Kamaboko Crab Dip: The Hawaiian Favorite
Love crab dip? You’re going to love this Kamaboko Crab Dip recipe!
Kamaboko is a type of fish cake that is popular in Japan. It has a delicate, slightly sweet flavor and a firm texture. When combined with creamy ingredients like mayonnaise and sour cream, it makes the perfect base for a delicious crab dip.
This Kamaboko Crab Dip recipe is easy to make and perfect for parties or gatherings with friends and family. The combination of flavors is sure to please everyone’s palate.


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Kamaboko Crab Dip Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 ounces kamaboko (narutomaki will do as well)
- 3 tbsp cream cheese
- 3 tbsp mayonnaise
- 3 tbsp turnips
- ¼ tsp dashi powder
- ⅕ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp green onions
Instructions
- Grate the kamaboko. You really need to grate it because slicing it or chopping it will give much larger pieces, and you want it to finely mix with the rest of the ingredients.
- Mix together the grated kamaboko with the cream cheese, mayonnaise, and turnips. Then add in 1 tablespoon of the green onions and all of the dashi powder, and salt.
- Put the mix in the refrigerator to cool and let it set for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes it will be ready to serve. Add the other tablespoon of the green onions to garnish and it will look perfect!
Cooking tips
If you can’t find Kamaboko, you can substitute it with another type of fish cake. Narutomaki is also one of my favorites and that works perfectly.
Serve this crab dip with crackers or bread for dipping.
What does kamaboko taste like?
Kamaboko is a type of fish cake that is popular in Japanese cuisine. It is made from whitefish paste and typically has a pink or red outer layer. Kamaboko has a mild, slightly sweet flavor and a firm, chewy texture.
Kamaboko has a mild, slightly sweet flavor and a firm, chewy texture.
Favorite ingredients
I’d like to share the brand I always use, and I keep some in the freezer all of the time.
If you’re looking for a great kamaboko to try, I like this Yamasa log because it has the perfect chewiness and amazing pink coloring:

For dashi, I always use this Ajinomoto Hon Dashi stock which has an excellent taste to complement the kamaboko:

How to substitute dashi in kamaboko crab dip
If you don’t have dashi right now, don’t fret because you can use a little vegan cold-brewed dashi broth with shiitake mushrooms, and preferably kombu as well, but you can leave that out.
If you don’t have that, just use a little chicken stock to get some of the flavor in your recipe. see about half of cubed chicken stock powder.
Also read: these are the best dashi substitutes you can use in a pinch
How to store leftovers
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can store it right after you make it or serve it and keep the leftovers for the next couple of days.
Just make sure to refrigerate it within 4 hours of serving at room temperature.
Also read: this is how to store you kamaboko and narutomaki fish cakes for later use
Conclusion
Kamaboko dip is a great new take on the imitation crab meat dip and it’s a little sweeter and richer than its counterpart.
Also read: these are the best recipes that use kamaboko you can make right now
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Read for freeJoost Nusselder, the founder of Bite My Bun is a content marketer, dad and loves trying out new food with Japanese food at the heart of his passion, and together with his team he's been creating in-depth blog articles since 2016 to help loyal readers with recipes and cooking tips.