I used to think that imitation of anything was off-limits. But since the price of lump crab went up so sky-high, I learned that imitation crab meat could substitute fairly well. And for this dish, it works better. Real crab meat and the fake stuff are pretty close in sodium content as well but the latter has a much stronger taste and that's what you want.
I use Crab Classic, the lump version, not the sticks and I break it down by pulling it apart. I also use my own version of the dry dressing.
You can add more things to the salad if you like but if you plan to add tomatoes, wait until just before serving to avoid creating a soupy mess in the bottom.
- 6 oz noodles cooked and drained to al dente (you could use bow ties or another style of noodles if you like, or even carb-nada noodles or other low-carb pasta, just not flat noodles)
- 1/2 small finely chopped red onion
- 1 small green bell pepper, chopped into small bits
- 10 lower-sodium black olives, sliced
- 1 medium zucchini, cut into coins that are quartered
- 3 tbsp light mayonnaise mixed with the Hidden Valley dry Ranch (or substitute Memaws LoSo dry ranch)
- 1/4 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 1lb imitation crab meat
- 2 oz shredded low-fat cheddar cheese
- Drain the noodles well- do NOT rinse!
- Mix the mayonnaise, buttermilk, and dry mix.
- Stir together the vegetables and the dressing.
- Add the crab and stir.
- Mix in with the noodles and stir to combine.
- If more dressing is needed, add buttermilk, not mayonnaise.
- Cover and refrigerate overnight.