Ingredients
Scale
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- ½ cup mayonnaise (not Miracle Whip)
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
- ½ cup shredded pepper jack cheese
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 lb lump crab meat (fresh, canned, or pasteurized), picked over for shells
- 2-3 jalapeños, seeded and finely diced (or ¼ cup pickled jalapeños, drained)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 green onions, thinly sliced (divided)
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1-2 teaspoons hot sauce (Frank’s RedHot or your favorite), adjust to taste
- 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional, for extra heat)
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
For Serving:
- Butter crackers (Ritz or Club crackers)
- Toasted baguette slices
- Pita chips
- Celery sticks
- Bell pepper strips
- Endive leaves
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease an 8-inch or 9-inch baking dish, pie plate, or small cast iron skillet with cooking spray or butter. Set aside.
- Mix the creamy base: In a medium mixing bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, mayonnaise, and sour cream. Using a rubber spatula or electric mixer, beat until completely smooth and well combined with no lumps remaining. This creamy base is the foundation of your dip, so take your time to get it perfectly smooth.
- Add the seasonings: To the cream cheese mixture, add the minced garlic, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, Old Bay seasoning, cayenne pepper (if using), smoked paprika, black pepper, and salt. Stir until all the seasonings are evenly distributed throughout the mixture. Taste and adjust the heat level if needed—remember, the flavors will meld and intensify slightly as it bakes.
- Fold in cheese and aromatics: Add ½ cup of the shredded cheddar cheese, all of the pepper jack cheese, the Parmesan cheese, diced jalapeños, and half of the sliced green onions (reserve the rest for garnish). Gently fold everything together until evenly combined.
- Add the crab: Very gently fold in the crab meat, being careful not to break up the lumps too much. You want to maintain those beautiful chunks of crab throughout the dip. Use a folding motion rather than stirring vigorously.
- Transfer to baking dish: Spread the crab mixture evenly into your prepared baking dish, smoothing the top with a spatula. Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup of shredded cheddar cheese evenly over the top—this will create a beautiful golden, bubbly crust.
- Bake until golden: Place the baking dish on the center rack of your preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, until the dip is hot throughout, bubbling around the edges, and the cheese on top is melted and starting to turn golden brown. If you want extra browning on top, you can turn on the broiler for the last 1-2 minutes, but watch it carefully to prevent burning.
- Garnish and serve: Remove from the oven and let it cool for about 5 minutes (this allows it to set slightly and prevents burned tongues). Garnish with the reserved sliced green onions and chopped fresh parsley. Serve immediately while hot with your choice of dippers arranged around the dish.
Notes
- Crab meat options: Fresh is always best, but good quality canned or pasteurized crab meat works beautifully and is much more budget-friendly. Avoid imitation crab if possible, as the texture and flavor won’t be as impressive.
- Adjust the heat: For a milder version, omit the cayenne pepper and use only 1 teaspoon hot sauce with 1 jalapeño. For extra spicy, increase the cayenne to 1 teaspoon and add diced fresh habanero peppers.
- Make it ahead: Assemble the entire dip up to 24 hours in advance, cover tightly, and refrigerate. Add 5-10 minutes to the baking time if baking from cold.
- Don’t overbake: The dip is done when it’s hot throughout and bubbling. Overbaking can cause the mixture to separate or become oily.
- Serving temperature: This dip is best served hot or warm. If it cools down during your party, you can return it to a 300°F oven for 5-10 minutes to warm through.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ⅓ cup (approximately)
- Calories: 285
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 485mg
- Fat: 24g
- Saturated Fat: 11g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 4g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 14g
- Cholesterol: 85mg