Hot Crab Dip Recipe (Easy Crab Appetizer) | foodiecrush.com (2024)

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This cheesy, melty hot crab dip requires less than 10 minutes of hands-on prep and is a crowd pleaser every time. It’s simple, but oh so good!

Hot Crab Dip Appetizer

Sometimes you just can’t escape the cravings for classic appetizer recipes laced with memories of family get togethers and thoughts of good and hearty party food. Wintery hot dips made with low-brow ingredients that carry an upscale reputation—think lumps of sweet crab and melty Swiss cheese—certainly fall into the favorite party dips category.

Mayonnaise mixed with the cream cheese makes this baked crab dip creamy with Swiss cheese adding the melty, cheese-pull everyone looks for in a hot cheese dip. The toasty topping comes in crisped with panko bread crumbs, adding some texture to each bite.

What’s in This Hot Crab Dip?

Baked crab dip is as simple as mixing everything together with some sautéed shallots and garlic, sprinkling with bread crumbs, and baking until golden brown. Here’s what I use to make this hot crab dip:

  • Lump crab meat—choose a great quality canned from the seafood department or from leftover crab legs
  • Butter
  • Shallots
  • Garlic
  • Cream cheese
  • Lemon juice
  • Green onions
  • Worcestershire sauce
  • Hot sauce
  • Old Bay seasoning
  • Mayonnaise
  • Swiss cheese or other mild, melty white cheese such as provolone
  • Panko bread crumbs
  • Fresh parsley

How to Make Crab Dip

Use high-quality crab meat. Skip the tins of crab found in the tuna fish aisle and use either quality tinned or crab leg meat from the seafood counter. Planning using on leftover crab for this dip is the perfect excuse to cook crab legs for dinner the night before.

For the best flavor and texture, buy a block of Swiss cheese and shred it yourself. Bagged cheeses can contain cornstarch or something similar to prevent the shredded cheese from forming clumps. This can make your crab dip grainy.

Buy the type of cream cheese that comes in bricks and not the whipped stuff in a tub. Brick-style cream cheese is thicker and makes for a heartier dip.

The Best Baking Dish for Crab Dip

Bake this crab dip in a shallow dish. Spreading the dip in a shallow layer means more dippable area for the toasted panko crumbs to cover. I use a 9-inch round dish or a pie dish works too.

Can I Make Crab Dip in a Slow Cooker?

I’m sure you could, although I’ve never tried it myself. If you made this hot crab dip in a slow cooker, I’d imagine you’d want to omit the breadcrumbs since they wouldn’t crisp up in the slow cooker.

How to Serve Hot Crab Dip

Serve this crab meat dip with baguette slices, bagel chips, pita chips, or your favorite cracker.

More Cheesy Dips to Try

  • Cheesy Texas Trash Dip
  • Bacon Beer Cheese Dip
  • Cheesy Spinach Artichoke Dip
  • Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Cheese Dip
  • Chorizo Queso Dip

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Hot Crab Dip Recipe (Easy Crab Appetizer) | foodiecrush.com (6)

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4.11 from 38 votes

Hot Crab Dip

This hot crab dip requires less than 10 minutes of hands-on prep and is a crowd pleaser every time. It's simple, but oh so good!

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American

Keyword crab, dip

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 12

Calories 191kcal

Ingredients

  • 12 ounces lump crabmeat , about 2 ½ cups
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • ½ cup minced shallots , from 2 medium shallots
  • 2 cloves garlic , pressed or minced
  • 2 8-ounce packages cream cheese , at room temperature
  • ½ cup mayonnaise
  • ½ lemon , juiced
  • 4 green onions , chopped
  • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
  • ½ teaspoon hot sauce
  • ½ teaspoon Old Bay® seasoning
  • 6 ounces shredded Swiss cheese , about 2 cups
  • 2 tablespoons panko bread crumbs
  • 1 tablespoon parsley for garnish

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400°F.

  • Drain the crabmeat if necessary and pick through for any shells or cartilage. Set aside.

  • In a small sauté pan, melt the butter with the shallots and garlic and cook over medium heat for 2-3 minutes or until shallots are softened. Remove from the heat.

  • In a large bowl, use an electric hand mixer or a fork to blend the cream cheese, mayonnaise, and lemon juice until smooth. Mix in the shallot mixture, green onions, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and Old Bay. Fold in Swiss cheese and lump crab meat. Spread evenly in a shallow 10-inch baking dish and spinkle with panko bread crumbs.

  • Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden. Serve hot with baguette slices, bagel crisps, or crackers.

Notes

Prepare this dip up to 3 days ahead of time. Bring to room temperature before baking, or add a few minutes of baking time if baking straight from the refrigerator.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 191kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 38mg | Sodium: 377mg | Potassium: 140mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 295IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 171mg | Iron: 1mg

More Easy Appetizers to Master

  • Shrimp co*cktail
  • Slow Cooker Sriracha Meatballs
  • Garlic Butter Pepperoni Pizza Rolls
  • Stuffed Jalapeños with Gorgonzola and Bacon
  • Cheesy Sausage Pizza Bread
  • Slow Cooker Little Smokies

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Hot Crab Dip Recipe (Easy Crab Appetizer) | foodiecrush.com (2024)

FAQs

What is best to serve with hot crab dip? ›

Sometimes served on soft pretzels and sometimes baked in a skillet, but always a must-have order. We eat it on chicken (usually called “Chicken Chesapeake”) or in quesadillas, but the best way to serve hot cheesy crab dip is with fresh bread, pita wedges, celery, and/or sturdy crackers.

