This Cheesy Hot Cajun Crab Dip With Cream Cheese is super easy to make and is the perfect appetizer or party food when served with Ritz crackers or crusty bread. (Psst - it also works great as a cold dip!)
Love a good crab dip recipe? This one is the BEST for so many reasons. I love that you can serve it as a cold or hot dip, and I LOVE the cajun twist, which gives this such a nice subtle spice. It's the perfect dip for parties, tailgates game day, or even when you just want a small taste of New Orleans!
Why This Recipe Works
- Easy. This easy appetizer is quick to make and uses just a few ingredients.
- Serve it hot or cold. Plus, you can serve it hot or cold making it an easy recipe to make ahead.
- Great party food. This is the perfect appetizer for your game day or for your next gathering.
- That cajun kick! We all love a good crab dip but the cajun spices in this hot cajun crab dip put this dip over the top and give it a nice cajun twist.
- The cream cheese. I love this recipe with cream cheese, which adds an additional creaminess to this cheesy crab dip.
- It can also be a spread! While this works great as a dip, it’s also a great cajun crab spread that you can use in everything from sandwiches to an app served with crusty bread or buttery Ritz crackers!
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this delicious appetizer:
- Lump crab meat. The star of the show! You’ll want to use lump crab meat, which comes from the body of the crab, in this recipe as it will yield a much better taste than imitation crab meat or fake crab. If fresh crab is an option for you, that’s also a great way to go! Either regular or jumbo lump crab meat is fine to use (the regular size is typically a bit more affordable).
- Cream cheese. Use regular, cream cheese for this spicy cajun crab dip. It adds a great additional creaminess to the dip and the cheese sauce bubbles up nicely when baked.
- Mayonnaise. This helps thin the cream cheese out a bit and makes it more “dippable”.
- Onion and red pepper. I used a little bit of fresh onion and red pepper for this recipe for some added texture and flavor.
- Worcestershire sauce. This adds to the flavor of the dip and gives it a bit of a hint of umami.
- Horseradish. For some extra spice.
- Good Cajun seasoning. I love using a homemade cajun seasoning blend here but you can just as easily use one from the store. Tony Chachere and Old Bay seasoning are popular options.
How To Make Hot Cajun Crab Dip With Cream Cheese
This hot crab dip is easy to make and takes just a few steps. Here’s how to do it:
1. Prepare your baking dish. Start by preheating the oven to 325. Prepare a 2-cup roasting dish by greasing it with butter or spraying it with a non-stick cooking spray. (You could also use a small cast iron skillet.)
2. Make the cheese mixture. In a large bowl, combine the cream cheese, mayonnaise, onion, red pepper, horseradish, Worcestershire sauce, and cajun seasoning.
3. Add the crab. Stir in the lump crab meat and mix everything until it’s well combined, then transfer it to your prepared roasting dish or skillet.
4. Bake. Bake the cheesy crab dip for 25 minutes, or until the dip has heated through and the top is a nice golden brown.
5. Serve. Serve the hot cajun crab dip with Ritz crackers.
Variations And Substitutions
This cajun crab dip recipe is perfect as is, but you can modify it to your liking by making some of the below substitutions or additions.
- Make it cheesier. Add some cheddar cheese or Monterey jack cheese to make this cheesy crab dip even cheesier!
- Spice it up! Make it a bit spicier by adjusting the amount of cajun or creole seasoning you add, or by adding your favorite hot sauce, like Frank’s Red Hot, to the dip.
- Sub in spices. Don’t have fresh onion or red bell pepper on hand? Use a small dash of onion powder and cayenne pepper instead.
- Add some garlic! Some fresh minced garlic, or even garlic powder would also add some nice flavor to this cajun crab dip recipe.
- Add some green onions. These complement the crab and cream cheese mixture well and add a nice garnish to the top of the dip.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! While this is a great hot crab dip, you can also serve it as a cold dip. I still like to bake it so that all the flavors melt into each other and the cheese becomes creamy, but once it’s baked, let it come to room temperature and just pop it in the refrigerator. You can pull it out and serve it as a cold dip once you’re ready for it.
