Description
This creamy and flavorful crab dip recipe combines smooth cream cheese, tangy sour cream, and savory crab meat into a delicious appetizer perfect for parties or casual gatherings. Easily baked to golden perfection and topped with melted cheddar cheese, this dip pairs wonderfully with crackers, chips, or bread.
Ingredients
Scale
Base Ingredients
- 8 oz. cream cheese (room temperature, full fat preferred)
- ¼ cup mayonnaise (room temperature)
- ¼ cup sour cream (room temperature, or Greek yogurt)
- 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice (from ½ lemon)
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- ½ tsp ground paprika
- 2 green onions (chopped)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
Cheese
- 1 cup freshly shredded cheddar cheese (divided, Colby or pepper jack can be used)
Seafood
- 1 lb. crab meat (fresh or well-drained canned)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F to ensure it’s ready for baking the dip.
- Mix Base Ingredients: In a large bowl, use a hand mixer to combine cream cheese, mayonnaise, sour cream, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, paprika, green onions, and garlic until smooth and well blended.
- Add Cheese and Crab: Gently fold in ¾ cup of the shredded cheddar cheese along with the crab meat, being careful not to overmix to maintain some chunks of crab.
- Transfer to Dish: Spoon the mixture into a casserole dish or an oven-safe baking dish, spreading evenly.
- Add Cheese Topping: Sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup of shredded cheddar cheese evenly over the top of the mixture.
- Bake: Place the casserole dish in the preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes, until the dip is bubbly and the cheese topping is melted and lightly browned.
- Serve: Remove from oven and serve warm with crackers, pita chips, tortilla chips, bread slices, or a baguette.
Notes
- For best flavor, use full-fat cream cheese but low-fat versions can be substituted.
- Make sure to drain canned crab meat well to avoid excess liquid in the dip.
- You can substitute sour cream with Greek yogurt for a tangier taste and added protein.
- Adjust spice levels by increasing or reducing paprika according to preference.
- This dip can be prepared ahead and refrigerated; bake just before serving.
