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Insanely Delicious Hot Crab Dip makes the perfect party appetizer. This delicious and addicting crab dip is ready in just 30 minutes and will instantly wow the entire crew!
Everyone loves a great dip, because we all love to play with our food sometimes. If you are looking for more incredible dips you have to try my 5 Minute Dip, Ranch Dip or this easy Rotel Dip!
Hot Crab Dip
Whether it is football season, baseball season, basketball season, party season, you get the idea, this dip has to be on your list of things to make! Hot crab dip is creamy, cheesy and full of flavor. It is super savory without being fishy. When I put this on the table it is one of the first things to disappear. Hand down one of the best appetizers EVER!
When it says hot crab dip, it is not spicy hot, but temperature hot. The dip is served and kept hot to keep all the cheese ooey and gooey and oh so delightful. You can definitely make it spicy if you prefer. Just add a bit of hot sauce to the mix. This crab dip is so quick and easy, it’s going to be one of your new go to recipes! If your worried about it being overly fishy, don’t be. This is the perfect way to eat crab and not even know it!
Ingredients for Delicious Crab Dip
Be sure to buy lump crab meat, and not imitation crab meat. There is a huge difference and you will be able to to taste it. Look for it in the canned meat section with the tuna.
- Cream Cheese: Soften the cream cheese by leaving it at room temperature for about half an hour or microwave it or 30 seconds.
- Sour Cream: Helps thin the cream cheese and adds a great bit of tang.
- Mayonnaise: Adds more creaminess and flavor
- Cheddar Cheese: Finely shredded
- Garlic Powder: Garlic is an impeccable flavor in the dish.
- Paprika: You will love the color and flavor it adds.
- Worcestershire Sauce: This adds depth and a great umami flavor.
- Lemon Juice: Helps balance the dish.
- Salt and Pepper: Add more or less to taste.
- Lump Crab Meat: Look for this in the canned meat aisle by the tuna.
How Do You Make Hot Crab Dip?
This couldn’t be any easier. Just throw everything into a bowl and stir and bake. Hot crab dip is so good but so easy it’s almost crazy.
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
- Mix: In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, cheddar cheese, garlic powder, paprika, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Stir together until combined and fold in lump crab meat.
- Bake: Spread in a small casserole dish and bake for 20-25 minutes until heated through and bubbly. Serve with a slice baguette or tortilla chips.
What Is Lump Crab Meat?
- Lump crab meat comes from the body of the crab. They are smaller than the Jumbo lump crab, but still sturdy. Lump crab meat is usually found in a can, although some butchers will carry it too. It is a blend of broken pieces of jumbo lump and a special grade of crab meat. You can mix it with a fork without worrying that it will break apart into mush. This is perfect in dip recipes, salads, casseroles, and crab cakes
- Imitation Crab: Imitation crab is just what it implies, not real, but fake. Imitation crab is highly processed food made by combining minced fish with starch, egg whites, sugar, salt and additives to mimic the flavor, color and texture of real crab meat. It’s not exactly what you want in your hot crab dip. Steer clear of it if you can.
- Can I Use Fresh Crab Meat? Yes, you can. Fresh crab meat is typically sold in plastic containers over ice at the market. These crabs have been steamed or boiled but will cost a little bit more.
Tips for Insanely Delicious Hot Crab Dip
Keeping it simple and keeping it easy makes this one of the best appetizers to try!
- Crab: Be sure to drain the crab well. If there is too much liquid left in the crab, it can make the dip watery and too thin. Check for any bits of shell as well. There are often some bits of shell that stow away in the canned crab and it’s unpleasant to bite into.
- Cheese: Use a medium or sharp cheese, but nothing that will overpower the wonderful taste of crab. Buy a block and gate your own. Using pre shredded cheese is usually coated in preservatives and anti caking agents which will prevent the cheese from melting nicely.
- Spicy: If you want to add a bit of a kick and some extra heat, add some hot sauce or diced canned jalapenos to the mixture.
- Keep it hot: If need the crab dip to stay hot for a long period of time, once it’s baked transfer it to a crockpot and keep it on low. You might lose some of that golden top, but it will stay warm and melty.
- Make Ahead: You can make this dip up to 2 days ahead of time. Mix altogether but do not bake. Cover tightly and keep in the fridge. Remove from fridge half an hour before baking.
- Serve it with: We love chips, buttery crackers, crostini, baguettes, celery, carrots and cucumbers.
- Leftovers: If you actually have leftovers, store them for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. Reheat in the microwave or in the oven. Do not freeze.
Looking For More Hot And Cheese Dips? Look No Further!
Dips are great, it gives all permission to play with our food. If you want to dunk, skim, scoop or just daintily dip your choice of finger foods in scrumptious, flavorful dips. I have the perfect ones right here! Dips are one of the best choices when it comes to appetizers, party foods, or snacks. They are customizable, portable and come hot, cold, spicy, mild, and even in sweet varieties. If you need a few ideas to get you started, these are some tried and true winners to try.
