Crab and Artichoke Dip

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Crab and Artichoke Dip is warm, creamy and oh so good! You HAVE to try this one! Loaded with chunks of artichoke, fresh crab meat and cheeses, it's the perfect party or game day appetizer!

Dips are one of those recipes that are great for parties, gatherings and game day. They're so easy to make, and so easy to serve. Just put them in a bowl, provide some sort of additional food item to dip into it and you are good to go!

This delicious hot and creamy Crab and Artichoke Dip recipe is one that I've been making for years, and it's always a hit! It's a great alternative to spinach artichoke dip if you're getting bored with that one.

Basically, all you need to do is mix together cream cheese, artichoke hearts, mayonnaise, Parmesan cheese, green onions, lump crab meat and a couple of seasonings, bake it in the oven in a baking dish and that's it!

Do I need to use fresh crab or can I use imitation?

Sometimes it may be difficult to find fresh lump crab meat, or it may be too expensive. In my grocery stores, I can usually find it in the seafood department.

Lump, claw, backfin?

There are normally two to three different varieties that vary in price. Since the crab is mixed in with a lot of other ingredients, I just use the cheapest of what's available since it does have a stronger flavor and won't get lost in all the other flavors of this dip. If I'm using crab in a recipe where the crab is more prominent, I would go with the more expensive variety, since the flavor is a bit more delicate.

Cook's Illustrated has a great breakdown of all the different types of crab available if you need more info!

Canned crab meat

A second option you can try is canned crab meat, which is found in the aisle with the canned tuna. If you decide to go with this option, make sure to carefully go through the crab meat and look and feel for small pieces of shell. A lot of times you'll find a couple in here, and it's not fun to bite into one of these!

Imitation crab meat (surimi)

A third option is imitation crab meat, or surimi, which is actually made from fish. There is nothing wrong with using this, and I actually like the sweet flavor it has. Just chop it up into bite sized pieces and it's as easy as that!

Ingredients used

The ingredients used in this recipe are pretty basic and simple.

Steps for making this recipe

As I mentioned above, making this dip is so easy. The hard part is waiting for it to heat up!

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix softened cream cheese together with the mayonnaise and canned, chopped artichoke hearts. You need to make sure the cream cheese is soft so it will blend easily with the other ingredients. Leave it out of the refrigerator for an hour or so before making the dip. An alternative is to soften it in the microwave at 50% power for a minute or two (check every 30 seconds.) If you use the microwave option, cut the cream cheese into smaller blocks to keep the outside from melting, and the inside from remaining cold. Also make sure to drain the artichoke hearts before adding, or you'll end up with a watery dip!
2. Add the garlic, lemon zest, sea salt, black pepper, Parmesan cheese and green onions. Mix well. Here I highly suggest using the fresh lemon zest, as it adds a brightness and great flavor to this dish. It goes so well with the artichoke hearts. Here is my favorite zester that I love to use. It makes it super simple.
3. Add the crab meat and mix carefully. You don't want to break up the crab meat. It's nice to have big chunks of crab visible when dipping into it!
4. Spread mixture into a seasoned cast iron skillet or any other baking dish. If you use a regular baking dish, make sure to spray it first with nonstick cooking spray. I prefer the cast iron skillet since once it's seasoned properly, it's basically nonstick and so easy to use. This is my favorite skillet that I use ALL the time. Check here for great info on how to season your skillet properly if you do decide to get one. You really, really should! You won't regret it!
5. Top with the remaining Parmesan cheese and bake for 30 minutes. At the end, move the skillet to the top rack and turn the broiler on high. Leave in until the top becomes a nice toasty brown. This took about three minutes in my oven. Make sure to keep a close eye on this, as it can burn rather quickly.

Serve this dip with slices of a French baguette (fresh) or crostini (toasted), tortilla chips or scoops, or pita bread or chips.

If you're throwing a party or need some other recipes for a game day or the Super Bowl, check out my other Appetizer Recipes. My Hot Garlic Air Fryer Chicken Wings would go great with this dip, as well as these Pretzel Dogs with Beer Cheese Dip, my Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Dip or my Baked Goat Cheese with Marinara dip.

Let me know how you liked this recipe in the comments below!

📋 Recipe

Crab and Artichoke Dip

Crab and Artichoke Dip is warm, creamy and oh so good! You HAVE to try this one! Loaded with chunks of artichoke, fresh crab meat and cheeses, it's the perfect party or game day appetizer!

5 from 3 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 33 minutes minutes

Total Time: 43 minutes minutes

Servings: 10

Calories: 307kcal

Author: Teri

Equipment

• ▢
  cast iron skillet
• ▢
  garlic press
• ▢
  lemon zester

Ingredients

• ▢ 8 ounces cream cheese softened
• ▢ 1 cup mayonnaise
• ▢ 14 ounces artichokes canned, drained and chopped
• ▢ 1 clove garlic minced
• ▢ 1 lemon zest from 1 lemon
• ▢ ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• ▢ 1 cup Parmesan cheese divided into ¾ cup and ¼ cup
• ▢ ⅓ cup green onions sliced, additional for garnish
• ▢ 8 ounces crab claw meat
• ▢ ⅓ cup red bell pepper small dices, for garnish

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Mix softened cream cheese, mayonnaise and artichokes in medium sized mixing bowl until cream cheese is blended thoroughly.
• Add garlic, lemon zest, sea salt, black pepper, Parmesan cheese and green onions. Mix again until well blended.
• Add crab claw meat and mix gently, just until blended. You don't want to break up the chunks of crab.
• Spread into a well seasoned cast iron skillet, or any other baking dish (spray with nonstick cooking spray before adding dip mixture). Top with remaining ¼ cup Parmesan cheese.
• Bake for 30 minutes until thoroughly heated and bubbly.
• Place skillet or baking dish on top rack and turn on broiler to high. Watch carefully until top is nicely browned. This took 3 minutes in my oven, but again, watch carefully as it can be faster in your oven and may burn.
• Remove from oven and top with additional green onions and diced red bell pepper. Serve with baguette slices (fresh or toasted) or tortilla chips.

Video

Notes

Cream cheese needs to be completely softened in order to be able to mix easily with the other ingredients. You can leave it out of the refrigerator about an hour or so, prior to making this. Another option is to soften in the microwave on 50% power for a minute or two (check every 30 seconds). Make sure to cut up into cubes and separate them on a plate to prevent the outer edges from melting and the inner portion not softening.

Don't skip the fresh lemon zest. It adds a nice brightness to the dish and gives it that extra boost of flavor. See link above for my favorite tool for zesting a lemon.

A well seasoned cast iron pan is a great thing to have in your kitchen. It becomes nonstick and an excellent pan to cook so many things in. Read above to find a great link for info about seasoning your pan properly.

Nutrition

Calories: 307kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 51mg | Sodium: 711mg | Potassium: 111mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 651IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 156mg | Iron: 3mg

Did you try this recipe?Mention @ASprinkleAndASplash or tag #asprinkleandasplash! I'd love to see your finished recipe!