Crab Dip is one of the best hot appetizers, perfect for parties! Made with lump crab meat baked in a cream cheese base with cheddar, green onion, and everyone’s favorite seafood seasoning, Old Bay!
This crab dip is a party favorite along with spinach artichoke dip and jalapeno popper dip. Serve it with bread or crackers (or veggies to keep it low carb)!
What’s In Crab Dip?
Crab dip is made with creamy, cheesy ingredients this crab dip is a party favorite!
- Lump Crabmeat: It is mild, tender and sweet. I would suggest a lump crab meat which is either canned, frozen or even found fresh at the seafood counter.
- Cheese: I love the hint of cheddar with crab in this recipe, substitute your favorite cheeses such as mozzarella or monterey jack.
- Creamy Base: Cream cheese and sour cream get incredibly fluffy when you beat them together, giving this dip amazing texture!
- Seasonings: Old Bay Seasoning is the perfect complement to almost any seafood dish.
How to Make Crab Dip
- Combine cream cheese, sour cream and mayonnaise with seasonings until fluffy. Using a hand mixer this makes the dip easier to scoop.
- Add green onions, gently fold in the lump crab and half of the cheese. Take care to be gentle and not to break up the crab too much.
- Top with remaining cheese and bake until piping hot and the cheese melts!
Serve with crackers, bread, or veggies and dig in!
Crab Dip Additions
- Add a few dashes of hot sauce, some jalapenos or a splash of buffalo sauce.
- Add a cup of defrosted corn kernels to make this a crab corn dip
- Add fresh herbs of your choice, parsley, cilantro or dill are all great additions.
Serving Suggestions
Try offering a variety of crackers or bread to dip, like pumpernickel, Melba, won-ton wrappers, pretzels or tortilla chips. This dip will taste amazing with pretty much anything you have on hand to convey it into your mouth. (Actually, I could just eat it with a spoon.)
How to Reheat It
To Make Ahead: When making this ahead, it should be good in the fridge for up to 2 days before baking.
To Reheat: Put it in the oven for about 15 to 20 minutes, or you could try to microwave individual portions for about 10-30 seconds, checking at intervals.
Delicious Party Dips
- Jalapeno Popper Dip – go-to party appetizer!
- Cowboy Caviar – party favorite!
- The BEST Buffalo Chicken Dip – a crowd-pleaser
- Cheesy Crab Rangoon Dip – hot, creamy & cheesy
- Hot Bacon Cheddar Dip– loaded with flavor!
Cheesy Hot Crab Dip
Ingredients
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- ⅓ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon seasoned salt or to taste
- 2 green onions thinly sliced
- 8 ounces lump crabmeat
- 1 cup cheddar cheese shredded, divided
- baguette for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Combine cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, old bay, seasoned salt, and garlic powder in a bowl. Mix on medium speed until fluffy.
- Add green onions, crabmeat and half of the cheddar cheese. Gently fold until incorporated.
- Spread into a 1 ½ QT dish (8x8"). Top with remaining cheese and bake 15-20 minutes or until melted and bubbly.
- Serve with toasted baguette.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Appetizer, Dip
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I made this last night. I must confess to using more cheddar than the recipe called for – probably 1 1/2 cups divided. Also, substituted a package of Boursin Garlic & Herb cheese for part of the cream cheese. My final cheat was to double the crab, because we were out crabbing the day before and I had a 500 ml (2 cup) container absolutely stuffed with crab meat and I used it all. Your idea to whip the cheese/mayonnaise/sour cream & spices together is brilliant and really lightens things up. For dipping, I served with thin Chinese carrot rounds (the huge carrots), curly snow peas from our garden (great for scooping), mushroom slices, radish slices, Ritz crackers, and nacho cheese Doritos. My favourite? The radish slices. Next time, I’ll buy a daikon. Four of us ate up every morsel of that dip. No question that I’ll make it again.
So happy to hear that, Laurel! Your substitutions sound delicious but I love all the fresh veggies you served it with.
Can’t wait to make this Cheesy Hot Crab Dip for a pre-Christmas dinner party in three days. Can this recipe be prepared in advance and refrigerated until ready to cook?
Yes, it can be refrigerated until you are ready to cook it!
This sounds fab. Can you use shrimp in this recipe?
Sure you can! You’ll want to ensure the shrimp is cooked before adding to the dip.
I have made this recipe probably at least 15 times. I cut the recipe in half, using a can of crab meat. It makes two servings that I bake in little appetizer casserole dishes. My adult son comes here on his dinner break, and he loves the recipe. He is very picky about his crab dip!
What kind of chips or crackers do you eat it with?
Tortilla chips are great! Any kind of crackers work well too (Ritz are a fave).
Could this be cooked in a cob loaf?
We have never tried making this recipe in a cob loaf but I bet that would be delicious Shelley!
Well you have officially made my life harder. My wife LOVED IT!!!!
LOL! So glad she loved it!
What is exactly OLD BAY???
It is a seasoning commonly used for seafood that is made with celery salt, a variety of pepper and paprika to name a few seasonings. You can find it in the spice aisle. Where I live it is in a little yellow can. I hope this helps Marie!