Creamy Baked Crab Dip (Printable)
Warm, savory crab blend with herbs, cheese, and spices, paired with crisp crostini and crackers for sharing.
# What You Need:
→ Crab Dip Base
01 - 8 oz cream cheese, softened
02 - 1/2 cup sour cream
03 - 1/4 cup mayonnaise
04 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
05 - 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
06 - 1/2 tsp hot sauce
→ Crab and Add-ins
07 - 1 1/2 cups lump crab meat, drained and picked over
08 - 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
09 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
10 - 2 green onions, finely sliced
11 - 1/2 red bell pepper, finely diced
12 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
→ Seasonings
13 - 1/2 tsp garlic powder
14 - 1/2 tsp Old Bay seasoning
15 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
16 - 1/4 tsp salt
→ For Serving
17 - 1 baguette, sliced into 1/2-inch pieces
18 - 2 tbsp olive oil
19 - 1 box assorted crackers
# Steps:
01 - Preheat the oven to 375°F.
02 - In a medium bowl, combine the cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce. Mix until completely smooth and creamy.
03 - Gently fold in the crab meat, mozzarella, Parmesan, green onions, red bell pepper, parsley, garlic powder, Old Bay seasoning, black pepper, and salt until just combined. Do not overmix to maintain crab texture.
04 - Transfer the mixture to a 1-quart baking dish and smooth the top evenly with a spatula.
05 - Bake for 20 minutes or until the dip is hot and bubbling throughout, and the top is lightly golden brown.
06 - While the dip bakes, arrange baguette slices on a baking sheet, brush lightly with olive oil, and bake in the oven for 8–10 minutes or until golden and crisp, turning once halfway through cooking.
07 - Serve the warm crab dip immediately with crackers and crostini on the side for dipping.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The lump crab meat stays sweet and tender, never lost in the creamy base
- Guests will literally hover around this dish like I did that first time
02 -
- Overmixing the crab will make it rubbery and sad, treat it gently
- The dip thickens as it cools, so serve it straight from the oven
03 -
- Pick over the crab meat carefully for any shell fragments before mixing
- Use a light hand with the salt until you have tasted the final mixture