Hot Crab Dip – The Almond Eater

Hot Crab Dip is made with creamy cheese, lump crab meat and plenty of cheddar cheese. It’s incredibly easy to whip up, making it the perfect appetizer to bring to your next potluck! 

Hot crab dip is a very easy and very tasty appetizer that you’ll want to make again and again, no matter the season! 

It’s true that traditionally this is a winter recipe, and often times even something people make for the holidays. However, I find it *works* any time of year and that people will devour it. Trust me! Kind of like my pizza dip or healthy buffalo chicken dip, they work all year round. 

Why you’ll love this recipe!

• Fool-proof: Seriously, you can’t mess this up! You just mix all of the ingredients together, place them in a dish and bake until warm and bubbly. 
• Warm & cheesy: It’s a warm dip, meaning the cheese gets nice and cheesy. Is there anything better than warm, melted cheese?! 
• Filling: The base is made with cream cheese and it’s loaded with fresh crab meat, making this hot crab dip incredibly filling. I’m not saying it’s a dinner recipe but… you could eat it for dinner. I won’t tell 😉

Ingredients

Cream cheese – The base of this recipe, so I don’t recommend substituting it. However, you can use dairy-free cream cheese if you’d like. 

Greek yogurt – Used to lighten this dip up a bit but still keep it really creamy. Most dips use sour cream, but I prefer yogurt. 

Mayonnaise – Again, most crab dips use mayo, so I find that using a mix of mayo and yogurt is a good balance. 

Cheddar cheese – I used shredded sharp cheddar cheese, but white cheddar cheese or even mozzarella make a good substitute. 

Crab meat – You’ll want to use fresh lump crab meat for this recipe.

Lemon juice – Freshly squeezed is the way to go, and a little bit goes a long way. 

Spices – A mix of garlic powder and smoked paprika give this dip an extra kick. 

Green onion – Or, substitute fresh chives. Either way, the fresh herbs give this dip color and add a little extra flavor as well. 

Instructions

Step 1: Make the base. Start by mixing the cream cheese, yogurt, mayo, lemon juice, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper together with a hand mixer or stand mixer until creamy. 

Step 2: Add the crab. Next, fold in the lump crab meat and two cups of the cheese with a rubber spatula. 

Step 3: Bake. Scoop the dip into an oven-safe dish or a cast iron skillet, then sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Bake for 25 minutes or until the edges are bubbling and the top is golden brown. Remove then sprinkle with green onions. Serve and enjoy! 

Tips

• Quickly soften cream cheese by placing it on a microwave-safe plate and microwaving it in 10-second increments until it’s soft to touch (this shouldn’t take more than 25 total seconds).
• Taste test the dip before placing it in the oven and add more spices and/or lemon juice if you’d like. 
• Besides garnishing with green onion, I like to add a dash of hot sauce before serving.

FAQs

Storage

Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave, or place back in the dish and heat in the oven at 350° F until warmed through.

More easy appetizers

If you made this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and star rating below. Thanks!