This cheesy hot crab dip recipe is brilliant in its simplicity. It’s quick to throw together and easily customisable to your own taste. A real party pleaser!
Explore our Christmas recipe collection for more holiday inspiration!
Holidays are only days away and excitement is building in our family. We can’t wait to begin celebrating. Bring on the bubbly, tasty little bites and everything sparkly!
This hot crab dip recipe I am sharing with you today is a variation on the crab and corn salad I make every New Year’s Eve without fail. The recipe came from my mom, and the woman knows how to cook!
I didn’t think it was possible to improve on it but I am pretty sure I just did, and I feel like doing a happy dance.
How to make it
Making this crab dip is easier than easy. Roast the corn with olive oil in the oven until slightly charred and caramelised. This little step adds loads of flavour!
Once that is done, simply combine cream cheese, mayonnaise, roasted corn, sharp cheddar, jarred marinated red peppers, green onions, black pepper and crab meat in a bowl. Spread in a small shallow baking dish and bake in the preheated oven till hot and bubbly.
What crab meat to use
The crab salad, which initially inspired this dip, used imitation crab and canned corn. You are probably rolling your eyes right now but believe me it’s surprisingly delicious.
For this hot dip I decided to go big and used REAL fresh crab and roasted corn! Yum times 1,000, that’s what I got. Canned crab meat will also work.
If you don’t want to use real crab, which is expensive, go ahead and throw shrimp into it.
Serving Suggestions
Serve with assorted crackers, sliced baguette or sourdough bread.
More dip recipes:
- Creamy Cranberry and Chorizo Dip
- Smoked Cheddar Southwestern Dip
- Whipped Feta and Ricotta Dip with Mint Pistachio Pesto
- Creamy Cilantro Walnut Dip
This recipe was originally published 12/2013. Updated with new photos and text in 12/2020.
Ingredients
- 175g/1 cup frozen corn
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 135g/1 cup crab meat chopped - 1 cup
- 1 marinated red pepper from a jar, chopped
- 4 green onions sliced
- 175g/2/3 cup cream cheese
- 85g/1/3 cup mayonnaise I used low fat
- 120g/1 cup mature English cheddar or your favourite cheese, grated
- black pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a shallow dish or a skillet combine corn with olive oil and roast in the oven at 400F/200C for 15 minutes, stirring once in a while until corn is slightly charred and caramelised.
- Meanwhile, pick through your crab meat making sure there is no cartilage left. Combine cream cheese and mayonnaise until smooth in a medium bowl. To the same bowl add roasted corn, chopped crab meat, chopped red pepper, sliced onions and shredded cheese. Stir to combine and season with a pinch of freshly ground pepper.
- Return to the same shallow dish in which you roasted corn and bake for 20 minutes at 400F/200C until hot and bubbly.
- Serve with crackers or crusty bread.
