feast of Dungeness crab and salmon, we came home with a small mountain of the leftover freshly caught crab. When our good friends (who had caught it) offered it to us, we politely protested, “Oh no, you keep it.” However, when they insisted, we quickly accepted before they changed their minds! We came home with a bag full of Dungeness crab legs, ready to crack open and scoop out all that sweet tender meat.
Determined not to waste a single morsel, I made my favourite Bangkok Crab Cakes and then used the rest to make a simple crab salad for these Crab-Stuffed Cucumber Cups to take to a potluck dinner. These make a very easy appetizer that will appeal to your friends who are following paleo, gluten-free, or dairy-free diets.
No fresh crab? You can use canned or frozen crab in this recipe, too. Gently mix the crab, avocado, red pepper, jalapeño, and cilantro with a little Vegenaise to bind it all the salad ingredients together. Scoop out the centre of cucumber rounds, leaving the base intact and fill the cavity with a small scoop of crab salad. Serve chilled and enjoy with friends and family!
Crab-stuffed Cucumber Cups make an easy refreshing appetizer. They're paleo, gluten-free, dairy-free and delicious!
- 1 Long English Cucumber
- 1 cup fresh crab meat, or well-drained canned
- 1/2 an avocado peeled, pitted and finely diced, toss with 1 tsp lemon juice to prevent browning
- 1/4 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
- 2 tsp finely minced jalapeño pepper
- 2 tsp finely chopped cilantro plus more for garnish
- 1 tbsp Vegenaise or mayonnaise (vegan mayonnaise substitute)
- sea salt and pepper to taste
- Slice cucumber into rounds 3/4 to 1 inch thick. Remove seeds with a small melon baller, leaving the base intact.
- In a small bow, gently combine the remaining ingredients.
- Fill cucumber cups with the crab mixture. Garnish with fresh cilantro leaves.
- Put any remaining crab salad dip in a small bowl to serve with crackers.
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Kari Peters says
What and elegant appetizer! I love crabmeat but we don’t often get it here, sometimes I end up subbing in chopped shrimp for crabmeat, but if I get my hands on some, I’m trying these right away!
Flavour & Savour says
Thanks Kari! Wish I could send you some fresh-from-the-ocean crab meat!