Name: Easy Cold Crab Dip Recipe with Cream Cheese - 5 Minutes
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Ingredients: 4 oz Cream cheese ((softened)); 3 tbsp Sour cream; 1 tsp Lemon juice; 1/4 tsp Old Bay seasoning ((adjust more or less to taste)); 8 oz Lump crab meat ((squeezed to remove any water/moisture)); 2 tbsp Chives ((chopped))

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You have probably figured this out by now, but quick and simple recipes are my JAM! And this easy cold crab dip recipe with cream cheese (aka crab meat dip) is just that. It takes 5 minutes to make and just 6 ingredients. Not only is it fast and easy, but it’s also a delicious way to enjoy seafood. And even though it sounds a little fancy, the ingredients to make this homemade crab dip are surprisingly basic! I usually just need to pick up some crab meat, we always have everything else at home. It’s time to learn how to make crab dip.

When we entertain or host parties, I love to have an assortment of dips like French onion dip, spinach dip, or Queso dip. They are the perfect way to have a little something for everyone. Everyone loves dips.

And it’s perfect because then I can also serve an assortment of dippers to accompany the dips! It’s such an easy way to include snacks that are both low carb and not. Everyone’s happy.

Plus, this cold crab meat dip is sure to impress all your guests. Crab instantly elevates a dip, don’t you think? Everyone will think it’s such a treat, and you don’t have to tell them exactly how easy it is to make, just that it’s the best cold crab dip recipe out there. 🙂 If you prefer a warm version, try hot crab dip instead!

With summer around the corner, I can’t wait to fire up the grill with some perfectly juicy burgers, throw together a big ole salad, and snack on this (naturally) low carb crab dip with cream cheese. Mmm.

How To Make Crab Dip with Cream Cheese

Wondering how to make crab dip at home? You’ve come to the right spot.

To make this chilled crab dip, grab your blender and blend together:

Cream cheese
Sour cream
Lemon juice
Old Bay seasoning

TIP: If you like spicy crab dip, add some cayenne pepper for a little kick.

After the base is done, you’ll fold in:

Lump crab meat
Chives

Then, just refrigerate your crab and cream cheese dip until ready to serve.

How To Make Hot or Cold Crab Dip

You can serve this easy crab dip recipe cold or hot! The instructions for cold are above.

To make it hot, it’s exactly the same, but then just bake it in the oven until it’s hot. Add a little shredded or grated parmesan cheese before you bake it to get a nice, cheesy crust.

Is Canned Lump Crab Meat Good?

Yes! Canned lump crab meat is good and it’s perfect for recipes like this cold seafood dip. Typically, lump crab meat is a mix of broken pieces of jumbo lump crab meat – so it’s high-quality crab meat, that’s broken into smaller pieces, which is just what we want for an easy cold crab dip recipe. If you happen to cook crab legs, you can also use any leftover meat for this dip.

How Many Calories In Cold Crab Dip?

There are 41 calories in this cold crab dip recipe. The full nutrition stats are listed in the recipe card below, but here are some of the highlights. Each serving (2 tablespoons) of this easy crab dip with cream cheese has:

41 calories
2 grams fat
3 grams protein
0 grams carbohydrates

Can You Make Easy Crab Dip Ahead?

Yes, you can make easy crab dip ahead. It’s one of the reasons I love it so much. After you mix up the cold crab dip with real crab, refrigerate it until you’re ready to serve it.

It will get even better with time, as the flavors come together. So you can make it a day or two ahead, which makes it perfect if you’re hosting a party or get-together.

Can You Freeze Cold Crab Dip?

No, you really shouldn’t freeze cold crab dip. As a general rule of thumb, it’s not advised to freeze dairy like cream cheese, milk, etc. as the texture will change in the freezing and thawing process.

What To Serve With Crab Meat Dip

This is obviously the perfect cold crab dip for crackers, but there are so many other dipping options:

Cucumber slices
Mini peppers (my favorite)
Celery sticks
Keto Low Carb Tortilla Chips – You can include these low carb tortilla chips and regular tortilla chips.
Keto Fathead Crackers – These popular keto crackers are sturdy enough to scoop.
Keto Low Carb Bagels – Serve cold crab salads as part of a bagel breakfast buffet. You can also include cucumber slices, tomato slices, smoked salmon, and a variety of cream cheeses.

I like to include a variety of colors and textures when serving it for a party so that there’s a little something for everyone.

Tools To Make Cold Crab Dip

Tap the links below to see the items used to make this recipe.

