Cheesy Hot Crab Dip

Name: Hot Crab Dip
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 8 ounces cream cheese; ¼ cup mayonnaise; ¼ cup sour cream; 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese; 1 clove garlic (minced); 2 teaspoons lemon juice; 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce; 1 teaspoon old bay seasoning; ¼ teaspoon cayenne (optional); ½ teaspoon salt; ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper; 1 pound lump crab meat (chilled); green onion (for garnish)

Hot Crab Dip is lump crab meat mixed with creamy cheeses and the perfect seasonings. This crab dip is out of this world delicious and ready in 30 minutes.

/5 –

Rate Recipe 2 Comments

Jump to Recipe

By: Diana Last updated on December 18, 2024

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

This is an amazingly delicious crab dip that makes the perfect appetizer for any sort of party.

Grab some lump crab meat and a few basic ingredients and you’ll be well on your way to enjoying this warm, creamy, cheesy dip that is perfectly seasoned with old bay and lemon, and totally addicting. Crab dip is like a crab cake or a shrimp boil, seasoned liberally to make it extra good!

This savory appetizer is perfect for any setting, no matter if it’s game day, a holiday, or just a Friday night movie on the couch. Everyone will be excited when you serve this dip.

I love serving this with chips or pieces of soft baguette, but it’s equally good with some fresh vegetable crudites to dip into it.

As long as you’re making dip, check out my hot Sausage Dip and Baked Feta Dip recipes.

Why You’ll Love This Dip Recipe

Simple to Make. You just stir everything together and then bake to get a melty, savory, and delicious crab dip!
Amazing Party Food. Everyone loves this dip, and your people will be no exception. Hot crab dip is an extra fancy party appetizer that will be the first thing gone.
Fast. You can mix up this dip in under 5 minutes, and pop it in the oven while you do other things. The whole thing is ready in less than an half an hour.

Key Ingredients in Crab Dip

Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.

Crab Meat: Lump crab meat is exactly the right thing to buy to make this amazing hot crab dip. You can find lump crab in a can in most grocery stores. It’s also often available packaged in the fresh seafood area of the store. Avoid using imitation crab meat, as the texture and flavor will just not be right.
Cream Cheese: You can’t make a crab and cream cheese dip without some cream cheese! This versatile ingredient blends everything together and gets melty and creamy when baked.
Sour Cream and Mayonnaise: Blended with the cream cheese, these two slightly thinner creamy ingredients make this recipe for crab dip perfectly dippable. No broken chips in this dip!
Cheddar Cheese: For more flavor and cheesiness, shredded cheddar cheese is perfect.
Seasonings: Garlic, lemon, Worcestershire sauce, old bay seasoning, salt and pepper are all delicious in this recipe for crab dip. Cayenne pepper is optional, but perfect for adding a bit of kick.

Recipe Success Tips

Use Good Quality Crab Meat. Fresh lump crab, found at the fish counter will be the best quality, followed by canned lump crab meat. The better quality your crab meat is, the better this dip will be.

Shred Your Own Cheese. Bagged shredded cheddar cheese generally has starches added to it to keep the cheese from clumping. Grating your own cheese from a block will taste better and it’s generally cheaper too!

Make it Spicy. This hot crab dip is temperature hot, not necessarily spicy hot. To give it a kick, add the optional cayenne pepper, or give the whole dish a drizzle of hot sauce after it’s cooked.

Tip!

Make sure to drain the liquid out of your lump crab meat!

How to Make Hot Crab Dip

Preheat: Get the oven ready and heated to 375°F/190°C.
Mix: In a large bowl, using a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese unreal creamy. Add mayonnaise, sour cream, most of the cheddar cheese, garlic, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, old bay seasoning, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Beat again on medium speed until well combined.
Add Crab: Fold in the crab meat gently with a spatula.
Bake: Transfer the mixture to a pan, sprinkle with the remaining cheese, and bake until it’s bubbly and the cheese on top is lightly golden.
Serve: Garnish with sliced green onions. Serve warm with crackers and chopped veggie sticks.

What to serve with hot crab dip

Dip Party! I love a get together where everyone munches on a variety of dips and appetizers. Use your Instant Pot to make Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Dip or Instant Pot Spinach Artichoke Dip. Both of these recipes are super simple and fast.

With More Seafood Appetizers: Shrimp Cocktail, Sardines on Toast, and Air Fryer Shrimp are some of my other favorite seafood snacks.

Plated crab dip with carrot sticks and crackers

FAQs

Can I make Crab Dip Ahead of Time?

Feel free to mix up this dip up to two days ahead of time, and then bake it about 30 minutes before you want to serve it.

Can I use fresh crab meat in hot crab dip?

If you have fresh crab meat, then by all means, use it to make this dip! Cook it first, and it will be so delicious.

Can I use imitation crab?

While you can use imitation crab to make this crab dip, I don’t recommend it. Imitation crab is a highly processed food which is actually flaked fish of varying types that is made to look like crab.

Can I eat crab dip cold?

This dip is delicious cold, although it’s way better warmed up. If you don’t have an oven, or would rather have cold crab dip, you can prepare this recipe without baking. Spread onto crackers, chips, or veggies and enjoy.

You are going to love this recipe! Don’t forget to pin it so you can make it over and over again.

Honey Garlic Chicken Tenders

Overhead shot of 2 bowls of carrot soup with croutons

Roasted Carrot Soup