Quick and easy Cold Crab Dip recipe is a cinch to make in under 10 minutes. No cooking required makes this the perfect party appetizer for every occasion. So good, in fact, it will vanish quicker than it did to make it!

Crab dip in a crab bowl with crackers.


Cold Crab Dip

It’s summer, people. And I have summer recipes, like Cold Crab Dip, I want to share with you.

The pool is open….the ocean is warm and we can call in sick for some much needed quite time sitting by the pool (or the lake or just on the sofa). The Best Crab Dip in one hand…..Frozen Prosecco in the other.

Plus, we have a boatload of parties on the horizon for the next few months and a quick and easy crab dip recipe is so handy to have in your back pocket for last minute soirees. We’ve been making this dip recipe for years and it’s my go-to for balmy summer evenings when it’s too hot to cook a thing.

This Cold Crab Dip recipe is very similar to my cheesy Hot Crab Dip recipe that is super popular. It’s creamy and light with tons of lump crab in it. It’s one of my favorite dip recipes ever because it’s so simple to make in just a matter of minutes.

Cold Crab Dip with a spreader in it.

Ingredients For Crab Dip

The shopping list for the best crab dip recipe is pretty simple and I’m willing to bet you have most of the ingredients in your kitchen already.

  • Cream Cheese – You can use vegan cream cheese in place of regular cream cheese and because it’s served cold you can even substitute a low fat cream cheese in this recipe with great results.
  • Sour Cream – I like to use full fat sour cream but you can cut some calories by swapping out a low fat sour cream.
  • Mayonnaise – I’m a real mayonnaise fan but you can substitute with your favorite mayo.
  • Pepper Jack Cheese – If you’re not a fan of the spice, use colby jack, instead.
  • Sharp Cheddar Cheese – Sharp cheddar gives it a nice hit of flavor but feel free to use regular cheddar if you like.
  • Finely Minced Onion – Don’t skip out on the chopping here. Make sure the onion is finely minced because nobody liked big hunks of raw onion in their dip.
  • Garlic – Use fresh only and finely mince it like you did the onion. Grating it is even better!
  • Worcestershire Sauce – If you don’t have Worcestershire sauce, fish sauce is an excellent substitute.
  • Tabasco (or other hot sauce) – If you don’t like things spicy, skip it and serve it on the side so guests can give their crackers and dip a little splash!
  • Lemon Juice – Fresh is best here, nothing from a bottle.
  • Salt and Pepper – I like kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper for the best flavor.
  • Jumbo Lump Crab Meat – Though expensive, jumbo lump crab meat is the best for this dip. If you need to go a little more budget friendly, regular lump mixed with backfin crab is also quite tasty.

If you want to add some crunch, you can fold in some finely chopped celery or carrot, too. But it’s totally not necessary. You can also make this crab dip without cream cheese but the consistency will be a little smoother and less firm, more like a sour cream dip. Simply double the amount of sour cream and mayonnaise while omitting the cream cheese.

Want a taste of the Maryland Eastern Shore? Stir in a sprinkle of Old Bay Seasoning!

Cold Crab dip on a cracker with a spreader next to it on a wooden board.

How To Make Crab Dip

This easy Crab Dip with cream cheese is super simple to whip up in minutes and uses ingredients you can easily find at any grocery store. Be sure to use Jumbo Lump Crab Meat or Lump Crab meat for best results.

  1. In a large bowl, beat together the cream cheese, mayonnaise and sour cream with a hand mixer until smooth.
  2. Stir in the pepper jack, cheddar, onion, garlic, Worcestershire, Tabasco, lemon juice, salt and pepper until thoroughly combined.
  3. Fold in the crab and transfer to a serving dish.Serve with crackers, veggies or your favorite parmesan crisps!

You can easily turn this into a Baked Crab Dip by transferring it to a baking dish and popping it in a 325 degree oven for 20-25 minutes.

Storage Tips

You can safely store Cold Crab Dip in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days. I love to make this dip in advance because I feel like it tastes even better the next day and how awesome is it to have one dish already to go for your party! 

I do not recommend freezing crab dip because the ingredients could turn grainy and separate while thawing.

What To Serve With Crab Dip

We like to serve our Cold Crab Dip with a variety of crackers or crudite (vegetables) but you could also serve it alongside a big loaf of Brioche cut into chunks. Toasted Crostini works well and so do these easy Parmesan Crisps for a low carb, gluten free option.

Another option, is to serve your cold crab dip with cocktail sauce to spread on crackers with a kick.

Crab dip in a bowl shaped like a white crab.

What is Jumbo Lump Crab Meat?

Jumbo Lump Crab Meat is like a gift from the heavens. It comes from the Blue Crab and consists of whole lumps of white meat from the body of the crab with no cartilage or shell. This is a premium quality crabmeat with a premium price tag because of the labor involved in obtaining the meat.

It’s the only thing I’ll use to make my homemade crab cakes and these crab cake sandwiches.

Substitutions for Jumbo Lump Crab Meat

It’s my recommendation to not replace the Jumbo Lump Crab in this recipe BUT if you’re trying to keep costs in check you can certainly use Backfin Crab meat in this recipe without compromising the flavor too much.

Backfin crabmeat consists of some lump crab and broken pieces of body meat.

So, now you can have one of the best party appetizers ever that is sure to be a crowd pleaser. This is by far the BEST Crab Dip Recipe ever….other than my Hot Crab Dip but either way, this dip is sure to vanish as soon as you put it down on the appetizer table.

Cold crab dip on a butter cracker.

More Easy Dip Recipes

For more easy appetizer ideas, follow us on Instagram and Facebook!

Crab dip in a bowl shaped like a white crab.

Get the Recipe: The Best Cold Crab Dip Recipe

Yield: 15
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Chilling Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Super easy Cold Crab Dip recipe that's ready in minutes with no cooking required.
4.67 from 3 votes
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Ingredients

  • 8 ounce cream cheese at room temperature
  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/4 cup sour cream
  • 1 cup grated pepper jack cheese
  • 1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
  • 1/4 cup minced onion
  • 1 garlic clove minced
  • 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon Tabasco sauce or other hot sauce
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  • 1 pound jumbo lump crab picked over for shells

Equipment

Instructions 

  • In a large bowl, beat together the cream cheese, mayonnaise and sour cream with a hand mixer until smooth.
  • Stir in the pepper jack, cheddar, onion, garlic, worcestershire, Tabasco, lemon juice, salt and pepper until thoroughly combined.
  • Fold in the crab and transfer to a small serving dish.
  • Chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour or overnight. Serve with crackers or crisp fresh vegetables for dipping.

Notes

Cold Crab Dip can be made up for 5 days in advance. Some separation may occur so give it a good stir before serving. 
For garnish, sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley and lemon zest for freshness!
Calories: 171kcal, Carbohydrates: 2g, Protein: 10g, Fat: 14g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Cholesterol: 48mg, Sodium: 527mg, Potassium: 114mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 368IU, Vitamin C: 4mg, Calcium: 145mg, Iron: 1mg
Author: Kellie
Course: Appetizer, dip
Cuisine: American, Southern