This Warm Crab Dip is creamy, cheesy, and perfectly spiced with Old Bay, hot sauce, and a squeeze of lemon juice. Take this crab and cream cheese dip to your next party and watch it disappear!
Table of Contents
Creamy Warm Crab Dip
My family loves a great dip recipe. In fact, many of our Christmas “dinners” are actually just six different dips with all the chips, crackers, and veggies to make the most of them. We know how to take a dip and turn it into a meal.
Over the years, our favorites have shifted between Cheesy Lasagna Dip and Crock Pot Reuben Dip, but this warm and creamy Crab Dip currently holds the top spot in our hearts.
This crab and cream cheese dip starts with all the essentials for a creamy dip—cream cheese, sour cream, and cheddar cheese. But the flavor really levels up with Old Bay, hot sauce, lemon juice, and our secret ingredient: tangy sweet peppadew peppers. Combined with lumps of fresh crab meat, this is a seafood dip worthy of any special occasion.
CourtneyWhy You’ll Love It, Too!
- It’s perfect for parties. Bring this warm crab dip to a holiday, game day tailgate party, or family gathering and prepare to be asked for the recipe. Repeatedly.
- It’s unique. Don’t get me wrong, I love a classic Knorr Spinach Dip or Slow Cooker Queso. But sometimes, I need to switch it up! Enter: Crab Dip with Cream Cheese.
- It’s easy to make and make ahead friendly. This dip can be in your oven in 15 minutes! It’s also a fantastic appetizer to make the day before an event and bake whenever you’re ready!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Butter + Shallots– Buttery sauteed shallots add great flavor to this dip!
- Cream cheese- Use fall fat cream cheese and make sure it is at room temperature before you start making the dip. It will blend together *much* easier.
- Sour cream– Adds tang and keeps the texture extra creamy.
- Cheese- You’ll need both sharp cheddar cheese and Parmesan cheese. We aren’t messin’ around here, guys.
- Peppadew peppers- You can find jarred peppadews at most grocery stores, but I usually buy mine in the olive/salad bar section. They might also be called piquante peppers. If you can’t find peppadews, you can use sweet cherry peppers or pepper drops, which also worked well in our recipe tests.
- Lump crab meat– We’re using real crab for this recipe, not imitation. Claw meat is the “dark meat” of crab and typically less expensive. I find it works great for dips!
- Hot sauce– The older I get, the more hot sauce I add to this recipe. This can be adjusted entirely to your tastes, from completely mild to serious heat. Different hot sauces have different heat profiles, so we recommend tasting as you go to get the right level of heat for you.
- Seafood seasoning– Old Bay adds that classic coastal flavor without overpowering the crab.
- Lemon juice– A squeeze of lemon juice brightens up the dip and brings out the flavor of the crab.
- Your favorite dippers– We love Ritz crackers, Pretzel Crisps, toasted baguette slices, or vegetables like celery, carrots, and cucumber.
How to Make Warm Crab Dip with Cream Cheese
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Melt the butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots and saute until softened and golden, about five minutes. Stir in the garlic and saute another minute, or until fragrant.
Step 2: Add the shallots, garlic, cream cheese, sour cream, 3/4 cup cheddar cheese, and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese to the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat until well combined.
Step 3: Fold in the peppers and crab meat, then stir in the hot sauce, lemon juice, and Old Bay seasoning. Taste and increase seasonings to your liking.
Step 4: Transfer the mixture to a baking dish and sprinkle with remaining cheddar and Parmesan. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the dip is bubbly and cheese is melted. Sprinkle with green onions, then serve.
Storage and Make-Ahead Instructions
- Cover and refrigerate leftover crab dip within 2 hours. The dip keeps well in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- Reheat leftovers in the microwave or enjoy the dip cold.
- To make ahead, assemble the dip completely, cover, and refrigerate. When ready to bake, remove from the fridge while the oven preheats, then bake as usual.
