Home ยป Recipe Index ยป Seafood

Bahamian Conch Salad

Zesty, a little spicy, and made with soft and delicately flavored white conch meat, Bahamian conch salad is a must-try. Crunchy peppers, tomatoes, cucumber, and citrus juices work together to create a refreshing dish, perfect for a lighter bite on a warm afternoon. It’s like ceviche with conch.

A large bowl of conch salad and a small white serving bowl filled with salad

Conch is one of my absolute favorite ingredients to use!

When I lived back home, freshly caught conch was easy to find, usually sold right by the roadside. Cooking with it always brings back those memories: warm sun, salty breeze, and someone expertly cracking open a conch shell like itโ€™s second nature.

Itโ€™s no surprise conch is such a big deal in the Bahamas; itโ€™s even on the coat of arms! The flavor is delicate, kind of like crab, and when prepared right, itโ€™s buttery soft. Pair that with fresh, crunchy veggies and a splash of citrus, and youโ€™ve got a tropical salad thatโ€™s bright, refreshing, and seriously satisfying.

If youโ€™ve ever watched a conch salad being made in the Bahamas, especially at the seafood stalls near the harbor, you know itโ€™s a whole show. The vendors are like knife-wielding magicians, chopping up conch, cucumber, onions, garlic, and peppers at lightning speed. That whole scene is part of what inspired me to recreate this at home.

The best part? You donโ€™t need to be a pro to make this. Iโ€™m often juggling work and a very busy kiddo, so meals that come together quickly and taste amazing are always a win. This conch salad checks all the boxesโ€”itโ€™s flavorful, light, and even healthy.

I love serving it as a starter when we have guests, or just as a quick, no-fuss meal on a hot day. And if you want to keep the conch party going, youโ€™ve got to try my steam conch or bold curry conch next!

What is conch?

Conch (pronounced konk) is a large sea snail found throughout the Caribbean, especially near the Bahamas. Its meat is edible and shows up in dishes like fritters, chowders, and this bright, citrusy salad.

In Bahamian culture, conch is more than just food. The shells are often used for dรฉcor or even turned into horns!

The meat can be a little chewy, which is why itโ€™s often tenderized before cooking. For conch salad, though, itโ€™s served raw and marinated in citrus, similar to ceviche.

Youโ€™ll usually find conch sold frozen (in or out of the shell). Go for the cleaned version if you can, removing it from the shell is a workout.

For this recipe, fresh is best. It gives the salad the perfect texture and flavor.

Want more details on how to clean, prep, or buy conch? Check out my full guide to conch for all the juicy details.

What is a Bahamian conch salad

Bahamian conch salad is a vibrant, refreshing dish made with raw, tenderized conch meat and crisp, colorful vegetables. Itโ€™s tossed in a mix of lime juice, orange juice, and spicy peppers, giving it a bright, zesty, and slightly fiery flavor that wakes up your whole palate.

This is the kind of salad that tastes like sunshine and sea breeze in every bite. Itโ€™s a staple in Bahamian cuisine, if you want to eat like a local, this is where to start.

Donโ€™t be fooled by how light it looks, conch is a great source of protein, so this tropical salad is satisfying and energizing. Whether you serve it as an appetizer or a quick no-fuss meal, itโ€™s always a crowd-pleaser.

How to make Bahamian Conch Salad

Ingredients for conch salad

The ingredients needed to create a Bahamian conch salad

The main ingredient:

  • Raw conch meat – tenderized and chopped into bite-sized pieces

Flavor boosters:

  • Garlic โ€“ Peeled and minced. Adds a subtle depth to balance all the brightness.
  • Onion โ€“ Sweet or white onion both work here. Adds a little bite and sharpness.
  • Cilantro โ€“ Chopped. Adds a fresh, herby note (totally optional if cilantro isnโ€™t your thing).

Veggies

  • Cucumber โ€“ Diced. Adds that cool, crisp texture.
  • Roma tomatoes โ€“ Use ripe ones! You want the juice to help bring everything together.
  • Bell peppers โ€“ Use any color you likeโ€”green, red, or orange all work beautifully.

Heat

  • Scotch bonnet pepper โ€“ Chopped. You can also sub with goat pepper, habanero, or jalapeรฑo. If you’re serving a mixed crowd, consider keeping pepper sauce on the side so everyone can adjust their own heat level.

Citrus Marinade

  • Fresh lime juice, Fresh orange juice, Fresh lemon juice: These juices are what โ€œcookโ€ the conch and tie all the flavors togetherโ€”fresh is best for maximum brightness.

Seasoning

  • Salt and black pepper โ€“ Season to taste.

Instructions

1. Soak the conch: Start by soaking the conch in a bowl of water with a squeeze of lemon juice for about 10 minutes. This helps clean the meat and reduce any strong odors.

2. Prep the veggies: While the conch is soaking, dice your garlic, cucumber, tomatoes, onion, and bell pepper. I like using a dicer to make the job faster and to get nice even piecesโ€”texture matters in a good conch salad!

Vegetables cubed to combine for conch salad

3. Clean and tenderize the conch: After soaking, rinse the conch thoroughly to remove any slime, grit, or dark bits. Place the meat on a clean surface, cover it with plastic wrap, and use a meat mallet to pound it until itโ€™s nice and thin. A mallet with both smooth and textured sides works great here.

