Macadamia Free Crab Cocktail Bites with Avocado & Herb Sauce
These elegant little bites are everything you want in a party appetizer — fresh, bright, and just impressive enough to make people think you spent way more time in the kitchen than you did. Lump crab meat is tossed with olive oil, lemon, chives, parsley, and a whisper of ground ginger, then chilled so every flavor has a chance to bloom. The avocado herb sauce — blended smooth with cilantro, garlic, and lemon — gets spooned onto crisp cucumber rounds before the crab goes on top, creating a cool, creamy base that plays beautifully against the delicate seafood. No nuts of any kind appear anywhere in this recipe, so if you're navigating tree nut concerns at a gathering, this is a genuinely stress-free option to set out. The whole thing comes together without any cooking, just a quick chill and a few minutes of assembly. Serve them straight from the platter with lemon wedges and a few micro herbs scattered on top, and watch them disappear.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the crab salad
- 8 oz lump crab meat, picked over for shells
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 2 tbsp fresh chives, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
For the avocado herb sauce
- 1 large ripe avocado, pitted and peeled
- 2 tbsp fresh cilantro leaves
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 small clove garlic, minced
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
- 2–3 tbsp cold water
For assembly
- 1 large english cucumber (about 12 inches), sliced into ¼-inch rounds
For serving
- fresh chives or micro herbs, for garnish (optional)
- lemon wedges, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- 1
In a mixing bowl, combine the crab meat, 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp lemon juice, lemon zest, chives, parsley, ground ginger, and 1/4 tsp salt. Fold gently until just combined, keeping the crab in large pieces. Cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes to let the flavors come together.
- 2
While the crab chills, make the avocado herb sauce: add the avocado, cilantro, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tbsp olive oil, garlic, and 1/4 tsp salt to a small food processor or blender. Blend until smooth, adding cold water 1 tbsp at a time until the sauce is pourable but still thick enough to hold a small mound — about the consistency of a loose hummus.
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