Recipe Tips & Variations
- Thoroughly inspect the crab. Most canned crab meat will have a few tiny pieces of shell in it. Be sure to visually inspect the crab before putting it in the dip.
- Season with your heart. If you love seasoning and heat, feel free to increase the Old Bay and hot sauce, or even add a few pinches of cayenne pepper. Similarly, you can leave the hot sauce out for kids or people who are sensitive to heat.
- Enjoy it cold. Canned crab is already cooked and pasteurized, so you can totally eat this crab dip without cooking it. This also means you can taste the dip to make sure it’s just how you like it.
- What to serve with warm crab dip– Buttery crackers like Ritz and Townhouse are both great with crab dip. You can also serve crab dip with crudite (carrot sticks, celery, etc), crostini, pita chips, or Melba toast.
FAQs
Yes. Warm up smaller portions of leftovers quickly in the microwave, or in the original dish at 350° F for about 20 minutes or until cheese is gooey again.
As with any dip containing cream cheese, don’t let it sit out at room temp for more than 2 hours. Cover it with foil and return to a warm oven (150° F) to keep it warm and melty, but once the party hungries calm down, let it cool, seal it with plastic wrap or transfer to a container and store it in the fridge.
Crab dip with cream cheese should be thick and creamy. Don’t use any low fat dairy ingredients (sour cream or cream cheese). The moisture to fat ratio will result in a thinner runnier texture. If you are using canned crab, make sure that you drain the meat before putting it in the dip.
Absolutely! You can eat this crab dip without baking it if you prefer. It’s delicious both hot and cold!
More Great Appetizer Recipes
If you can’t get enough cheesy dips, try this ultra cheesy Crock Pot Velveeta Sausage Dip!
These Puff Pastry Pigs in a Blanket are an easy and fun spin on the hot dog and crescents classic. Or wrap them in Maple BACON to create MEAT CANDY: the highest form a cocktail sausage can attain!
If you’re looking for something a bit heartier, try our collection of sliders, including Pulled Roast Beef Sliders, Hawaiian Roll Ham and Swiss Slider, and Ground Beef Sliders.
For a crunchy snack alternative, you can’t go wrong with our Homemade Popcorn Seasonings or Ranch Chex Mix.
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Warm Crab Dip Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons butter
- 2 shallots (diced)
- 1 clove garlic (minced)
- 8 ounces cream cheese (at room temperature)
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese (divided)
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (divided)
- 1/2 cup sliced or chopped peppadew peppers (drained *see notes)
- 1 lb. lump crab meat
- 1 Tablespoon hot sauce (more or less, to taste)
- 3 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning
- 3 green onions (sliced)
- Dippers of your choice (for serving)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray an 8 inch square or 9 inch deep dish pie plate with non stick cooking spray.
- In a small skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the shallots and saute until softened and golden, about five minutes. Stir in the garlic and saute another minute, or until fragrant.
- Add the shallots, garlic, cream cheese, sour cream, 3/4 cup cheddar cheese, and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese to the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat until well combined. Fold in the peppers and crab meat, then stir in the hot sauce, lemon juice, and Old Bay seasoning. Taste and adjust seasonings to your liking.
- Spread the dip evenly over the baking dish, and sprinkle with the remaining cheddar and Parmesan cheese. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until dip is bubbly and cheese is melted. Remove from oven, sprinkle with green onions, and serve with your choice of crackers or veggies.
Notes
- You can buy jarred peppadew peppers at most grocery stores. Look for them in the deli, cheese, or Italian food section. You might also want to check the salad/olive bar, where you can buy as many or as few as you like. They may also be sold under the name “Sweet and Spicy Peppers.” We have also tested these with Sweet Cherry Peppers and drop peppers, and they also worked well.
- Serve crab dip with carrot, cucumber, or celery sticks, toasted baguette slices, or chips or crackers of your choice.
- This dip can be enjoyed cold or warm.
- Store leftovers, covered, in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or enjoy cold.
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