This 4-ingredient slow cooker imitation crab is the kind of low-effort, high-comfort dinner that earns a permanent place in your weeknight rotation. You literally nestle a whole vacuum-packed block of imitation crab into the bottom of your crock, pour three simple ingredients over the top, and let gentle heat do the rest.

Imitation crab, or surimi, has its roots in Japanese seafood processing, where mild white fish is seasoned and shaped to mimic crab. Here, we lean into its naturally sweet, briny flavor and surround it with a rich, creamy, buttery sauce that soaks into every strand as it warms.