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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 or even crab salad. 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
Easy Cold Crab Dip Recipe with Cream Cheese - 5 Minutes
Learn how to make crab dip! This EASY cold crab dip recipe with cream cheese (crab meat dip) needs just 5 minutes + 6 ingredients.
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Ingredients
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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 are provided as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see our nutrition policy.
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47 Comments
Dennell Skala
0My husband is diabetic and we’re doing keto to keep his sugar down since can’t afford the meds. I like being creative to give him tasty meals so he doesn’t feel deprived
Betty Flores
0Yes
Robin
0Thanks 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
0I really like this recipe. Next time I thought about using smoked salmon instead. What do you think?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Kathryn, That sounds like it would be a great idea.
Susan
0How can it have no carbs with cream cheese and sour cream? I haven’t made it but the recipe sounds good.
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Susan, If you have questions regarding how I calculated net carbs please refer to our Nutrition Policy.
JoAnne
0I 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
0Your 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
0This is so easy and delicious! Thank you
Donna
0I 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
0Hi 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
0Amazing dip . I ended up putting cayenne pepper and two chopped jalapeño peppers instead of the chives. My family likes spicy
Nancy Szymaowski
0Can you use imitation crab?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Nancy, Yes, you can, if you’re fine with the ingredients. Imitation crab typically has starch and sugar added.
Louise jones
0I put slap ur mama seasoning its real good plus I cut little bit green pepper
Erin Dee
0This was a big hit! Delicious!
Suzy
0Love that I can snack on this guilt free!
Andrea Metlika
0Oh my, dips are my jam too! I also eat mine with mainly sweet peppers or other veggies.
Beth Pierce
0This is one good looking dip! Perfect for Memorial Day weekend! I love your presentation, as well-fabulous!
Jen
0I love this recipe! The crispy peppers are a perfect dipping vessel and any excuse to enjoy more crab! YUM
Sylvie
0Such a perfect dish to serve as an appetizer for a dinner party! Thanks for all the ideas of what to serve with it 🙂
Carrie
0Such a great recipe. Just love crab and what better way to eat it than in a dip. Yum! Thank you for sharing.
Lauren Vavala
0Sending 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
0I made this for our Preakness viewing party. It’s delicious! Thanks for sharing. I’ll be keeping this recipe.
Sarah
0I 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
0Hi 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
0Hi 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
0Can you use canned crab meat?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Jill, Yes, definitely!
Jill
0Thank 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
0Does this work with low fat cream cheese and sour cream?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Charity, Yes, that would definitely work!
Randi
0Can the calorie count only be 29 or is that a misprint?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Randi, It’s 41 calories per serving, which is 2 tbsp.
Randi
0Thank you very very much, I love it!
Janette
0Crab 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
0I am so happy you liked it, Janette! Have a great day!
Michael D Woods
0Rather 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
0Hi 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
0I would maybe add 3/4 tsp horseradish for a little zip
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Great idea, Eileen! Thank you!
Stanley Yudys
0As an added extra try pouring shrimp cocktail sauce over the crab cheesecake and serve with low carb pretzels. Delicious!!!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thanks, Stanley! I’ll have to try that sometime!
Eileen Bartel
0Seafood sauce drizzled over top would be a nice addition.
Melia Diva
0Can this be heated in the oven? Or is is best served cold?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Yes, it’s good both hot and cold!