Toasted Crab Rolls

These open-faced crab rolls are somewhere between a crab melt and a stuffed roll, and they come together in about 30 minutes with mostly pantry staples.

The crab mixture is straightforward: canned crab meat mixed with minced green pepper, grated onion, celery, parsley, and just enough mayonnaise to hold it together. Keep the mayo light. You want the filling to hold its shape on the roll, not slide off.

Split the dinner rolls, spread with margarine, pile on the crab mixture, then top with a thin slice of cheese and a strip of bacon. Into the oven they go until the cheese melts and pools around the filling while the bacon crisps up on top.

The bacon is doing more than adding crunch. Its rendered fat drips down through the cheese and into the crab mixture, adding a salty, smoky richness that canned crab needs.

Kitchen Tips

• Drain canned crab well and pick through for any shell fragments before mixing.
• Mince the green pepper and celery finely so they blend into the filling rather than sticking out.
• Use a mild, meltable cheese like Swiss, provolone, or Havarti. Sharp cheddar can overpower the crab.
• Watch the oven closely. The bacon should be crisp but not burnt, and the rolls should be toasted on the bottom.

Variations

• Add a squeeze of lemon juice and a pinch of Old Bay to the crab mixture for a Chesapeake Bay feel.
• Swap crab for canned tuna or shrimp for a more budget-friendly version.
• Use hoagie rolls and make full-sized sandwiches for a heartier meal.