High-Powder Blender – It’s an investment, but there’s not much this blender can’t do and I use mine daily. It will make blending up the base of this healthy crab dip cold really easy!
Glass Chip & Dip Set – Show off this dip and colorful vegetables in this glass chip & dip set.
Silicone Kitchen Utensil Set – I love the variety of spatulas and cooking tools – no need to worry about scratching pans.

Easy Cold Crab Dip Recipe with Cream Cheese - 5 Minutes

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Ingredients

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4 oz Cream cheese (softened) ▢
3 tbsp Sour cream ▢
1 tsp Lemon juice ▢
1/4 tsp Old Bay seasoning (adjust more or less to taste) ▢
8 oz Lump crab meat (squeezed to remove any water/moisture) ▢
2 tbsp Chives (chopped) ▢

Instructions

Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.

Blend together the cream cheese, sour cream, lemon juice, and seasoning in a blender or food processor, until smooth.
Fold in the crab meat and chives using a spatula. (Do this gently and don't over-mix. You want some lumps of crab throughout.)
Transfer to a bowl, cover in plastic wrap, and chill until ready to serve.

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Recipe Notes

Serving size: 2 tbsp

Nutrition Facts

Amount per serving. Serving size in recipe notes above.

Calories 41

Fat 2g

Protein 3g

Total Carbs 0g

Net Carbs 0g

Fiber 0g

Sugar 0g

Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see our nutrition policy.

Course: Appetizer, Snack

Cuisine: American

Keywords: cold crab dip recipe

Calories: 41 kcal

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46 Comments

Betty Flores
0 February 11, 2023Reply

Yes
Robin
0 October 18, 2022Reply

Thanks for the recipe, it gives us a good place to start. We used our fresh caught Dungeness crab, and found that the crab flavor got a bit lost in the cream cheese. We’ll keep trying though!
Kathryn Corsiatto
0 August 13, 2022Reply

I really like this recipe. Next time I thought about using smoked salmon instead. What do you think?
- Wholesome Yum D
  0 August 15, 2022Reply
  
  Hi Kathryn, That sounds like it would be a great idea.
Susan
0 November 5, 2021Reply

How can it have no carbs with cream cheese and sour cream? I haven’t made it but the recipe sounds good.
- Wholesome Yum D
  0 November 8, 2021Reply
  
  Hi Susan, If you have questions regarding how I calculated net carbs please refer to our Nutrition Policy.
JoAnne
0 October 1, 2021Reply

I just made it for a get together for tomorrow and found tasting it, it was a bit bland but hopefully, if it sits in the fridge till tomorrow night it will taste a bit better…….if not any suggestions would be appreciated!
Sue
0 July 8, 2021Reply

Your crab dip was delicious. This recipe is a keeper and I will definitely make it again. Just wanted to mention if you enjoy Bloody Mary’s, try rimming your glass with Old Bay. I first had this in Las Vegas and have been doing it since.
Lillie Hussey
0 September 26, 2020Reply

This is so easy and delicious! Thank you
Donna
0 July 17, 2020Reply

I tried this dish and found the flavour lacking. It was very bland, so I doubled the Old Bay and added quite a lot of seafood sauce to get some zest. I would not make this again.
- Wholesome Yum M
  0 July 25, 2020Reply
  
  Hi Donna, I’m sorry this recipe didn’t turn out as expected. I’m glad you were able to adjust the seasonings to meet your tastes.
Susan Cardoso
0 June 26, 2020Reply

Amazing dip . I ended up putting cayenne pepper and two chopped jalapeño peppers instead of the chives. My family likes spicy
Nancy Szymaowski
0 June 10, 2019Reply

Can you use imitation crab?
- Maya | Wholesome Yum
  0 June 12, 2019Reply
  
  Hi Nancy, Yes, you can, if you’re fine with the ingredients. Imitation crab typically has starch and sugar added.
  - Louise jones
    0 April 24, 2022Reply
    
    I put slap ur mama seasoning its real good plus I cut little bit green pepper
Erin Dee
0 May 26, 2019Reply

This was a big hit! Delicious!
Suzy
0 May 24, 2019Reply

Love that I can snack on this guilt free!
Andrea Metlika
0 May 24, 2019Reply

Oh my, dips are my jam too! I also eat mine with mainly sweet peppers or other veggies.
Beth Pierce
0 May 24, 2019Reply

This is one good looking dip! Perfect for Memorial Day weekend! I love your presentation, as well-fabulous!
Jen
0 May 24, 2019Reply

I love this recipe! The crispy peppers are a perfect dipping vessel and any excuse to enjoy more crab! YUM
Sylvie
0 May 24, 2019Reply

