Description

This creamy and flavorful Crab Dip combines fresh jumbo lump crab meat with a rich blend of cream cheese, mayonnaise, sour cream, and cheddar cheese, all seasoned with Old Bay, garlic, and a hint of lemon. Baked until bubbly and golden on top, it makes a perfect warm appetizer served with crusty sourdough bread, crackers, tortilla chips, or fresh veggies.

Ingredients

Scale

Dip Base

8 ounce package cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup chopped green onion
1 1/2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 lemon, juiced

Cheese and Crab

1 cup freshly shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce, or more to taste
1 pound fresh jumbo lump crab meat

To Serve

Sourdough bread slices
Crackers
Tortilla chips
Chopped cold veggies

Instructions

Prepare the oven and cream cheese base: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese until it is smooth and lump-free. This will create a creamy base for your dip.
Mix in seasonings and dairy: Stir in the mayonnaise, sour cream, minced garlic, chopped green onion, Old Bay seasoning, salt, Worcestershire sauce, and freshly squeezed lemon juice. Mix until all ingredients are well incorporated.
Add cheese and hot sauce: Incorporate 3/4 cup of the shredded cheddar cheese and the hot sauce into the mixture, stirring until smooth and evenly blended.
Fold in crab meat: Gently fold in the fresh jumbo lump crab meat, ensuring it is evenly distributed through the mixture without breaking up the lumps.
Assemble and bake: Spread the crab mixture evenly into a 9-inch pie dish or a similar size baking pan. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese evenly over the top. Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 20 minutes or until the top becomes golden brown and the dip is bubbly.
Serve warm: Remove from the oven and serve the hot crab dip immediately with slices of sourdough bread, crackers, tortilla chips, or chopped cold vegetables as dippers.
Storage and reheating: Store any leftover crab dip covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, warm in the microwave until heated through, stirring occasionally for even heating.

Notes

Make sure the cream cheese is softened to room temperature for easier mixing and smoother texture.
Adjust the hot sauce quantity to your preferred spice level.
Use fresh jumbo lump crab meat for the best flavor and texture.
This dip can be prepared ahead of time, just bake it before serving.
Leftover dip freezes well; thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Category: Appetizer
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Keywords: crab dip, baked crab dip, seafood appetizer, creamy crab dip, party dip, Old Bay seasoning dip