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Insanely Delicious Hot Crab Dip
Ingredients
- 8 ounce cream cheese softened
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1 cup cheddar cheese grated
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 pound lump crab meat canned
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, cheddar cheese, garlic powder, paprika, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Stir together until combined and fold in lump crab meat.
- Spread in a small casserole dish and bake for 20-25 minutes until heated through and bubbly. Serve with a slice baguette or tortilla chips.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
THIS is delicious. Always use fresh pasturised crab.
I made it exactly as the recipe suggested, with real crabmeat, and it was delicious and a big hit with the crowd. I highly recommend it.
Thanks for recipe!
For my taste, agreed with Kristine above, really great base for a dip but need a little more acid or a bit of a kick.
I added some hot sauce and it was yummy. I will try again, maybe chopped artichoke or Old Bay, or chopped jalapeño.
If I was serving to guests might want some color, like chopped roasted reds?
Yes, that sounds good.
Where I live, I can only get imitation crab so I don’t bother. I was thinking that shrimp (it is the shrimp capital of the world) would be really good. I was wondering, however, if adding chopped artichoke hearts would be good, also?
Oh, that sounds delicious. Let me know how it turns out.
Trying this recipe for the first time to experiment before I prepare it for Christmas. I too found the recipe yielded more than expected and I plan to freeze the remainder (uncooked). You suggest warming it slowly so the cheese doesn’t seperate. Do you think it would work to thaw in the fridge overnight?
Yes, that will work great!
Oh my goodness! This is SO GOOD. It was devoured by my family in minutes and I ended up making it again the same week. I did what others recommended and added green onions and some old bay. One of the times I also added some steam shrimp. Everyone said this is better than restaurant crab dip! Thank you for the recipe!!
I would love to make this because I think it will be very good. Only drawback I have right now is the serving size. I would like to know if I make the entire recipe can I freeze half as there is only 2 of us in the house?
You can freeze this. It does not do well warming up so warm up very slowly. Enjoy!
Can i freeze this?
Yes, you can freeze this. Just warm up very slowly so the cheeses do not separate.
? I DO NOT LIKE CREAM CHEESE OR SOUR CREAM- BUT I LOVE HOT CRAB DIP. DID NOT KNOW THAT CREAM CHEESE AND SOUR CREAM WAS AN INGREDIENT FOR THE RECIPE. MIND YOU I ATE IT AND ATE IT WITH OUT KNOWING AND YES IT WAS VERY GOOD. I GET IT FROM THE SAME RESTAURANT EVERY TIME I VISIT THE CITY. I DID NOT KNOW, I KNOW I LOVE CRAB MEAT, FAVORITE IS CRAB CAKES. HOME TOWN MARYLAND ?. ? IS CAN I SUBSTITUTE CREAM CHEESE AND SOUR CREAM AND WHAT DO YOU SUGGEST I USE. HELP ME.
Hi there — How many servings is the above recipe measurements?
This will feed a crowd for sure. About 10-12 people on average.
Can you use fresh crab meat?
YES! That will taste even better! Enjoy!
This is a good base recipe but I added a lot of Old Bay and then a bit of Frank’s Red Hot. It needed that vinegar to cut the richness of the cheese. Definitely make again with those additions. Fyi I doubled it and put it in the crock pot.
How long did you cook in crock pot and on what setting? Thanks.
I LOVE this recipe..! It is Deeeee-LISH..! I discovered it in 2017 while planning my son’s 21st Bday party. I have been serving it for every fancy occasion since. I use the COSTCO real lump crab in the glass jar. But, I cant remember how much it makes…? What size serving dish is one recipe. I can never remember if I double it or not….and YES, you can make it a day or two ahead when you have house guests coming and want to be sure and have time to enjoy “them”…!
I made it today, and loved it! Easy to make and it’s mild flavor ingredients accentuates the taste of crab. I used real garlic instead of garlic powder.
I made this appetizer for book club and everyone asked for the recipe.
I used the suggestions of adding Old Bay seasoning, chopped green onion, and fresh crab (not canned). It was outstanding!
I just finished making and eating your Chicken Gnocci Soup. Wow!
I was browsing when I found this recipe. All of the people writing in and saying that have old recipes brought a couple of things to my mind.
1. I had a friend many years ago who made a filling for scooped out mushrooms and then baked them in the oven. I was never able to duplicate what she did. It had cream cheese, crushed pineapple, the minced stems of the mushrooms, onion and ???? It was delicious.
2. A different friend always made a cold dip with lump crab meat. It was always delicious as well but I do not remember how she made it exactly. My attempts to duplicate her dip have failed so I am missing something for sure. The dip was served cold and used as a dip. It had cream cheese, sour cream, minced onion, the chopped crab meat, lemon juice, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper.and ??? Did it have crushed pineapple as well? It has been a long time ago.
I am hoping that these ingredients will stir a memory with you or someone who had these recipes stashed somewhere.