Hot Crab Dip

This Hot Crab Dip is a MUST for your holiday party, Super Bowl party, or dinner party. Made with lump crab meat, cream cheese, and mayo. Make it ahead and then bake until bubbly when you're ready to serve!

Side view of a bowl of hot crab dip with a spoon and round crackers.

Simply recipes / Eliezer Martinez

Winter. Dungeness crab season. Super Bowl.

Need I say more?

It's been raining and in the 40s for the last month now (okay, no need to tell me that I'm a California wimp -- I know it's probably worse where you are. Heck, dad is from Minnesota, he knows) and any excuse to make something hot and cheerful in the oven is welcome!

Here's a quick, easy, and delicious, piping hot crab dip, perfect for a winter gathering. The base is cream cheese, mayo and crab.

We've dressed ours up with green onions, parsley, horseradish, slivered almonds and Tabasco. Keep in mind that the proportions of the ingredients are just guidelines, really this is to taste!

Side view of a bowl of hot crab dip with a spoon and round crackers.

Simply Recipes / Eliezer Martinez

What Crab To Buy

Look for lump crab meat for this recipe. Any mix of lump, backfin, and/or claw crabmeat will work fine.

Ideally, you should buy fresh crab meat from the seafood counter or in the refrigerator section of your grocery store. Look for the freshest crab meat possible; it should smell sweet, not fishy. If fresh crab meat is not available you can use canned crab meat, but fresh will definitely taste better.

Make Ahead Crab Dip

This dip is best served piping hot, as soon as it comes out of the oven. If you want to make it ahead, just mix everything together, pack it into a casserole dish, and refrigerate until you're ready to warm it up!

It's also easy to transport the cold dip to your party and warm it up when you get there.

Dipping a cracker in a bowl of crab dip with cream cheese

Simply Recipes / Eliezer Martinez

What to Serve With This Crab Dip

Any of the following are great served alongside this crab dip:

  • Thinly sliced baguette
  • Crackers
  • Bagel chips
  • Celery sticks
  • Carrot sticks
  • Endive leaves

Looking for More Hot Dip Recipes?

Overhead view of a platter of round crackers around a small bowl of hot crab dip

Simply Recipes / Eliezer Martinez

Hot Crab Dip

Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 20 mins
Total Time 30 mins
Servings 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened to room temperature

  • 1/3 cup mayonnaise

  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice

  • 1 tablespoon water

  • 2 green onions, sliced, greens included

  • 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, or 1 tablespoon dried parsley

  • 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish

  • 1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

  • 1/2 teaspoon Tabasco, or more to taste

  • 1/2 cup slivered almonds

  • 1 cup fresh lump crab meat (or canned crab meat)

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  2. Make the crab dip filling:

    With a stiff spatula or hand mixer, beat together the cream cheese, mayonnaise, lemon juice, water, onions, and parsley until smooth. Mix in the Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco, and horseradish.

    Fold in the slivered almonds and lump crab meat. Taste and add additional lemon juice or Worcestershire sauce to taste.

    How to make crab dip by mixing ingredients in a glass bowl.

    Simply Recipes / Eliezer Martinez

    How to make crab dip by mixing ingredients in a glass bowl.

    Simply Recipes / Eliezer Martinez

    How to make crab dip by mixing ingredients in a glass bowl.

    Simply Recipes / Eliezer Martinez

  3. Bake and serve:

    Transfer the crab mixture to a 2-quart oven-proof casserole dish or a 9-inch pie pan. Bake until bubbly and heated through, about 20 minutes. Serve with crackers or thinly sliced baguette.

    Square pan filled with a crab dip recipe

    Simply Recipes / Eliezer Martinez

    Square pan filled with a crab dip recipe

    Simply Recipes / Eliezer Martinez

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
152 Calories
14g Fat
3g Carbs
5g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6 to 8
Amount per serving
Calories 152
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 14g 18%
Saturated Fat 3g 17%
Cholesterol 30mg 10%
Sodium 173mg 8%
Total Carbohydrate 3g 1%
Dietary Fiber 1g 3%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 5g
Vitamin C 2mg 12%
Calcium 48mg 4%
Iron 0mg 3%
Potassium 124mg 3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.