What is crab dip made of? ›

Stir in mayo, sour cream, garlic, green onion, Old Bay seasoning, salt, Worcestershire, and lemon juice. Add ¾ cup cheddar cheese and hot sauce and mix until smooth. Stir in crab meat. Spread into a 9″ pie dish or similar size baking pan and sprinkle remaining cheddar cheese on top.

What is the best cracker to serve with crab dip? ›

Sourdough crackers and buttery crackers are usually the top pick. However, salty, herby and flavorful crackers will always do. Be sure to choose a cracker that is sturdy enough to hold the dense crab dip. Sea salt, sesame seeds, herbed, salty.

How do you thicken crab dip? ›

If you use real crab, drain it well, or your dip will end up runny. Cream Cheese – acts like a binder and helps keep everything together. It also thickens the consistency of your dip. Sour cream – adds an undeniable tang and smooth mouth feel.

What are 3 food items to serve with dip? ›

Try celery sticks, carrot sticks, broccoli, and peppers. For non-vegetable items, try pita chips, Doritos, and breadsticks.

What sauces are good with crab? ›

Now once you have your crab cooked and picked, here are my favorite dipping sauces to go with the crab meat. A simple Garlic Clarified Butter dipping sauce, Avocado Wasabi Mayonnaise dipping sauce and a Curry Mustard dipping sauce; all three are very different from each other but totally delicious.

Is canned crab good? ›

Each can of Polar canned lump crab meat is filled with distinct meaty morsels of crab. And those little morsels taste like imitation crab—but in a good way. The meat is sweeter than fresh crab and the texture is a little bit firmer than fresh crab, too, much like fake crab or krab.

What is the fancy name for crab dip? ›

Crab dip, sometimes referred to as Maryland crab dip, is a thick, creamy dip that is typically prepared from cream cheese and lump crab meat. Other primary ingredients such as mayonnaise may be used.

Why is my crab dip runny? ›

If your crab dip is too runny it likely means you didn't drain the crab meat properly. Make sure to remove as much liquid as possible before adding it to the dip.

What can I use if I don't have a crab cracker? ›

In addition to kitchen shears, a mallet, or a knife, you can also use a heavy spoon or the back of a heavy knife to crack open crab legs without a traditional cracker. Be sure to use these tools carefully to avoid damaging the meat inside.

How long is crab dip good for in the refrigerator? ›

How long does cold crab dip last in the fridge? This dip lasts in the fridge for up to 5 days when stored in an airtight container. It needs to be made at least one hour in advance but since it's refrigerated, this is a great dish to make the day before the party to give yourself some extra time on the day of!

What can I use as a crab cracker? ›

A crab mallet is best used to crack open a crab's claws. Crab mallets have long handles with small solid heads. Crab mallets are designed to be lightweight because they need to crack open the shell without smashing it into little bits.

Why is my crab dip fishy? ›

There are several ways to tell if crab meat is fresh: Smell: Fresh crab meat should have a mild, slightly sweet smell. If it has a strong fishy or ammonia-like odor, it may be spoiled.

What goes with crab dip? ›

The best side dishes to serve with crab dip are soft pretzels, tostadas, chicken wings, ranch crackers, avocado fries, shrimp chips, cheese dip, salad Nicoise, wedge salad, garlic bread, bruschetta, crostini, nachos, smoked salmon, and quinoa salad.

Does cream cheese make dip thicker? ›

Cream cheese can also help to thicken cream-based sauces. It can act as a thickener for salad dressings, dips, and be used as a replacement for mayonnaise. It can also help to thicken pancake batters and be used as a base for cake icing when mixed with butter.

What goes good as a side with crab? ›

Here are a handful of the best crab side dishes:
  • Steamed Artichokes with Garlic and Butter.
  • Cottage-Cut French Fries.
  • Roasted Brussels Sprouts.
  • Lemon and Garlic Butter Dipping Sauce.
  • Brandy-Infused Mayonnaise Dip.
  • Twice-Baked Garlic Mashed Potatoes.
  • Zucchini, Onion and Corn Hash.
  • Almond Caesar Salad.
Sep 8, 2022

Is crab dip healthy to eat? ›

Nutritional Snapshot of Crab Dip

From a macro perspective, it contains a moderate amount of net carbs (3.69g), high total fats (33.25g), and a decent amount of protein (5.97g). Therefore, it can be an excellent addition to a balanced diet. One of its notable health-boosting components is its vitamins.

What flavors go best with crab? ›

vegetal and green notes. Cooked crab's vegetal aroma is most dominant and best described as being similar to that of cooked potatoes, which makes it a complementary pairing for potatoes (of course), but also eggplant, asparagus, cabbage, chicken, fish sauce, kaffir lime leaves and even kimchi.

What temperature do you reheat crab dip? ›

Storing leftovers

To store this crab dip to enjoy later, let it cool completely on a wire rack. Then, cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, place the dip in a baking dish and heat for about 10 minutes at 350°F.

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