Cajun Crab Dip
Cajun crab dip is a hot crab dip with hunks of lump crab meat, cheese, and tons of cajun flavor in a creamy cream cheese base. This 30 minute cajun appetizer is perfect for a pot luck, holiday celebration, or a New Orleans inspired dinner party.
It’s not a party unless some dips are being served! From the classic spinach and artichoke dip, a fun twist like crab rangoon dip, or something with a cajun kick like boudin dip, no celebration is complete without some creamy cheesy goodness.
Lagniappe
Lagniappe: LAN-yap – a little something extra
Seafood plays a vital role in Louisiana’s economy and culinary scene. With plentiful shrimp, oysters, crawfish, and crab, it’s no surprise that so many of New Orleans’ famous dishes revolve around seafood. You’ll likely find crab cakes, crabmeat ravigote, crab meat au gratin, and crab and corn bisque on the menus of many restaurants around the New Orleans area. Explore all the seafood recipes here.
Lauren’s Tips
- Mix all other ingredients first, then fold in the crab last. Over mixing the crab can shred it into smaller pieces.
- Shred the cheese yourself. Pre-shredded cheese has anti-caking powders added to them that prevent the cheese from melting smoothly.
- For a crispier cheesy crust, broil the dip for 1-2 minutes.
- Use real crab meat. Imitation crab meat is really far from real crab meat, and this dip is much better with the real stuff!
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Cheese – Shred the parmesan and cheddar cheese yourself for the best results. You can substitute cheddar for white cheddar or pepper jack cheese.
- Other Dairy – You’ll need cream cheese, sour cream, and mayo for this recipe. I use the full fat versions of each.
- Hot sauce – It won’t make the dish spicy, but adds a nice tanginess and flavor. Use a vinegar based brand like Louisiana or Crystal hot sauce.
- Prepared horseradish – This will be in a bottle or jar, not the fresh kind in the produce section. It should be found near the condiments in the grocery store. Love the tang of horseradish? Try remoulade sauce.
- Crab meat – Lump crab meat is great for this recipe. Jumbo lump crab meat works well too.
See the recipe card below for the complete list of ingredients and measurements.
How to Make Hot Crab Dip
- Whip the cream cheese until smooth and fluffy.
- Mix all the ingredients together except for the crab. Taste and add seasonings.
- Gently fold in the crab meat so it doesn’t get too broken up.
- Add to a baking dish, top with cheese, and bake until golden brown and melty.
Serve hot with crackers or crusty bread!
Equipment Needed
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Buy Now → Storage & Make Ahead
Storage: Store leftovers in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Freeze: Don’t freeze this recipe.
Reheat: It is best reheated in the oven at 350 until warmed through. Reheating in the microwave may cause the cheese to break and become oily. Try reheating at a lower power in the microwave if necessary.
Make ahead: Make this dish a day ahead of time up to the baking step. Cover and store in the refrigerator, then bake before serving. If using a glass dish, the dish needs to sit out at least 30 minutes before putting in the oven so the heat shock doesn’t crack it.
More Dips
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Hot Cajun Crab Dip
Ingredients
- 8 ounces cream cheese (softened)
- ½ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup parmesan cheese (shredded (2 ounces))
- 1 cup cheddar cheese (shredded (4 ounces))
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon prepared horseradish
- 1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
- 4 green onions
- 2 cloves garlic
- Cajun seasoning to taste
- 1 pound lump crab meat (drained)
- Crackers for serving
Instructions
- PREP: Preheat oven to 425°F. Shred cheese. Thinly slice green onions. Mince garlic.
- WHIP: In a large mixing bowl, whip softened cream cheese with an electric mixer on medium-high speed for about 2 minutes until smooth and fluffy.
- MIX: Mix in sour cream, mayonnaise, half the parmesan, half the cheddar, hot sauce, lemon juice, horseradish, worcestershire sauce, green onions, and garlic. Mix well. Add cajun seasoning to taste.
- FOLD: Gently fold in crab meat and mix until just combined. Spread out mixture evenly in a baking dish or small cast iron skillet.
- BAKE: Top with remaining cheese. Bake for about 20 minutes until the cheese is melted and golden brown on top.
- SERVE: Serve hot with crackers or crusty bread.
Notes
- Slow cooker: You can make this dip in a slow cooker, it just won’t have the golden brown cheese top. Whip the cream cheese and add the to slow cooker, then mix in all the other ingredients except for the crab. Taste and adjust seasoning. Fold in the crab last. Heat on low for about 2 hours until everything is hot and melted. Stir before serving.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- It is best reheated in the oven at 350 until warmed through. Use a lower power to reheat in the microwave, but the microwave may cause the cheese to break and become oily.
- Make this dish a day ahead of time up to the baking step. Cover and store in the refrigerator, then bake before serving. If using a glass dish, the dish needs to sit out at least 30 minutes before putting in the oven so the heat shock doesn’t crack it.
Equipment
- Mixing bowl
- Electric mixer
- 8×8 baking dish
Nutrition
Meet Lauren
I’m the blogger, recipe developer, food photographer, and otherwise food obsessed gal behind Lauren From Scratch. I was born and raised in New Orleans and lived in South Louisiana most of my life. Growing up around Cajun country has instilled a love of food that runs deep in my bones. I am passionate about food and teaching you how to make mouth-watering Louisiana inspired dishes in your own kitchen!
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