Such a perfect dish to serve as an appetizer for a dinner party! Thanks for all the ideas of what to serve with it 🙂
Carrie
0 May 24, 2019Reply

Such a great recipe. Just love crab and what better way to eat it than in a dip. Yum! Thank you for sharing.
Lauren Vavala
0 May 24, 2019Reply

Sending this to my fiance asap! He LOVES crab dip but makes a baked one and always finds a way to ruin it haha! He will love how easy this recipe is!
Debra
0 May 19, 2019Reply

I made this for our Preakness viewing party. It’s delicious! Thanks for sharing. I’ll be keeping this recipe.
Sarah
0 May 4, 2019Reply

I love this recipe. Everyone at my work begs me to bring it in all the time. I use green onions instead of chives though. Just my preference. Great recipe though.
Jelka
0 February 27, 2019Reply

Hi Maya,

I want to say that I love your recipes. I hate to cook but love to eat and need to lose some weight so your, keto, minimal ingredient, delicious dishes are right up my alley.

I want to make crab dip but I have no idea what Old Bay Spice is. It is not a common thing here in Canada. What could I substitute for it?
- Maya | Wholesome Yum
  0 May 27, 2019Reply
  
  Hi Jelka, It’s a blend of spices, and should be available in Canada as well. If you tap the link on the recipe card above, it should take you to where you can buy it online.
Jill
0 December 16, 2018Reply

Can you use canned crab meat?
- Maya | Wholesome Yum
  0 December 16, 2018Reply
  
  Hi Jill, Yes, definitely!
  - Jill
    0 December 17, 2018Reply
    
    Thank you! Just wanted to make sure. I’m assuming fresh would be better and wanted to make sure canned would still be good. Taking it as appetizer Christmas Eve… centered around a gumbo ! Merry Christmas
Charity
0 November 15, 2018Reply

Does this work with low fat cream cheese and sour cream?
- Maya | Wholesome Yum
  0 November 18, 2018Reply
  
  Hi Charity, Yes, that would definitely work!
Randi
0 October 14, 2018Reply

Can the calorie count only be 29 or is that a misprint?
- Maya | Wholesome Yum
  0 October 26, 2018Reply
  
  Hi Randi, It’s 41 calories per serving, which is 2 tbsp.
  - Randi
    0 October 27, 2018Reply
    
    Thank you very very much, I love it!
Janette
0 September 4, 2018Reply

Crab is such a delicate flavor. I find, for me, too much seasoning ruins the subtly of this dish. I loved it the way it is. Thank you for sharing this.
- Maya | Wholesome Yum
  0 September 7, 2018Reply
  
  I am so happy you liked it, Janette! Have a great day!
Michael D Woods
0 August 27, 2018Reply

Rather bland. Perhaps Maya is Swedish like Mom, who hardly seasoned anything.
Try this: Increase Old Bay to ½ tsp+, add ½ tsp+ Cajun seasoning (Tony Chachere’s or Zatarain’s) and maybe a dash of sea salt–or try some black pepper for some of the other seasonings. I wish I had thought of the horseradish others mentioned since I Iike that too, but you don’t get the color of Old Bay or Cajun. I didn’t have chives but finely chopped celery also gives color and a little crunch besides. It may seem peppery when sampled but that becomes diluted on crackers. I saved my mods to my own recipe file and will use this a lot!
- Maya | Wholesome Yum
  0 September 1, 2018Reply
  
  Hi Michael, Sorry to hear you found it bland. I’m not Swedish and do love to use seasonings. 🙂 Sometimes I balance seasoning a lot with a more mild taste that a greater majority will like, but you can easily add seasonings to your liking. I thought the Old Bay was pretty flavorful. Thank you for sharing your version with us.
eileen bartel
0 July 21, 2018Reply

I would maybe add 3/4 tsp horseradish for a little zip
- Maya | Wholesome Yum
  0 July 22, 2018Reply
  
  Great idea, Eileen! Thank you!
Stanley Yudys
0 February 1, 2018Reply

As an added extra try pouring shrimp cocktail sauce over the crab cheesecake and serve with low carb pretzels. Delicious!!!
- Maya | Wholesome Yum
  0 February 2, 2018Reply
  
  Thanks, Stanley! I’ll have to try that sometime!
- Eileen Bartel
  0 July 21, 2018Reply
  
  Seafood sauce drizzled over top would be a nice addition.
Melia Diva
0 August 15, 2017Reply

Can this be heated in the oven? Or is is best served cold?
- Maya | Wholesome Yum
  0 August 18, 2017Reply
  
  Yes, it’s good both hot and cold!