The BEST Crab Dip Recipe (Hot or Cold)
This crab dip recipe is made with cream cheese, Greek yogurt, Old Bay seasoning, and a full pound of jumbo lump crab meat. Serve it hot and bubbly straight from the oven in under 30 minutes, or chill it for an easy cold crab dip that's perfect for making ahead. It's lighter than most cream cheese crab dip recipes because Greek yogurt replaces the heavy mayo, but don't worry, it's still every bit as creamy and loaded with real crab flavor!
Servings: 8 people
Equipment
Ingredients
- 8 oz cream cheese
- ½ cup plain non-fat Greek yogurt
- 3 cloves minced garlic
- 1.5 tsp Old Bay seasoning
- 1 tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp coconut aminos
- 1.5 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp hot sauce I like Frank's Red Hot
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese divided
- 1 lb jumbo lump crab meat fresh is preferred!
- ¼ cup diced green onions for serving
For dipping:
- gluten free baguette slices
- gluten free crackers
- veggies
Instructions
Hot Crab Dip
- Preheat oven to 350.
- Add the cream cheese, Greek yogurt, garlic, old bay, onion powder, salt, coconut aminos, lemon juice, and hot sauce to a bowl and mix using an electric hand mixer until smooth.
- Fold in ¾ cup of the shredded cheese. Gently fold in the crab meat.
- Spread into a 9-inch pie plate or similar baking dish and top with remaining cheese.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes until hot and bubbling. Top with diced green onions. Serve with your favorite crackers or bread and enjoy!
Cold Crab Dip
- Add the cream cheese, Greek yogurt, garlic, old bay, onion powder, salt, coconut aminos, lemon juice, and hot sauce to a bowl and mix using an electric hand mixer until smooth.
- Fold in ¾ cup of the shredded cheese. Gently fold in the crab meat.
- Spread into a 9-inch pie plate or similar baking dish. Top with remaining cheese, if desired (you can skip this).
- Chill for 1 hour up to overnight in the fridge and serve with your favorite crackers or bread.
Notes
- One serving = ⅛ of the total dip!
- Pick through the crab meat before adding it, even if the container says "picked." There are almost always a few sneaky little shell fragments hiding in there. I just spread it out on a plate and run my fingers through it gently. Takes a minute and saves you from that unpleasant crunch.
- Drain the crab well and gently squeeze out extra moisture with a paper towel. This is the number one reason crab dip turns out watery, and I learned that the hard way early on. A quick squeeze makes all the difference.
- Always fold the crab in last, and be gentle about it. If you mix it with the hand mixer or stir too aggressively, you'll break up those gorgeous chunks of jumbo lump. A spatula and a few slow folds. That's it.
- Taste the crab before you add salt. Some brands and varieties are saltier than others, and between the Old Bay and the crab itself, you might not need much extra at all.
- If you're serving hot crab dip at a party and want to keep it warm, transfer it to a small slow cooker on the warm setting after baking. It'll hold nicely for about an hour without drying out. This is my go-to move for game day with dips like my no mayo spinach artichoke dip.
Nutrition
Calories: 218kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.001g | Cholesterol: 67mg | Sodium: 834mg | Potassium: 203mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 578IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 177mg | Iron: 1mg