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This Cheesy Hot Crab Dip is the ultimate party snack! Lump crab meat is baked into this luxurious dip with cream cheese, sour cream, sharp cheddar cheese and few dashes of hot sauce.
We are just 3 days away from the new year, friends. We made it!
Just as we are recovering from the food coma that is Christmas, it’s time to plan what we’ll be consuming as the ball drops on New Year’s Eve and when I think New Year’s Eve I think crab dip.
It’s decadent, cheesy, but at the same time a bit elegant. It also pairs perfectly with champagne, cocktails, or whatever you happen to be imbibing to welcome the new year.
For me that may be iced tea so I won’t fall to sleep before the countdown. Sad but true.
How to Make Cheesy Hot Crab Dip
Lump crab meat comes canned and you also may find it at the butcher counter in some grocery stores. Don’t confuse it with imitation crab products, this stuff is the real deal and you want the real deal for this dip.
The bonus to buying it canned is you can pick it while it’s on sale and stash it away until you need it.
My local store carries Chicken of the Sea Lump Crabmeat but there are many other brands available so it may differ where you shop. It consists of small chunks of jumbo lump crab and other nice quality pieces of crab meat and it is perfect for dips, crab cakes, and salads.
Be sure to drain the cans well before adding them to the rest of the dip ingredients.
The rest is easy, It’s just a matter of combining all of the ingredients and transferring the mixture to a small baking dish. You can cover the dish and refrigerate it overnight or bake it right away.
Kitchen Tip
Use a cheese grater to grate onion when you want to add onion flavor to a recipe without adding too much texture. A great choice when making dips, spreads, and meatballs.
How to Serve Cheesy Hot Crab Dip
You can bake this dip in a small serving dish like I did here or in a small bread bowl with the added bonus that the serving dish will be edible! Once most of the dip has been consumed you can tear off chunks of dip soaked bread and eat the whole gosh darn thing. Most grocery store bakery departments carry small bread bowls over the holidays.
I like to serve this dip with Ritz crackers but it is also delicious with sliced baguette or tortilla chips for dipping.
The “Hot” in the recipe title refers to the fact that this dip is served warm from the oven. Although it calls for a few shakes of Tabasco, it’s not a spicy dip. However, if you want to spice it up, feel free to add as much Tabasco as you’d like. You could even throw in a diced jalapeno for good measure.
I like to keep things on the mild side when serving a crowd but if you know your group likes it hot, go for it!
I hope you add this one to your party menu this New Year’s Eve or tuck it away for Super Bowl Sunday. It’s just around the corner.
Enjoy and Happy New Year, friends!
More wonderfully cheesy dips I think you’ll love:
Cheesy Artichoke Dip
Warm Cheesy Bean Dip
Easy Queso Verde
Southwestern Ranch Dip
Buffalo Chicken Dip
Cheesy Hot Crab Dip
This Cheesy Hot Crab Dip is the ultimate party snack! Lump crab meat is baked into this luxurious dip with cream cheese, sour cream, sharp cheddar cheese and few dashes of hot sauce.
Ingredients
- 8 ounce package cream cheese or Neufchatel (light cream cheese), softened
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup light or regular sour cream
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 tablespoon grated white onion
- 2 (6 ounce) cans lump crab meat
- 1 teaspoon all-purpose seasoning, I use Lawry's Seasoned Salt
- 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire
- 1/2 lemon juiced
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped Italian parsley
- a few shakes of Tabasco to taste
- fresh ground black pepper to taste
- crackers baguette slices, or tortilla chips for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Place cream cheese, mayonnaise, and sour cream in a medium mixing bowl and stir until creamy. Add remaining ingredients and stir again until well combined. Transfer to a small baking dish and transfer to oven.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until browned and bubbly.
Serve with crackers, baguette slices, or tortilla chips.
Recipe Notes
If you want add some spice to this dip, add a diced jalapeno and/or increase the amount of Tabasco, as desired.
Make-Ahead Instructions:
Once you transfer the mixture to a serving dish, cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. When ready to bake, remove from the refrigerator and allow to sit out for 15 or 20 minutes before baking. You may need to increase the baking time a bit to compensate if the dip is very cold when going into the oven.
Alison Lindley says
This recipe is absolutely delicious!! Made it for the Super Bowl and we gobbled it up! Made it with good quality jumbo lump crab meat…..can’t wait to make it again!
Donna says
Could I make this without mayo?
Donna says
Can you use real crabmeat
Valerie says
Sure!
Lisa Nielson says
Mine is fishy tasting ????
Valerie says
That’s so odd. Did you use lump crab meat?
Nancy says
I made it with a canned lump crab meat that said on the can “Wild Caught” and mine was “fishy” tasting to me, too. I used to make it with a frozen lump crab and it was delicious. I’m trying a different brand in a can this week. Fingers crossed. (Previously used a lump crab that came frozen and it was fantastic! So I blame the specific crab meat I used.)
Annalia Ziller says
I just wanted to say that this is the best recipe I have ever made from Pinterest. I doubled the recipe and made it for Christmas this year. It was ALL gone! Thank you!
Jess says
Is it ok to make this without the onions?
Valerie says
Sure!
Helen says
do you drain the crabmeat? The recipe doesn’t say.
Valerie says
There is not a lot of excess liquid in a can of lump crab meat so there is no need to drain it.
Linda Billau says
can i use can crab if it don’t say lump crab meat
Valerie says
The recipe was tested using lump crab meat. I wouldn’t recommend using a lower quality product for the best result.
Lynne says
Could you put artichokes in?
Valerie says
Sure! I haven’t tried it but I think it’d be tasty.
Liz says
Love, love this recipe, it was a crowd pleaser for New Year’s Eve, so tasty
Valerie says
So glad it worked out well for you, Liz 🙂
Laura Gaul says
So how long do you cook in a bread bowl
Valerie says
The baking time should be just about the same. If you don’t want the bread to get too toasty you can wrap the whole thing in foil and then open the top towards the end of the cooking time.
Bette Gnoza says
Bla bla chicken of the sea is best and most economical at Walmart. This recipe is terrific!!
Valerie says
You made me laugh, Bette! Glad you loved it 🙂
Anne Clasen says
Could this be made in a small crock pot?
Valerie says
Sure!
Loren wegh says
How long ago would you recommend in the crockpot?
Valerie says
I haven’t tried it but believe it wouldn’t take more than 1-1/2 to 2 hours to be melted and ready to serve.
Peggy Eckmann says
Oh Man… This is DEEEEEliciuos