 A Crab Louie salad inFort Bragg, California in 2024. | |
| Alternative names | Crab Louis |
|---|---|
| Course | Hors d'œuvre |
| Place of origin | United States |
| Region or state | West Coast |
| Serving temperature | Chilled or room temperature |
| Main ingredients | Crab meat,hard-boiled eggs,tomato,asparagus,Iceberg lettuce,Louis dressing |
Crab Louie salad, also known asCrab Louis salad or theKing of Salads,[1][2] is a type ofsalad featuringcrab meat. The recipe dates back to the early 1900s and originates on theWest Coast of the United States.
The exact origins of the dish are uncertain, but it is known that Crab Louie was being served inSan Francisco, at Solari's, as early as 1914.[3] A recipe for Crab Louie exists from this date inBohemian San Francisco by Clarence E. Edwords,[4] and for a similar "Crabmeat a la Louise" salad in the 1910 edition of a cookbook by Victor Hirtzler,[5] head chef of the city'sSt. Francis Hotel.[6] Another early recipe is found inThe Neighborhood Cook Book, compiled by the Portland Council of Jewish Women in 1912.[7] San Francisco's Bergez-Frank's Old Poodle Dog restaurant menu included "Crab Leg à la Louis (special)" in 1908, named for the chef Louis Coutard who died in May 1908.[8]
Other accounts place the salad's origin asThe Davenport Hotel inSpokane, Washington; or the Olympic Club inSeattle.[9]
The main ingredient for Crab Louie, as the name suggests, is crab meat. The preferred crab isDungeness crab, but other crab meat can be substituted, including cheaperimitation crab meat. Although variations of the recipe exist, an essential ingredient is a creamy dressing such asLouis dressing,Thousand Island dressing orgreen goddess dressing. This dressing is either served on the side or mixed with the other ingredients, depending on which recipe is used.
A typical Crab Louie salad consists of:[10]
Other ingredients such asolives andgreen onions have also been listed in some recipes.
A variation called the Lobster Louie is prepared the same way, but substitutes lobster instead of crab meat.[11]
