Crab Dip Recipe (VIDEO)

This hot Crab Dip is the ultimate holiday-worthy appetizer that is perfect for major holidays like Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year. It’s loaded with lump crab meat and tastes like the filling for Crab Rangoon. It’s creamy, cheesy, and irresistibly good. You can even assemble it ahead and bake it just in time for your party or gathering.

We love creamy dips like Spinach Artichoke Dip and of course our Hot Shrimp Dip. If you are a fan of decadent mouthwatering dips, this Crab Dip Recipe is a must-try. Watch the video tutorial and see how easy it is.

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The Best Hot Crab Dip Recipe

This creamy and cheesy crab dip will steal the show at your holiday party. This crab dip recipe can be spendy when using Fresh King Crab meat, so keep an eye out for sales on crab legs which using happen just before the holidays.

Frankly, this crab dip is one of the best ways to stretch king crab meat and serve a crowd with a couple of large crab legs. I also have some delicious substitution options if you want a less expensive dish that will still impress everyone.

Crab Dip Recipe Video

Watch Natasha make this Hot Crab Dip. You will be surprised at how easy it is to make this creamy dip. Make it for your next celebration and everyone will be so impressed.

Ingredients

The key to making great crab dip is to make sure the cream cheese is at room temperature. This will ensure a super creamy base without lumps. Find exact measurements in the print-friendly recipe below.

Cream Cheese, Sour Cream and Mayo– Create a creamy, rich, and flavorful base for the dip. Use full fat (not reduced fat for the best results).
Mozzarella Cheese – creates an irresistible cheesy dip when you put it inside the dip and sprinkling more on top creates an irresistible golden crust.
Chives and Garlic – aromatics that add great flavor and aroma
Lemon juice – cuts the richness and brightens the dip
Hot Sauce – use your favorite hot sauce and add it to taste.
Old Bay Seasoning – this is our go-to seasoning for seafood, but you can substitute it (see Common questions section)
Lump Crab Meat – fresh is best, especially freshly cooked king crab legs (see substitution options below). You’ll need 12-16 oz of crab meat for this recipe.

What is the Best Crab Meat for Crab Dip?

We love king crab meat from cooked king crab legs. I purchased it at Costco and was able to get 12 oz of meat from 1.6 lbs of shell-on crab legs. The crab in this dish is the star of the show, if you want to substitute it with different seafood, see suggestions below.

If you really want to love this dip, avoid any canned crab meat (both the tin jars on the shelf or the refrigerated lump crab meat variety). I’ve tried canned crab meat in this recipe a couple of different times, which includes lump crab meat sold in the refrigerated section of the grocery store, and every time it was slightly fishy and not the best.

Pro Tip: To remove meat from king crab legs, start by shaping the legs apart by breaking them at the knuckles then use sturdy kitchen shears to cut through the shells lengthwise. Pull the shells apart to reveal the meat.

Can I Substitute the Crab Meat?

There are less expensive options for king crab meat in this recipe:

Shrimp – Try cooked shrimp meat as we used in our Shrimp Dip.
Imitation Crab – this isn’t real crab meat (hence the name), but it will still turn out a decent crab dip. It’s also less expensive.
Snow Crab Legs – snow crab meat will work here, but it can be difficult to pluck that much meat from the crab legs. Wear gloves or you’ll end up with sore hands.

How to Make Crab Dip

Beat together – cream cheese, sour cream, and mayo in a large mixing bowl until creamy.
Stir in flavorings – add mozzarella cheese, chives, garlic, lemon juice, hot sauce, and old bay seasoning. Stir to combine.
Add crab – fold in crab until combined. Spread the mixture into a 1.5 to 2 qt casserole dish (I used my 10.5×7.5) and sprinkle the top with the remaining mozzarella.
Bake at 400˚F for 25 minutes until hot and bubbly. Broil for the last minute for a golden brown cheese crust. Garnish with chives and serve with crackers, pita chips, or chips.

Common Questions

Can I substitute old bay seasoning?

You can substitute old bay with a simple seasoning mix of 1/4 tsp salt, 1/8 tsp black pepper, and 1/8 tsp paprika. Be careful not to over-salt since crab meat is usually fairly salty.

Can I serve this cold?

This dip should be heated and served hot or warm. Since it is dairy-based and perishable, it should be refrigerated after two hours at room temperature.

How to get the fishy smell out of crab meat?

Crab meat should not smell fishy. If your crab smells bad, you should return or discard it. If you are able to smell your crab legs before you purchase them, they should smell sweet and not pungent. Do not use crab meat that has a bad odor.

Do I need to rinse cooked crab legs?

We prefer to rinse cooked crab legs in cold water to help get rid of the extra salt on the outside and on the exposed meat.

How to Cook Crab Legs

Most of the crab legs in the US are sold pre-cooked and there’s no need to re-cook it before using it in the dip, just thaw if frozen. If you catch some fresh uncooked crab legs, follow our tutorial on how to cook crab legs before proceeding with this recipe.

Casserole of hot crab dip garnished with chives

To Serve

We love to serve this warm while it’s gooey and cheesy. We love to dip into this with:

Crackers – Ritz or artisan crackers. I prefer crackers that aren’t too salty since the dip already has a fair amount of salt.
Tortilla chips – use your favorite corn or whole grain tortillas.
Cucumber – fresh slices of cucumber are a great gluten-free and fresh option.

Make-Ahead

Since this dip has dairy and seafood, to be safe, make sure it doesn’t sit out at room temperature for longer than 2 hours without refrigeration. That said, this dip does keep and reheat well.

To Refrigerate: As long as your crab is very fresh, you can make this 1 day ahead then refrigerate and bake it just before serving.
Leftovers: Once the dip has cooled to room temperature, cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for up to 2 days.
Freezing: We don’t recommend freezing this dip since it is dairy-based.
To Reheat: Bake the uncovered casserole dish in a hot oven at 350˚F for about 12-15 minutes or until steamy hot, or heat portions in the microwave in 30-second intervals until hot.

This hot Crab Dip Recipe is always a hit at parties. Any seafood lover will appreciate this. You’ll know who they are when their eyes light up knowing it’s King Crab Dip! You’ll definitely find me hovering over a good crab dip. It’s a real treat and one of the best ways to treat a crowd to crab meat.

More Appetizer Recipes

If you love this crab dip, then you won’t want to miss these part-favorite appetizer recipes:

Natasha Kravchuk

Welcome to my kitchen! I am Natasha, the blogger behind Natasha's Kitchen (since 2009). My husband and I run this blog together and share only our best, family approved and tested recipes with YOU. Thanks for stopping by! We are so happy you're here.