4. Chop the conch: Once tenderized, use a sharp knife to cut the conch into small, bite-sized pieces. Try to keep the pieces uniform so they mix well with the vegetables.

5. Mix it all together: In a nonreactive bowl (like glass or ceramic), combine the chopped conch with the onion, tomatoes, bell pepper, cucumber, lime juice, orange juice, and a pinch of salt and black pepper. Make sure your citrus and tomatoes are juicyโ€”you want that liquid to help “cook” the conch and blend all the flavors.

Added citrus juices and conch with vegetables

6. Add heat and herbs: Stir in the chopped scotch bonnet pepper and fresh cilantro. Then cover and refrigerate the salad for at least 10 minutes to let everything marinate. The longer it sits, the more flavorful and tender the conch becomes.

7. Serve and enjoy: Serve chilled as an appetizer, light lunch, or side dish. And yes, itโ€™s just as good the next day after all those flavors have had time to mingle!

Tips

  • Use quality conch: Freshness is key. Trusted seafood sources or harbor stands are best. If you buy frozen, it’s still tasty but thaw properly and drain excess liquid.
  • Adjust the spice level: For a milder version, use half a scotch bonnet (or remove seeds); to ramp up the heat, add the seeds or go for two peppers.
  • Let it marinate (but not too long): Most recipes recommend chilling between 10 minutes to 1 hour. A quick soak keeps the salad fresh and crisp, while letting it sit overnight enhances flavor, but donโ€™t exceed 24 hours.
  • Throw in some fruit: For a tropical twist, add diced mango, pineapple, or even avocado. Finish with a splash of orange juice at the end.
  • Use a nonreactive bowl: Citrus and metal donโ€™t play well together, stick with glass, ceramic, or food-safe plastic

Substitutions

  • Other seafoods: Bahamian conch salad is best made with conch, of course, but it can be challenging to get hold of sometimes. If you canโ€™t find any, try making the salad with shrimp, lionfish, or crab meat.
  • Vegetables: The important thing about the veggies is that they are crunchy and fresh tasting, so bear this in mind if you decide to substitute any of the vegetables.
  • Fruits: If you want a more tropical version, try adding some chopped-up pineapples or mangoes to the mix. You can also add some avocados at the end.

Serving Suggestions

Try serving your Bahamian conch salad as a main meal or a starter for a feast, featuring Bahamian conch fritters or a fragrant curry lobster.

If youโ€™re looking for a specialty Bahamian drink to have with your salad, you canโ€™t go wrong with a tasty gully wash also known as “sky juice”, made with coconut water, gin, and condensed milk.

Storage

Bahamian conch salad can be better the next day because the flavor has more time to blend, and the conch will tenderize more. Do not keep it in the fridge for longer than two days, though.

The salad is served cold, so you donโ€™t need to warm it or reheat it when you serve it.

So are you ready to dive into this beautiful conch salad?

Bird

More of my favorite seafood recipes

Frequently Asked Questions

Is raw conch safe to eat?

Yes, if it’s sourced clean, treated like ceviche, and kept chilled. Use reputable vendors and enjoy within 24 hours.

Does citrus โ€œcookโ€ the conch?

Absolutely! The acid from lime, lemon, or orange juice firms up the meat and brings out its flavorโ€”like conch ceviche.

Can I substitute conch?

Yes! Shrimp, scallops, or calamari work well if conch isnโ€™t available. They absorb the citrus beautifully

How long does it last?

Store it in the fridge covered. While flavors improve with a short rest, no longer than 24 hours is best. Any longer, and the texture gets off.

Recipe

A large bowl of conch salad and a small white serving bowl filled with salad

Bahamian Conch Salad

Zesty, a little spicy, and made with soft and delicately flavored white conch meat, Bahamian conch salad is a must-try. Fresh conch with crunchy peppers, tomatoes, cucumber, and citrus juices work together to create a refreshing dish.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Servings: 6
Course: Appetizer, Snack
Cuisine: Caribbean
Calories: 114

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound conch meat
  • 1 regular cucumber chopped
  • 2 roma tomatoes diced
  • 1 orange juiced
  • 2 limes juiced
  • 1 lemon juiced
  • Onions
  • 1 Scotch bonnet pepper chopped
  • 1 bell pepper chopped
  • Black pepper and salt to taste
  • Cilantro chopped, to garnish

Method
 

  1. Soak conch in water and lemon juice for about 10 minutes
  2. Wash, and remove any debris, slime, or black pieces
  3. On a good surface, cover meat with plastic wrap, using a meat tenderizer, pound conch thinly
  4. Chop into bite-sized pieces.
  5. In a large non-reactive mixing bowl, add onions, lime juice, orange juice, bell pepper, tomatoes, onions, cucumber, conch meat
  6. Mix till combined, add salt and black pepper to taste
  7. Add hot pepper and cilantro.
  8. Cover the bowl and let sit for 10 minutes in the refrigerator.

Nutrition

Calories: 114kcal

Tried this recipe?

Let us know how it was!

Other Posts You'll Love

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating