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CPA: Certified Pastry Aficionado

Cheesy Crab Dip

appetizer· dips· snacks· Summertime Favorites· Tailgating Recipes
April 10, 2020

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Cheesy Crab Dip – Fresh lump crab meat is tossed with cream cheese, Old Bay seasoning, fresh lemon juice, and green onions and topped with mozzarella cheese before being baked to perfection. It’s a creamy, cheesy masterpiece, perfect for any event.

Fresh lump crab meat is tossed with cream cheese, Old Bay seasoning, fresh lemon juice, and green onions and topped with mozzarella chees

After my Lobster Bisque turned out so great, I was inspired to take on more seafood recipes that I used to shy away from in the past. Seafood is something that no longer intimidates me so I am ready to take on my next seafood adventure!

Today’s recipe was another dish that I was reluctant to try, at first. It has crab in it and crab was not something I grew up eating, well, except the occasional crab wonton that we would order with every Chinese meal. Yup, that’s right, no crab legs for me or even crab cakes.

But as I’ve matured, so has my palette. So when a group of us were trying to figure out some apps to share while out at a restaurant, crab dip came up. Instead of protesting like a 5 year old, I sat there and went along with what the group wanted. Who knows, maybe I’d be surprised?

And surprised I was! Looking at the ingredients, though, I really shouldn’t have been – cream cheese serves as the base with hints of lemon, Parmesan, and Old Bay seasoning. You really can’t go wrong with cream cheese in anything.

Now, I am here to bring you a version of this incredible crab dip that will satisfy even the pickiest eater.

Here is my Cheesy Crab Dip!

Casserole dish of Cheesy Crab Dip with a top of melted and browned mozzarella cheese
Dish of Cheesy Crab Dip with a fork in it showing the crab meat inside
Wooden bowl of crackers and Cheesy Crab Dip

How to make this dip

This dip is served hot. Before it goes in the oven, all the ingredients are mixed together and then spread into a shallow baking dish. It’s really that easy! You can easily have this dip ready to eat in under 30 minutes.

There are a few components in this dip, but here are the major ones:

  • Cream cheese – this serves as the base of the dip and give it its creamy texture
  • Parmesan cheese – this gives the dip a bold, cheesy flavor
  • Lemon juice – this freshens up the dip, tames the richness, and enhances the flavor of the crab meat
  • Old Bay seasoning – this ingredient is key for adding tons of flavor. The dip is not the same without it
  • Mozzarella cheese – this cheese it used to top the dip before baking. As it bakes, the cheese melts and makes this dip ultra cheesy
  • Crab meat – and last but not least, this dip would not be the same without some fresh lump crab. I shredded it before adding to the dip to make sure there was crab in every bite
Bowl of scallions, old bay seasoning, cream cheese and lemon juice
Bowl of crab meat being mixed with the  rest of the dip ingredients
Topping the uncooked dish of Cheesy Crab Dip with shredded mozzarella cheese

The dip is baked in the oven until it starts to bubble. Then, I broil it to get the cheese nice and bubbly on top.

Forkful of the Cheesy Crab Dip with cheese stretching from the fork to the dish

Tips & Tricks

  1. Make sure the cream cheese is softened so it easily mixes with the other dip ingredients.
  2. Seafood doesn’t keep very long so don’t make this recipe too far ahead – it’ll last for 2 days MAX.
  3. When broiling the dip, do not take your eyes off of it. The dip will quickly go from done to burnt if you don’t pay close attention.
Print Recipe

Cheesy Crab Dip

Fresh lump crab meat is tossed with cream cheese, Old Bay seasoning, fresh lemon juice, and green onions and topped with mozzarella cheese before being baked to perfection. It's a creamy, cheesy masterpiece, perfect for any event
Prep Time5 minutes mins
Cook Time20 minutes mins
Servings: 8 servings

Ingredients

  • 12 ounces cream cheese softened
  • ½ cup mayonnaise
  • ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • ½ cup chopped green onions
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1½ tablespoons Old Bay seasoning
  • 1½ tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 8 ounces lump crab meat shredded
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • butter crackers for serving

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Add cream cheese, mayo, Parmesan, lemon juice, green onions, minced garlic, Old Bay, and Worcestershire sauce to a medium bowl. Mix together until smooth. Fold in crab meat.
  • Grease a medium casserole dish. Pour dip into dish. Sprinkle shredded mozzarella in an even layer over the dip. Place into oven to bake until the edges begin to bubble, about 15 minutes. Then, turn on the broiler on High and broil until the cheese starts to brown, about 2 minutes.
  • Let the dip cool for 5 minutes. Serve warm with butter crackers.

Notes

Recipe adapted from Delish

Pin for later:

Cheesy Crab Dip photo collage

More recipes you’ll love:

Cowboy Queso
 A chunky queso dip with chopped green chiles, roasted tomatoes, ground sausage, and sliced smoked cheddar sausage.
Grilled Bang Bang Shrimp Skewers
Grilled shrimp skewers covered in a spicy, creamy, sweet chili sauce.
Shrimp Scampi with Linguine
Fork with linguine pasta wrapped around a shrimp

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11 Comments

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Comments

  1. Shelley says

    February 25, 2021 at 4:58 pm

    This really is a deliciously creamy, cheesy masterpiece! I adore crab dips but hardly ever make them – thank you for all your little tips and tricks to be sure mine comes out great! It’s really such a perfect appetizer for practically any party – I can see this at a casual tailgate or Super Bowl bash just as much as at a dinner party or supper club gathering! Just can’t go wrong here!

    Reply
  2. Monica says

    April 11, 2020 at 4:53 pm

    This looks incredible! When this quarantine is over I will be making this for our next game night with friends.

    Reply
  3. Shafinah Neville says

    April 11, 2020 at 10:08 am

    omg these look delicious!!

    Reply
  4. Alpana @ GypsyPlate says

    April 10, 2020 at 7:45 pm

    This looks too good. Maybe it’s best we are social distancing, I don’t want to share this with guests!

    Reply
  5. Liz says

    April 10, 2020 at 7:36 pm

    My husband loves seafood and especially crab! So this dips is going to be perfect for his birthday!

    Reply
  6. Danielle says

    April 10, 2020 at 7:03 pm

    Watching that cheese stretch makes me want to make this recipe ASAP. Mouthwatering dip that I would imagine is sooo flavorful!

    Reply
  7. Diana Reis says

    April 10, 2020 at 6:51 pm

    Wow! This looks great. I can’t wait to have a party again so I can make this dip.

    Reply
  8. Krissy Allori says

    April 10, 2020 at 6:16 pm

    Holy smokes, this looks absolutely amazing! I can’t wait to give this a try. I think I’ll run to the store now and pick up what I need.

    Reply
  9. Harmony, Momma To Go says

    April 10, 2020 at 2:49 pm

    crab is not my jam, but this looks easy enough! We are trying lots of new recipes during this quarantine!

    Reply
  10. jenna says

    April 10, 2020 at 2:30 pm

    This sounds AMAZING! I’ve never had crab dip but I love anything with Old Bay seasoning 🙂

    Reply
  11. Marta says

    April 10, 2020 at 2:15 pm

    Thank you for actually using REAL crab in this dip! I have been on the hunt for a good crab dip and all of them use imitation!

    Reply

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