Technically you could, but I find that imitation crab meat doesn’t work as well in this crab dip and doesn’t have nearly as good of crab flavor as real crab meat does. I’d highly recommend that you use lump crab meat for this dip, but fake crab meat could work in a pinch.
Storing this seafood dip is easy. Just allow it to come to room temperature, place it in an airtight container, and store it in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Yes! I love mixing up the crab dip early before a party and then just popping it in the oven before guests arrive. Alternatively, you could bake it early place it in the fridge until needed, and then just serve it as a cold dip.
Yes! The quantity here is for 2 cups of dip so while it can be made in the crock pot, you’ll want to use a smaller-sized crock pot here so that the dip doesn’t cook too quickly if it’s spread across a larger surface. I’d use no larger than a 2-quart crock pot here and would cook the dip on low for about 2-3 hours, or until the cheese mixture has melted and is hot.
How to serve this spicy cajun crab dip
There are lots of things you could serve with this dip. Here are my favorites:
- Buttery Ritz crackers. By far, my favorite scoop for this delicious dip. These crackers go perfectly with and the buttery flavor mellows out the spice nicely.
- Tortilla chips. Another great option! Use a sturdy store-bought version or make your own tortilla chips!
- Crusty bread. Scoop up that delicious cheesy crab dip with a hunk of crusty bread.
- Veggies. While maybe not the best “scoop”, this dip works nicely alongside some cut celery and carrots.
If you make this Cheesy Hot Cajun Crab Dip With Cream Cheese, let me know what you think in the comments! And don’t forget to tag me with a pic @frontrangefed on Instagram so I can see your masterpiece!
More Easy Appetizers
- Easy 7 Layer Greek Dip
- Sheet Pan Nachos With Chorizo
- Spicy Guacamole Fresco
- Cherry Salsa
- 5-Minute Pineapple Salsa
- Chipotle Corn Salsa With Roasted Chili
Recipe
Hot Cajun Crab Dip With Cream Cheese
Ingredients
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp minced onion
- 2 tablespoon minced red bell pepper
- 1 teaspoon horseradish drained
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1-2 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
- 1 6 oz can lump crab meat drained
- Ritz Crackers for serving
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 325 degrees and grease a 2-cup roasting dish with butter or non-stick cooking spray. (You could also use a small cast iron skillet.)
- Combine the cream cheese, mayonnaise, onion, red pepper, horseradish, Worcestershire sauce, and Cajun seasoning in a large bowl.
- Stir in the lump crab meat.
- Transfer the crab dip to the prepared dish or skillet.
- Bake the cajun crab dip for 25 minutes, or until the dip has heated through and the top is a nice golden brown.
- Serve with Ritz crackers, tortilla chips, or crusty bread.
Notes
- Use lump crab meat for this recipe, not imitation crab, for a richer taste.
- To serve cold, bake as directed, then store in the fridge until ready to serve.
- Store leftover cajun crab dip in an air-tight container for up to 4 days.
Giangi Townsend says
So gooooood!!!! I love crab dip, and yours was out of this world. I love the kick of heat, but it is not overpowering. Made it for book club, and everyone raved over it.
Sarah Jenkins says
Thanks Giangi!
Janice says
I recently made this hot cajun crab dip, and it was so good! Best paired with chips!! A must-try indeed!
Sarah Jenkins says
Thank you Janice!
Sharon says
This dip recipe turned out great. I made it ahead and brought it to a party last week and everyone loved it! I got so many compliments.
Sarah Jenkins says
So glad to hear Sharon!
claudia says
This crap dip had kick! I loved it, the dip was nice and creamy and so simple to make, I won't be buying any crab dips from the store anymore thanks to your recipe!
Sarah Jenkins says
Haha - love the spice! So glad you liked it!
Jane says
Oh, this is sooo good! I've never had crab dip before, but I just tried it for the first time and it's totally my new favorite thing.
Sarah Jenkins says
Thanks Jane!