Best Crab Dip Recipe With Cream Cheese
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If Chilled Crab Dip isn’t on your party dip list, it will be now! This easy recipe is loaded with fresh sweet crab meat, garlic, dill, and a savory secret that propels this creamy delight to the top of everyone’s favorite appetizer list!
Are you looking for more party dip recipes with cream cheese? Try Creamy Whipped Feta w/Fresh Herbs, Spinach Artichoke Dip, Baked Buffalo Chicken Dip, and Extra Special Spinach Dip.
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Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Easy Cold Crab Dip Recipe
It’s savory, creamy, loaded with succulent lump crab meat, and a touch of heat, making it perfect for dipping your favorite crudités, crackers, or chips.
- It’s a delicious summer appetizer and always a go-to on my list of cold dips for parties.
- The savory secret to a top-notch crab meat dip is….wait for it….beef bouillon! Yep, I love how this ingredient is indiscernible yet does so much for this recipe!
- Quick and easy two-step recipe.
- Easily doubled or tripled when you need cold dips for large groups.
- A tasty seafood dip is an excellent way to enjoy nutritious crab meat, a good source of protein, omega-3 fatty acids, and vitamins B12 and Zinc.
Crab Dip Recipe Ingredients
This cold crab dip with dill is one of our favorite appetizers and a party staple!
For specific amounts, please refer to the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Cream Cheese – is the creamy, cheesy base with a subtle tang that whips up light and fluffy when softened to room temperature.
- Mayo – thick, creamy condiment of emulsified oil that adds silkiness and richness to the cream cheese base.
- Sour Cream – provides moisture to coat each morsel of lump crab meat and a tangy little zip of flavor.
- Lemon Juice – Fresh squeezed is best but bottled lemon juice will work too.
- Garlic Clove – minced
- Dill Weed – Dried dill weed brightens a crab dip recipe with its grassy-citrus flavor with a touch of anise or caraway traits. If you want to use fresh dill weed: 1 tablespoon fresh dill = 1 teaspoon dried dill
- Green Onions – add color, a mild onion flavor, and texture. Mince the whole stalk (minus the roots).
- Beef Bouillon Cube – crushed. Surprise! This one little cube adds unique, savory flavor and depth that no one can quite put their finger on.
- Hot Sauce – adds a touch of zesty heat and pepper essence. Use your favorite hot sauce, or leave it out if you are not a fan.
- Kosher Salt & Fresh Cracked Black Pepper
- Crabmeat* – succulent, tender, and sweet. Lump crab meat comes frozen and fresh from the seafood counter, canned crab meat is also an option, read the label and the ingredients to ensure that it’s 100% crab meat.
- Assorted Fresh Vegetables Or Crackers – for dipping
- Optional Garnishes: sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley, green onion, dill weed, lemon zest (or slices), or a dash of paprika.
*FYI – You can use a less expensive option, imitation crab meat, for this easy crab dip recipe. It is made from minced surimi (fish flesh), starch, and other ingredients, usually dyed pink to resemble cooked crab meat. Imitation crab meat creates a cold dip similar in flavor and texture to real crab meat, but imitation crab is high in carbs; real crab meat is carb-free.
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How To Make The Best Crab Dip
Putting this delicious dip together is super quick and easy! Grab a bowl and an electric hand mixer, to whip up a fluffy, delectable summer dip!
When you are making this recipe, you’ll want to use the full recipe at the bottom of the page.
- For the best crab dip, beat the cream cheese first until it’s light and fluffy, then add the mayo and sour cream.
- Fold in the remaining ingredients including the lump crab meat.
- Cover and let the flavors marry in the fridge for several hours or overnight.
- When ready to enjoy, serve with assorted vegetables and or crackers.
Recipe Notes/Tips
- When using canned lump crab meat, rinse and drain well before folding it into the crab dip.
- Cube cold cream cheese so it will warm to room temp faster than warming a block. It takes 10x longer to naturally warm a block of cream cheese than mixing up a batch of crab dip with fresh crab.
- If you need to use powdered garlic instead of fresh garlic, bloom ⅛ teaspoon of garlic in ½ to ¾ teaspoon of almost hot water. This will reactivate some of the enzymatic flavors and give you a taste similar to fresh garlic.
