The most adorable crabby patty sandwiches

A flavorful crab salad on a whole-wheat bun is a great introduction to seafood. Add some shrimp legs and cream cheese eyes, and kids won’t be able to resist these cute edible crabs.

Sometimes seafood can be intimidating to kids, but this cute crab salad sandwich — that actually looks like a crab — is a great way to try it out.

After mixing the crab salad together, use a fork to spread it on the bottom of your bun. I like King’s Hawaiian hamburger buns because the sweet bread goes so well with the crab. Pile the crab salad a little higher at the front of the bun.

Place the top bun onto the crab salad, and roll 2 little balls of cream cheese. Place the cream cheese balls on the front of the top bun, and press a caper into each.

Place 2 shrimp, with tails attached, at the front of the sandwich for the claw hands.

Remove the tails from 4 shrimp, and place 2 at each side of the sandwich for legs.

Not only is the presentation adorable, but the shrimp are perfect for dipping in a less spicy, kid-friendly cocktail sauce.

Crabby patty sandwich with shrimp and kid-friendly cocktail sauce recipe

Serves 3

Ingredients:

For the sandwich

• 8 ounces crab claw meat
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 5 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 3 King’s Hawaiian hamburger buns
• 1 teaspoon cream cheese
• 6 capers
• 18 cooked shrimp, peeled, with tails

For the cocktail sauce

• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
• Horseradish, to taste (optional)

Instructions:

1. In a medium bowl, mix together the crabmeat, mayonnaise, celery, lemon juice, paprika, parsley and pepper.
2. Spread the crab salad onto your hamburger buns, mounding it up slightly at the front of each bun.
3. Place the top buns onto the crab salad, and roll 2 tiny balls of cream cheese for each sandwich. Press 2 cream cheese balls onto the front of each top bun, and press a caper into each cream cheese ball.
4. Place 2 shrimp, tails attached, at the front of each sandwich. The tails are the crabs’ “claws.”
5. Remove the tails from the remaining shrimp, and place 2 shrimp at each side of every sandwich. These are the crabs’ “legs.”
6. To make the cocktail sauce, in a small bowl, whisk together the ketchup, Worcestershire sauce and lemon juice.
7. If you’d like to add a little bit of heat, then whisk in some horseradish a pinch at a time. A typical cocktail sauce would have a couple of tablespoons of horseradish, so adjust according to your children’s preferences. Serve with the sandwich.

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