Chinese Buffet Crab Casserole is the creamy, cheesy, crunchy imitation crab bake you find on the Chinese buffet line, made at home in one bowl. Imitation crab, raw celery and green onions are stirred into cream cheese, sour cream and mayonnaise with a splash of Worcestershire and lemon, topped with mozzarella and colby jack, and baked until golden and bubbly. It’s ready in 30 minutes and serves 4.
How to make it: Heat the oven to 325°F. Stir the imitation crab, half the cheese, celery, sour cream, white parts of the green onions, cream cheese, mayonnaise, Worcestershire, lemon juice and garlic salt together. Spoon it into a greased 8×8-inch dish, top with the rest of the cheese and bake 20 minutes, until bubbly and 165°F in the center. Finish with the green onion tops.
What Is the Crab Dish at Chinese Buffets?
It’s a baked casserole of imitation crab in a rich, creamy base, with melted cheese on top and bits of crunchy celery all through it. Recipes vary from one restaurant to the next, and it’s served both as a side and as a main dish. The crab is imitation crab, made from minced white fish like pollock that is pressed into shapes that look like crab legs. That’s the ingredient that gives the casserole its buffet flavor.
Why You’ll Love It
- Tastes like the buffet: imitation crab, a creamy base and raw celery for crunch.
- One bowl, no stove: stir everything together, bake and serve.
- Ready in 30 minutes: 10 minutes to mix, 20 to bake.
- Side, main or dip: serve it over rice or scoop it up with thick pita chips.
Ingredient Notes
Imitation crab: Eight ounces, flake or chunk style. Flake style pulls apart by hand in about 2 minutes or less; chunk style needs a quick chop.
The creamy base: A quarter cup of sour cream, 2 ounces of softened cream cheese (a quarter of a package) and 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise. Let the cream cheese come to room temperature so it mixes in smoothly.
Cheese: Half a cup each of shredded mozzarella and colby jack, half mixed in and half on top. Cheddar works in place of the colby jack. Shred it yourself from a block for the creamiest result.
Celery and green onions: Half a cup of diced raw celery (about 2 small stalks) and a quarter cup of sliced green onions. The white ends go in the filling and the green ends go on top.
Seasoning: A tablespoon each of Worcestershire sauce and lemon juice, and 1/4 teaspoon of garlic salt. Garlic powder or onion powder can replace the garlic salt.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces imitation crab meat, flake or chunk style
- 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- 1/2 cup shredded colby jack cheese, divided
- 1/2 cup diced celery (2 small stalks)
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions, white and green ends kept apart
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 2 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
How to Make Chinese Buffet Crab Casserole
1. Heat the oven. Heat the oven to 325°F and grease an 8×8-inch baking dish or a round casserole dish.
2. Mix the filling. In a large mixing bowl, combine the imitation crab, half of the mozzarella, half of the colby jack, the celery, sour cream, the white ends of the green onions, cream cheese, mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice and garlic salt. Stir well with a spatula until everything is combined.
3. Fill the dish. Spoon the mixture into the greased dish and top with the remaining mozzarella and colby jack.
4. Bake until bubbly. Bake for 20 minutes, until the cheese is golden brown, the casserole is bubbly and the center reaches 165°F on a food thermometer.
5. Finish and serve. Sprinkle with the green ends of the green onions and serve.
Why Your Crab Casserole Doesn’t Taste Like the Buffet
If your homemade version tastes off, it’s usually one of these:
| Problem | Fix |
|---|---|
| Real crab instead of imitation | Use imitation crab; it’s the flavor of the buffet dish |
| Not enough mayonnaise | Keep the full 2 tablespoons for creaminess |
| Too much cream cheese | Stick to 2 ounces; more takes over the flavor and texture |
| Overbaked | Pull it at 20 minutes, once it’s bubbly and 165°F in the center |
| No crunch | Use raw celery, not cooked |
Mix gently. A silicone spatula stirs everything together without shredding the crab into mush.
Mind the lemon and Worcestershire. They give it a strong flavor. For a milder casserole, cut both in half or leave them out.
Out of cream cheese? Double the sour cream instead. Don’t go the other way and add more cream cheese.
Want more color on top? Broil the last 1 to 2 minutes and watch it closely.
Variations
- Real crab: it works, but it’s pricier and can get lost under the cheese, so use a little less cheese and cream cheese. For a real crab and shrimp bake, see our crab and shrimp casserole.
- Shrimp: cooked shrimp can stand in for the imitation crab.
- Green pepper: add some finely diced green pepper.
- Different cheeses: cheddar, pepper jack or Swiss.
- Peas: stir in 1/2 cup of drained green peas.
Storage & Reheating
Refrigerator: Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours (1 hour if the room is over 90°F) in shallow covered containers. USDA FSIS says to eat them within 3 to 4 days.
Freezer: This one isn’t a good fit for the freezer. It’s mostly sour cream, cream cheese, mayonnaise and cheese, and FSIS names mayonnaise and cream sauces as foods that don’t freeze well; they separate after thawing. It’s much better fresh.
Reheat: Reheat covered until it reaches 165°F, checking in a few spots. Add a splash of liquid in the microwave if needed. Don’t reheat it in a slow cooker.
For a party: Keep it hot at 140°F or warmer in a chafing dish or on a warming tray, and refrigerate it within 2 hours.
What to Serve With It
Spoon it over rice or noodles to make it a meal; egg fried rice is a natural match. Add roasted asparagus and carrots for something green. For a party, serve it warm as a dip with thick pita chips. More seafood favorites: 3-ingredient slow cooker crab dip, lobster, crab and shrimp macaroni and cheese and seafood salad.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the crab dish at Chinese restaurants?
A baked casserole of imitation crab in a creamy mix of cream cheese, sour cream and mayonnaise, with celery for crunch and melted cheese on top.
What is the best cheese for crab casserole?
This recipe uses mozzarella and colby jack. Cheddar works too. Freshly shredded cheese from a block melts creamier.
Can I use real crab?
Yes, but it changes the flavor and costs more. Use a little less cheese and cream cheese so the crab doesn’t get lost.
Why is my crab casserole dry?
It was probably overbaked. Take it out at 20 minutes, once it’s bubbly and 165°F in the center.
Can you freeze it?
It’s not a good candidate. The mayonnaise and creamy base separate after thawing. Refrigerate leftovers and eat them within 3 to 4 days.
Final Notes
Keep the celery raw, go easy on the cream cheese and don’t overbake it, and it comes out creamy and crunchy like the buffet version. If you make it, tell me in the comments whether you served it over rice or as a dip.
Chinese Buffet Crab Casserole
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Ingredients
- 8 ounces imitation crab meat flake or chunk style
- 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese shredded, divided
- 1/2 cup colby jack cheese shredded, divided; cheddar also works
- 1/2 cup celery diced (2 small stalks)
- 1/4 cup green onions thinly sliced; white ends go in the filling, green ends on top
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 2 ounces cream cheese softened; 1/4 of a package
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt garlic powder or onion powder also work
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 325°F and grease an 8x8-inch baking dish or a round casserole dish.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the imitation crab, half of the mozzarella, half of the colby jack, the celery, sour cream, the white ends of the green onions, cream cheese, mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice and garlic salt. Stir well with a spatula until everything is combined.
- Spoon the mixture into the greased dish and top with the remaining mozzarella and colby jack.
- Bake for 20 minutes, until the cheese is golden brown, the casserole is bubbly and the center reaches 165°F on a food thermometer.
- Sprinkle with the green ends of the green onions and serve.