- After your dip is chilled and before serving, test to see if you need to refresh the seasonings.
- When doubling the cold crab dip recipe, divide the dip in half, serving one at a time. This keeps the crab and cream cheese dip at its best throughout the gathering.
How To Store This Recipe
Crab dip keeps quite nicely for several days. Although it doesn’t oxidize like an avocado dip, I still like to press plastic wrap down to cover the surface. Reducing surface contact also helps to prolong freshness.
Refrigerate/Leftovers
Dip can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
FAQs
Lump crab meat is the highest quality crab meat available, consisting of large, whole pieces of crab meat prized for its sweet flavor and tender texture. It should not be confused with imitation crab, which is made from processed fish.
In addition to fresh lump crab meat, you can also find canned crab meat. Canned crab offers convenience and a longer shelf life, making it a practical option for many recipes. While it may have a slightly different texture than fresh crab, it remains a popular option, and it’s important to choose reputable brands for quality and taste.
If your frozen, fresh, or canned crab meat smells fishy, it doesn’t mean it’s gone bad. Give it a simple milk bath to restore the fresh smell. Simply cover the crab meat with milk, and soak it for at least 20 minutes. Drain and rinse the milk off of your seafood. When making a cold crab dip, remove as much moisture as possible.
Note: if it has a bitter, sour, or rotting smell it’s a clear sign that the crab meat has spoiled and is unfit for consumption.
The milk protein casein binds with the compound TMA, which causes all seafood to “smell.” Crab meat starts to decay as soon as the crustacean kicks the bucket. Live crab contains TMAO, trimethylamine N-oxide, which breaks down quickly into TMA, trimethylamine. And frankly, without the “O,” it stinks!
Serving Suggestions
- Serve with veggies, like mini sweet peppers, celery, baby carrots, or cucumber slices
- Crackers, baguettes, naan, or pita bread
- For a delectable warm crab dip, follow these steps: Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Place the crab dip in an oven-safe dish. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of sharp cheddar cheese on top. Switch to broil and cook until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown. Enjoy!
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Cold Crab Dip With Cream Cheese
If Chilled Crab Dip isn’t on your summer party dip list, it will be now! This easy crab dip recipe is loaded with fresh sweet crab meat, garlic, dill, and a savory secret that propels this creamy cold crab dip to the top of everyone’s favorite summer dip list!
Ingredients
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup mayo
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 1 ½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from ½ of a large lemon)
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 ½ teaspoon dried dill weed
- 2 green onions, minced
- 1 beef bouillon cube, crushed
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
- 1 pound fresh lump crab (or 7 ounces can crabmeat, rinsed and drained)
- Assorted fresh vegetables or crackers for dipping
- Optional Garnishes: sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley, green onion, dill weed, lemon zest (or slices) or a dash of paprika.
Instructions
- In a medium mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until light and fluffy.
- Beat in mayo and sour cream.
- Stir in lemon juice, garlic dill weed, green onions, bouillon, hot sauce, salt, pepper, and crab meat.
- Cover and refrigerate for several hours to blend flavors until ready to enjoy.
- Serve with assorted vegetables and or crackers.
Notes
- Lump crab meat comes frozen and fresh from the seafood counter, canned crab meat is also an option, read the label and the ingredients to ensure that it’s 100% crab meat. If using canned, be sure to rinse and drain.
- After your dip is chilled and before serving, test to see if you need to refresh the seasonings.
- When doubling the cold crab dip recipe, divide the dip in half, serving one at a time. This keeps the crab and cream cheese dip at its best throughout the gathering.
- Dip can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 10 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 281Total Fat: 26gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 16gCholesterol: 80mgSodium: 549mgCarbohydrates: 2gFiber: 0gSugar: 1gProtein: 10g
Nutrition information is estimated based on the ingredients and cooking instructions as described in each recipe and is intended to be used for informational purposes only. Please note that nutrition details may vary based on methods of preparation, origin, and freshness of ingredients used and are just estimates. We encourage, especially if these numbers are important to you, to calculate these on your own for most accurate results.
Hi there, I'm Cheryl!
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FYI, crab meat that has spoiled smells of ammonia. I grew up in the ocean ( St Augustine Florida). While crab meat should never smell of anything other than crab meat, ammonia is the smell you should be on the lookout for.