This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my disclosure policy
Hot Crab Dip Recipe – an easy and delicious cheesy dip that will be a hit and any party. A slightly spicy crab dip that is ready in minutes.
Hot Crab Dip is the kind of appetizer that instantly impresses while being surprisingly easy to make. Creamy, cheesy, and loaded with plenty of crab meat, this dip bakes up warm and bubbly with irresistible flavor in every bite. Perfect for parties, holidays, or game day, it’s a crowd-pleasing recipe that feels indulgent but comes together with minimal effort.
Whether it is the holiday season, with lots of parties happening. Or the middle of summer, and everyone is grilling out and having people over. Easy appetizers and snacks to serve at parties are a must! This hot crab dip recipe is a hit any time of year, and so is my Baked Goat Cheese Dip. Seriously cheese is pretty much the way to people heart.
Hot Crab Dip Ingredients
Be sure to scroll to the bottom of the post for the FULL PRINTABLE recipe card.
- Cream Cheese
- Mayo
- Sour Cream
- Parmesan Cheese
- Cheddar Cheese
- Lump Crab Meat – You can use fresh lump crab meat or canned crab meat, whatever you have, can find, and afford works great.
- Lemon Juice
- Hot Sauce – just a little to give some extra flavor. It isn’t a spicy crab dip, it is hot because it is baked and gooey melty cheese.
- Salt & Pepper
- Green Onions
This Cheesy Hot Crab Dip has 3 kinds of cheese in it, so you know it is going to be good. It is creamy and so good with the lumps of crab meat in there.
How to Make Hot Crab Dip
- Mix Base. Start by mixing together the cream cheese, sour cream, and mayo together until it is well blended and smooth. You can use a mixer for this step if your cream cheese is not soft enough, but if you soften it first a spatula should work just fine.
- Add Cheese. Next stir in the Parmesan cheese, cheddar cheese, hot sauce, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Mix until everything is well combined.
- Crab. Gently fold in the crab meat. You don’t want to be too rough and turn your crab into mush, so use a spatula and just be nice as you mix it together.
- Bake. Spread the dip into a baking dish and then top with the rest of the cheese. Bake until it is hot and bubbly and the cheese on top is golden.
- Serve. Once it is out of the oven you can garnish with a few green onions and then just let it cool slightly before serving.
What to Serve With Crab Dip
This is one of those dips you are going to just want to dive into! Anything goes when it comes to dippers.
- Tortilla Chips
- Ritz Crackers
- Crostini
- Veggies
Recipe Tips & Suggestions
- Crab. You can find lump crab meat in a can. It is blend of broken pieces of jumbo lump and a special grade of crab meat. You can definitely use fresh crab meat as well, it is just more expensive and not as easy to find.
- Don’t like crab. Many people want to make this dip, but for whatever reason don’t want to use crab. Chicken, Shrimp, and Tuna are all great swaps. I have heard that smoked salmon is good as well.
- Make Ahead. You can assemble this dip ahead of time and then just cover and store in the fridge until ready to bake (up to 24 hours). You can also heat in a crockpot over low heat for a couple hours and leave on warm during an event.
- Storage. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can reheat slowly in the microwave until warmed through.
So whether you are getting ready for a holiday party or just need a delicious dip for the weekend. This Hot Crab Dip will be a huge hit! You can mix it up and have it in the fridge, so you just need to bake when it is ready to serve. Super easy and great to make ahead for parties.
More Great Dip Recipes
Hot Crab Dip
Ingredients
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup mayo
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 pound lump crab meat
- 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, for topping
- 1 Tablespoon sliced green onions
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400º F.
- In a large bowl mix together cream cheese, mayo and sour cream. Stir in Parmesan cheese, cheddar cheese, lemon juice, hot sauce, salt and pepper until well combined. Fold in crab meat.8 oz cream cheese, 1/2 cup mayo, 1/2 cup sour cream, 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, 1 Tablespoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon hot sauce, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, 1 pound lump crab meat
- Pour into a 1 quart baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese.1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- Bake for 25-35 minutes until bubbly and hot.
- Remove from the oven and top with green onions.1 Tablespoon sliced green onions
- Serve with tortilla chips or crostini
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I created a fun group on Facebook, and I would love for you to join us! It’s a place where you can share YOUR favorite recipes, ask questions, and see what’s new at Dinners, Dishes and Desserts (so that you never miss a new recipe)! If you’d like to check it out, you can request to join HERE.
Be sure to follow me on Instagram and tag #dinnersdishes so I can see all the wonderful DINNERS, DISHES, AND DESSERTS recipes YOU make!
Connect with Dinners, Dishes, and Desserts!
Be sure to follow me on my social media, so you never miss a post!
Hi can you substitute the crab for chicken
Yep
Do u have to use lemon juice
You don’t have to, but it does enhance the flavor of the crab and brighten up the dish a little
How far ahead of time can I make this up? Can I make it up the day before and leave it in the fridge until the next evening?
Yes, you can mix it up about 24 hours before you bake it to serve.
Would it be possible to do this in a crockpot?
Yes, once you have it mixed together you could put it on low for a couple of hours to get it hot instead of baking it.
Your thoughts on substituting lobster for the crab would be appreciated.
Lobster, crab or shrimp I think would all work really well as the protein in these puffs. I would just sub equal amounts and leave the rest of the recipe as is.
How many people would this serve at a party with other appetizers? I need something for a small party (5 adults) and there will be other stuff too. Wondering if I should 1/2 the recipe. Also, 1 lb of crab–would that be 2 cans?
This serves about 8 people. So it depends on how much other stuff you are making if you want to make the whole thing or half. 1 pound of crab is 16 oz. It depends on the size of the cans your store sells, but you need it to total 16 oz for this recipe.
What kind of hot sauce
Whatever you have on hand, tabasco works, chulula, really whatever you have.
Hi Erin, can this crab dip be made ahead and frozen? thanks, sounds delicious
I don’t think I would freeze it, dairy products have a tendency to break down in the freezing and thawing process. It might work and be ok, but I haven’t tested it. It will last cold in the fridge for about 24 hours before baking though.
thank you
If I substitute shrimp, should the shrmp be precooked or raw?
You would want it cooked, just like the crab is cooked. You are really only heating it enough to melt and get the dish hot, not really cook anything. The frozen pre-cooked shrimp would be great, just thaw and pat it dry, chop it a little smaller and it would work great.
Is it recommended to shred your own Parmesan or is the Kraft acceptable for this recipe?
You can use the pre-shredded stuff, I just recommend not the powdered grated stuff.