Hot Crab Dip with Imitation Crab
Cream cheese, cheddar, and a pound of chopped crab sticks under the broiler — the appetizer that disappears before anything else on the table.
Hot crab dip is the highest-return party dish in the surimi repertoire: fifteen minutes of work, one broiler-safe dish, and a result people hover over until it's scraped clean. Because imitation crab is fully cooked, the broiler only has to melt cheese and brown the top — there's no "is it done?" anxiety, and the cold version below skips heat entirely.
Ingredients (about 3 cups)
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened, + ⅓ cup mayonnaise + ¼ cup sour cream
- 1 lb imitation crab, chopped into small pieces (flake style saves time — brand guide)
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar, divided
- 2 scallions, sliced; 1 garlic clove, grated
- 1 tsp Worcestershire, 1 tsp lemon juice, ½ tsp Old Bay
- Crackers, toasted baguette, or celery sticks to serve
Method
- Beat the cream cheese, mayo, and sour cream until completely smooth — lumps now stay lumps forever. Stir in the scallions, garlic, Worcestershire, lemon juice, and Old Bay.
- Fold in the crab and half the cheddar. Spread into a shallow broiler-safe dish (a pie plate or small cast-iron pan is ideal — shallow means more hot, golden surface per scoop).
- Top with the remaining cheddar and broil 3–5 minutes, until bubbling at the edges and golden-spotted on top. Stay at the oven door; broilers don't give second chances.
- Rest 5 minutes — it goes from lava to perfect — and serve warm.
Old Bay seasoning → Mini cast-iron skillet →
The cold party version
Skip the cheddar and the broiler. Use the same cream cheese base, fold in the crab, and chill at least an hour so the flavors marry — you've essentially made a rich, spreadable cousin of kani salad. Cold dip travels well to potlucks, holds on a buffet without a warming tray, and keeps 3 days covered in the fridge. The hot version is best the day it's broiled, though leftovers reheat acceptably at 350°F for 10 minutes.
Make it yours
- Spicy: a seeded, minced jalapeño in the base, or a few dashes of hot sauce on top after broiling.
- Artichoke: a drained, chopped can of artichoke hearts turns it into crab-artichoke dip, stretching it for a bigger crowd.
- Extra golden: 2 tbsp grated parmesan mixed into the cheddar topping browns faster and deeper.
Planning notes
The un-broiled dip can be assembled a day ahead and kept covered in the fridge — add 2 minutes under the broiler from cold. Watch the salt: between the cheese, Old Bay, and the crab itself (surimi runs 500–800 mg sodium per 3 oz — see nutrition facts), the dip needs no added salt at all. If you're building a full appetizer spread, crab rangoon covers the crispy-fried corner while the dip holds down the warm-and-scoopable one, and one 1-lb package of crab conveniently splits between half batches of each. Opened leftovers of the crab itself follow the usual 3–4 day rule.
What to serve it with
Sturdiness is the only requirement — the dip is thick, and flimsy chips snap off inside it. Best performers: toasted baguette slices brushed with olive oil, thick woven wheat crackers, pita chips, and celery sticks for the low-carb corner of the table (the dip itself is far more keto-friendly than the crab alone — see the carb math). Soft pretzel bites are the crowd-pleaser upgrade if you're willing to warm a bag from the freezer aisle. Plan on roughly ¼ cup of dip per guest at a party with other food, which means this batch covers a dozen people — halve it in a pie plate for smaller gatherings.
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