This copycat dip from Joe's Crab Shack is rich, cheesy, and chock-full of crab.
3 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon butter, softened
1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/8 teaspoon paprika
2 tablespoons finely diced onions
2 tablespoons finely diced green bell pepper
1/4 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
6 ounces crab meat, flaked and picked over for shells
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
In a bowl, combine the cream cheese, mayonnaise, sour cream, and butter with a mixer until smooth. Sprinkle with the salt and paprika and blend.
Stir in by hand the onion, green bell pepper, mozzarella cheese, and crab until just mixed (stirring it too much will mash up the crab too much).
Spoon the crab dip into an oven safe chafing dish or casserole dish and bake at 350 degrees F for 10 to 15 minutes, or until bubbly in the middle.
Serve the crab dip with your favorite dippers (crackers, pita, veggies, etc).
Make sure all excess liquid is drained from the crab meat to prevent the dip from becoming too watery.
Don't overmix the dip once the crab meat is added so it doesn't break up too much.
You can sprinkle some extra cheese on top of the dip before baking for a cheesy crust.
For a tangier flavor, add a squeeze of lemon juice or a dash of Worcestershire sauce to the mixture.
For this crab dip, you can use either fresh or canned lump crab meat, making sure it's picked over for any shells.
While you can use imitation crab meat, it will have a different texture and flavor compared to real crab meat.
You can use thawed frozen crab meat for this recipe, just make sure it's drained well to prevent excess water in the dip.
You can assemble the dip ahead of time and keep it covered in the refrigerator. Bake it right before serving for the best results.
Store any leftover crab dip in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days. Reheat gently in the oven or microwave before serving.
This crab dip pairs well with crackers, bread, tortilla chips, sliced baguette, raw vegetables like carrots and cucumbers, or even pretzels.
Try adding garlic, Old Bay seasoning, cayenne pepper, or a squeeze of lemon juice.
You can experiment with different cheeses like cheddar, Gruyere, or Parmesan to create a different style dip.
To add heat to the crab dip, add some chopped jalapenos, crushed red pepper flakes, or a dash of hot sauce.
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reviews & comments
May 3, 2018
I made this wonderful dip using fake crab from Safeway. I minced RED bell peppers as so much more delicious than those awful green things! I was hoping to get a taste at my party, but it was all gone instantly!! Served with crostinis. Yum!!
February 9, 2017
Very tasty! I made this for superbowl & shared with my son & his college buddies. They LOVED it!
December 3, 2013
Instead of green bell peppers I used jalapenos! Outstanding!
What kind of crab meat should I use for this? Canned? Fresh?
July 1, 2013
BEST crab dip ever! I couldn't stop eating it!
October 8, 2012
Omitted the green pepper and used the old faithful onion soup mix. Also, no mozzarella cheese, so, again, to the old faithful Asigo & Sharp cheese for some kick. Delish! Thanks!
October 12, 2010
This was easy and its very good!! Being from maryland i changed the season salt to old bay. I added cheedar cheese on the top. Other than that great stuff!!!
October 19, 2009
This recipe was very easy and sooo very delicious!
June 13, 2009
I just made this for a neighbor's party and everyone raved about it. I also omitted the peppers. I used high quality canned crab and increased the servings to 16.
February 1, 2009
I thought that was just ok. I ate most of it because it was tasty, and I love dip. But I'd leave out the green peppers next time, they are too sweet and over power the crab taste. I'd also use more crab, more seasoning and cheddar cheese. I've had better crab and/or seafood dips.
December 30, 2008
DELICIOUS! DELICIOUS! This recipe was so simple to make and was a big hit at a holiday party recently. Even for green pepper haters (like my daughter), you'll love it--adds lots of flavor to recipe.
December 30, 2008
Terrific recipe! I needed a crab dip recipe at the last minute but I didn't have all the same ingredients that the recipe called for. I used half of the diced onion and 1 Tbsp. of the Lipton Onion Soup Mix. I used shredded Colby Jack cheese instead of Mozzarella. I also left out the green pepper. It was delicious!!
November 26, 2008
Perfect! We always get rave reviews at parties and family gathering! Give it a try!
October 8, 2008
This is not only one of the easiest crab dip recipes I've made, but also the most delicious! I hate green pepper so I didn't put that in, otherwise I followed the recipe to the tee. I've never used canned crab meat before, but the BumbleBee Lump Crabmeat in a can (near the canned Tuna at grocery stores) had no shell remnants and is actually very high quality - try it once and I'm sure you'll agree! I topped with a little extra shredded mozzarella to get a nice cheesy layer on top. 5 Stars from me!! :)