The best ultimate Crab Dip is made with three different kinds of cheese, fresh crab meat, and a touch of Old Bay Seasoning and hot sauce. This delicious hot crab dip recipe is the perfect party appetizer with minimal ingredients and effort.
Awesome Cheesy Crab Dip
Learn how to make a delicious and easy crab dip that will surely be a hit at your next party or gathering. With simple ingredients and step-by-step instructions, this crowd-pleaser appetizer will become a staple in your recipe collection. This hot dip is always a favorite at our parties. Are you always in a hurry? Just prepare the uncooked dip a day in advance, remove it from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking, and bake it up fresh for you and your friends or family to enjoy!
Crab Dip Ingredients
- Cream cheese – full-fat
- Mayonnaise – I like Duke’s
- Sour cream – full-fat
- Cheese – cheddar cheese and Pepper Jack cheese
- Seasonings – Old Bay Seasoning, onion powder, and garlic powder
- Worcestershire Sauce
- Lemon juice – fresh is best
- Hot sauce – like Frank’s
- Crab meat – You can use any cooked crab, such as fresh crab, canned lump crabmeat, or even frozen crab, but preferably not imitation crab meat. I like to use fresh king crab, which I purchase from Costco’s seafood department, but everyone has their preference for crab meat. Jumbo lump crabmeat would be my second choice for this dip, making it an authentic Maryland crab dip.
- Green onions
How to Make Hot Crab Dip
I like to use freshly cooked king crab, but any lump crab meat will work. Ensure it is chopped fairly fine so there is a bit of crab in every bite. In a medium bowl, using a handheld mixer, beat the cream cheese, mayo, sour cream, half of the cheddar cheese, half of the Pepper Jack cheese, Old Bay Seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder, Worcestershire Sauce, lemon juice, and a few dashes of hot sauce until smooth. Next, fold in the crab meat and green onions.
Spoon the mixture into a baking dish and top with the remaining cheddar and Pepper Jack. Bake for about 20 minutes or until the cheese melts and the dish heats through. Serve promptly with crostini, crackers, pretzel crisps, or assorted vegetables.
Recipe Tips
- You can make this recipe up to 2 days in advance; do not bake it. Instead, store it well-covered in the fridge. Remove it 30 minutes before baking to bring it to room temperature. Then, bake it fresh for optimal taste and maximum enjoyment.
- I like adding a few dashes of hot sauce or a little cayenne pepper, but if you have a sensitive palate, reduce or skip it altogether.
- Serve warm with crostini, Ritz crackers, celery sticks, carrot sticks, pretzel crisps, cucumber slices, tortilla chips, or bagel chips.
Recipe Variations
- Crab and Artichoke Dip: Add a 14-ounce can of artichoke hearts packed in water, drained, and chopped.
- Cold Crab Dip: Omit the cheese, chill, and serve cold. It’s just as delicious, albeit a little different.
- Crab Rangoon Dip: Omit the Old Bay seasoning, pepper jack cheese, and hot sauce. Add 1 teaspoon of sugar and serve with crispy homemade baked wonton chips.
- Hot Shrimp Dip: Substitute cooked chopped shrimp for the crab meat and add a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.
Storage and Reheat
Store leftover crab dip in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat leftovers in the microwave at reduced power.
I do not recommend freezing this dip. Because of the high amount of dairy, the texture will change in the freezing and thawing process.
Easy Crab Dip Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 cup shredded Pepper Jack cheese
- 1/2 tablespoon Old Bay Seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 3-4 dashes hot sauce
- 16 ounce crab meat cooked and finely chopped see notes
- 3 green onions thinly sliced
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- In a large mixing bowl, using a handheld mixer, beat cream cheese, mayonnaise, sour cream, 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, 1/2 cup Pepper Jack cheese, Old Bay Seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder, Worcestershire Sauce, lemon juice, and hot sauce until smooth. Stir in crab meat and green onions.
- Spoon the mixture into a baking dish and top with remaining cheddar and Pepper Jack. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the dish is bubbly and heated through.
Notes
- You can make this recipe up to 2 days in advance; do not bake it. Instead, store it well-covered in the fridge. Remove it 30 minutes before baking to bring it to room temperature. Then, bake it fresh for optimal taste and maximum enjoyment.
- I like adding a few dashes of hot sauce or a little cayenne pepper, but if you have a sensitive palate, reduce or skip it altogether.
- Serve warm with crostini, Ritz crackers, celery sticks, carrot sticks, pretzel crisps, cucumber slices, tortilla chips, or bagel chips.
Nutrition
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Carolyn
Looks delicious. If serving cold without the cheese do you still bake it?
Beth Pierce
You can most certainly serve this cold just make sure the crab has been cooked.
Janet Rusk
Recipe was amazing. Family loved it. Little too much salt for me I will rinse canned crab next time. Looking forward to making with crab and artichokes
Beth Pierce
Thanks Janet! Glad that you liked it! I love artichokes!
Jacque Hastert
I love how cheesy this comes out! I love that you have incorporated crab into a delicious dip. Game days will be here soon and this will be getting served. Thank you for sharing.
Angela
I am saving this recipe for the upcoming holiday season. I did a test run and it came out great!
Toni
An all time favorite dip at my house!!
Courtney
This is such a great dip! Perfectly cheesy and totally snackable. It was loved by all!
Beth Pierce
Thanks Courtney! I hope everyone enjoyed it!
wilhelmina
So creamy and full of flavor! This dip was the first thing to go, quite a hit!
Ashley
We loved the little bit of heat in this!
Toni
We just made this again we loved it so much the first time!
Krystle
This was the crab dip I’ve been craving. So good there is none left me and the family devoured it all!
Lauren Kelly
I made this a few days ago for our cookout and this was the first appetizer that was finished! YUM!
Sara
I love when I see crab dip on the menu when I eat out! So excited to try this out; looks better than any restaurant version, indeed!
Ann
This is such an amazing dip! My whole family enjoyed this!
Catalina
This crab dip is exactly what I need right now. Sounds so delicious!
Vikki
Beautiful crab dip!
Erin
I know for sure this Crab Dip would be a huge hit in my house!
Amanda
This has been a huge hit at parties, people couldn’t get enough!