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Hot Baked Crab Dip is the appetizer to make if you want to impress your friends and family – it’s creamy, cheesy, rich with lumps of crab meat and perfectly bright from the lemon. It tastes so indulgent and luxurious but is super easy to toss together in minutes! Serve Baked Crab Dip with crackers, bread, or vegetables for any occasion and you’ve got yourself a winner!
Watch the Baked Crab Dip Recipe Video Below!
Table of Contents
I love appetizers, especially Dips – that’s why I have so many recipes for them! Try the classic Buffalo Chicken Dip or my fusion take on the Chinese takeout classic Crab Rangoon Dip. For seafood lovers, it doesn’t get better than Spinach Artichoke Dip! If you want to have the best Queso Dip of your life, you need to try my recipe – and for my Korean BBQ fans, you cannot forget about Korean Cheese Corn!
Ingredients for the best Baked Crab Dip
- Lump crab meat – see note below.
- Butter – Use unsalted butter so you can control for the level of salt – my favorite butter is Kerrygold!
- Mayonnaise
- Cream cheese – bring your cream cheese out of the refrigerator for an hour before making this so it will be at room temperature. This will help it mix better and make a smoother consistency for your Baked Crab Dip.
- Cajun seasoning
- Onion powder
- Garlic powder
- Paprika
- Worcestershire sauce
- Lemon juice and zest – I recommend using an organic lemon, as you’ll be consuming the zest from the peel.
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- Sharp cheddar cheese – I recommend grating your own cheese to avoid the preservatives and additives in shredded cheese (manufacturers add these to prevent them cheese shreds from clumping).
- Chives
Key Tip
Lump Crab Meat
This is the star ingredient of Baked Crab Dip, so I highly recommend using the highest quality crab meat you can find. I recommend using fresh or frozen lump crab meat (not canned crab meat). Not only have I found that there is a noticeable improvement in flavor when you use fresh or frozen vs. canned meat, using lump crab meat means you’ll get larger chunks of crab meat in each bite.
I usually buy lump crab meat from the Whole Foods butcher section. Costco also has it for a very competitive price!
Do you love crab? Or have leftover crab meat? You need to also try Crab Rangoon Dip and Garlic Noodles with Crab!
Recipe Instructions for Baked Crab Dip
1. Cook the Crab Meat
Pull out the cream cheese to bring to room temperature while you cook the crab meat.
Melt butter over medium heat and add lump crab meat and cajun seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder, and paprika. Saute for 3-4 minutes and set aside.
2. Mix the Crab Dip Ingredients
In a large mixing bowl, add mayo, cream cheese, lemon zest, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, grated cheddar cheese, and chives.
Add in your hot crab and mix thoroughly until combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Bake the Crab Dip
Add mixture to a 20 oz baking dish and top with more cheddar cheese.
Bake at 350F for 15 minutes then broil for 2-3 minutes until golden brown. Serve with vegetables/crackers/bread of your choice & enjoy!
Key Tip
What to Serve with Baked Crab Dip
Baked Crab Dip is so delicious, I think it goes with almost anything! But in case you need ideas, I usually serve this with any of the following:
- Toasted baguette slices
- Crackers (buttery crackers pair really nicely with Baked Crab Dip!)
- Endive leaves (my personal favorite!)
- Carrot sticks
- Cucumber spears
- Sliced radishes
Make Ahead, Storage and Reheating Tips
If you are making Baked Crab Dip ahead of time:
- After Step #1, cover the mixed dip ingredients with saran wrap (or in an airtight container) and place in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- When you’re ready to bake your Baked Crab Dip, resume Step #2.
If you have any leftover Baked Crab Dip, you can store in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
You can reheat leftover Baked Crab Dip in the microwave or in the oven at 350°F for 15-20 minutes until warmed through – this is up to your preference!
Expert Tips for Baked Crab Dip
- Use fresh or frozen lump crab meat; avoid canned crab meat if possible.
- Use an organic lemon, as you’ll be consuming not only the juice but also the zest from the lemon peel.
- Avoid using pre-grated cheese, as those have preservatives and additives to prevent the cheese shreds from melting together. These fillers can make your Baked Crab Dip taste grainy, which we want to avoid!
- Bring cream cheese to room temperature – not only will this make mixing the ingredients together easier, the flavors will meld together better.
When people say “the appetizers and sides are the best part of every meal!”, they were talking about Baked Crab Dip! Serve this delicious appetizer alongside some of my other favorite sides like Mashed Potatoes, baked Mac and Cheese, Roasted Green Beans with Bacon, Crispy Smashed Potatoes, and Garlic Herb Compound Butter! You can’t forget about Roasted Cauliflower, Honey Roasted Carrots, or Roasted Brussels Sprouts!
I love serving Baked Crab Dip before main dishes like Meatloaf, Braised Short Ribs, and Steak with Peppercorn Sauce! It’s so easy to whip up while you wait for your Grilled Steak or Grilled Chicken Thighs to be done! If you want to use the air fryer, make Air Fryer Chicken Thighs, Air Fryer Chicken Skewers, or Air Fryer Chicken Wings!
If you tried this Baked Crab Dip or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below!
Baked Crab Dip
Ingredients
- 8 oz lump crab meat
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1/4 cup mayo
- 4 oz cream cheese
- 1 tsp cajun seasoning
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp paprika
- 1 tbsp worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- kosher salt & black pepper to taste
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
- 1 tbsp chives, chopped
Toppings
- sharp cheddar cheese , grated
- chives, chopped
Instructions
- Melt butter over medium heat and add lump crab meat and cajun seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder, and paprika. Saute for 3-4 minutes and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, add mayo, cream cheese, lemon zest, lemon juice, worcestershire sauce, grated cheddar cheese, and chives. Add in your hot crab and mix thoroughly until combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Add mixture to a 20 oz baking dish and top with more cheddar cheese. Bake at 350F for 15 minutes then broil for 2-3 minutes until golden brown. Serve with vegetables/crackers/bread of your choice & enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Love crab and will use this recipe!