By Vallery Lomas
- Total Time
- 45 minutes
- Rating
- 4(442)
- Notes
- Read community notes
This style of crab dip, often referred to as Maryland crab dip because of its Chesapeake Bay origins, makes for a festive appetizer. Here, it’s served hot out of the oven and is extra creamy thanks to the combination of cream cheese and a little mayonnaise. Though crabs are plentiful this time of year — and you can certainly make this with freshly steamed and picked meat if you’d like — canned lump crabmeat makes this dish simple to assemble. Just be careful to leave the clumps of meat as intact as possible when mixing. A sprinkle of cayenne pepper and a generous douse of hot sauce add heat to this flavorful dish.
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Ingredients
Yield:4 to 6 servings (3 cups)
- 1tablespoon unsalted butter, softened, for greasing
- 8ounces cream cheese, softened
- ½cup mayonnaise
- 1shallot, minced
- 2tablespoons minced chives, plus more for garnish
- 2garlic cloves, minced
- 2½teaspoons lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
- 1¼teaspoons Cajun seasoning
- ½teaspoon mustard powder
- 1½teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- ⅓cup plus 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
- 8ounces lump crabmeat, drained and picked through for shells
- Black pepper
- 5butter crackers, finely ground, plus more for serving
- Ground cayenne, for serving
- Hot sauce, for serving
- Sliced toasted baguette, for serving
- Celery sticks and carrots, for serving
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
429 calories; 34 grams fat; 13 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 9 grams monounsaturated fat; 10 grams polyunsaturated fat; 16 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 4 grams sugars; 16 grams protein; 741 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
Step
1
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Grease an 8-inch cast iron skillet or 1-quart baking dish with butter.
Step
2
In a large bowl, combine the cream cheese, mayonnaise, shallot, chives, garlic, lemon juice, Cajun seasoning, mustard powder, Worcestershire sauce and ⅓ cup Parmesan. Stir until well combined. Add the crabmeat and gently stir until just combined, trying to not break up the large lumps. Season with pepper to taste.
Step
3
Scrape into the prepared skillet and smooth the top. Sprinkle the ground butter crackers and remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan on top.
Step
4
Bake until golden brown and bubbling, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes, then sprinkle with ground cayenne, hot sauce and chives. Serve with baguette, celery sticks, carrots, additional crackers and more hot sauce.
- For an extra crunchy top, broil for a minute or two after baking until deep golden brown.
Ratings
4
out of 5
442
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Cooking Notes
Mike in NC
Born and raised in Maryland, hon. Without the magic of Old Bay Seasoning this dish is simply not complete. Just do it.
Heather
This is Maryland crab dip. Use Old Bay, the traditional Maryland spice for seafood. You won’t be sorry. (Good on oven fries and popcorn too.)
Cec from Baltimore
Cajun seasoning?! No, please: use Old Bay or another Chesapeake Bay-style crab seasoning.
Deb A
My mother in law made this every year at the holidays and it was gobbled up. Hers was a bit more elegant, adding some sherry to the cream cheese mix, and using chopped almonds in place of the ritz crackers for the topping. She used a bit of tabasco and cayenne in the mix, not on top. If you can serve it in a chafing dish to keep warm, so much the better. And, of course (we live in Maryland) Old Bay instead of cajun seasoning as others have recommended.
CB
Yummy! I doubled the crab because I had it on hand, and that was not a bad idea. The hot sauce on top really makes it.
Jean Sandhofer
@Mike in NC - Love your "hon." I was raised in Baltimore (although I left 40 years ago, my blood still runs Orioles orange), so I approach every recipe for crab anything and especially crab cakes with great skepticism. I have two cans of Old Bay in my kitchen cabinet. You're right this recipe requires that delectable spice mix.
Kat
This was SO GOOD. I didn’t have any crackers, but panko was a fine substitute.
Hildari
If this is Maryland style, then no to cajun seasoning. Yes to Old Bay seasoning.
H.S.
Can this be made ahead of time?
katie
Followed the recipe, but used Spicy Old Bay instead of Cajun seasoning, and possibly a little more lemon juice- used two lemons. Made the dip part without the crab and seasoned to taste with extra cayenne (since I wanted it pretty spicy) before adding the canned crab. Put it in a sourdough bread bowl for the Superbowl. It was a hit!
Paul
I make this every year for Christmas Eve and it’s gobbled up. I always double the recipe and because I grew up in Louisiana but now live outside Baltimore, I always use half Old Bay and half Zatarain’s Creole Seasoning. Best of both worlds!!
Ditte
This is a great classic recipe. I didn't have Ritz crackers so subbed with a whole grain type. A great dish to take to a party.
Maria C.
Could this be assembled a day in advance?
Rose Casa
Yummy! Used Trader Joe’s softened cream cheese which was 12 oz, so did 1 1/2 recipe, but doubled the crab. Used Old Bays, didn’t have ritz crackers so used bread crumbs. Eh- maybe chopped pecans instead for next time add some heat?
Steven
Made this for a dinner party and it was a great appetizer. Used a 1.75 quart baking dish and the recipe fit perfectly. Substituted old bay as recommended by others and sprinkled sharp cheddar over top during the last 10 minutes in the oven. If I made it again I would use less crab - just too fishy for my taste.
Peg levy
Baking cast-iron skillet. Use old bay seasoning. Plus a little Tabasco. Sliced almonds on top. Couple tablespoons of Sherry. Excellent and can be made ahead except for the topping.
Peg levy
Couple tablespoons of Sherry.Add chopped celery. Double to old bay seasoning. Bake in cast iron skillet. Top with slice toasted almonds.
Peg levy
Used cast-iron skillet. Topped with sliced toasted onions rather than crumbs. Add a small amount of thinly sliced celery. 1 1/2 teaspoons of Old Bay in with the cream cheese. Couple tablespoons of sherry in the cream cheese mixture. Put under the broiler for a few minutes to crisp up at the end.
Lola
Great recipe! I swap a tablespoon of Old Bay for the Cajun seasoning, because I always have Old Bay, and today I used plant based cream cheese (Kite Hill) because I bought it by accident, no one could tell he difference.
Leigh
Amen to the Cajun seasoning. I'm a Louisiana native living in Southern Maryland, and I bring my own Tony Chachere's to crab shacks because Old Bay is salty and bland.
Jessie Paul
Easy and delicious. I pretty much followed the recipe except for subbing red onion for the shallot. I thought the spice was just right and it was very flavorful.
Cindi Huculak
This dip is AMAZING! I was looking for Ina Garten’s crab dip recipe and didn’t find one. NY Times always has great recipes so this was my next first choice. I will make this again and again. My daughter commented it is the best crab dip recipe that we’ve ever made. I also doubled the crab and lemon juice. And yes I used Old Bay! For all the Maryland people I was under the impression that “OLD BAY” is a Cajun seasoning, so calm down!!!
Daria
Sounds delish..........except for the Parmesan. No cheese on seafood
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