This Crab, Spinach and Artichoke Dip is a creamy, indulgent appetizer you won't be able to stop eating! It's a seafood upgrade on the classic dip, and it's become one of my go-to's for tailgates, potlucks and pretty much any kind of entertaining. Serve it warm with pita chips, tortilla chips or veggie slices. You and your guests won't be able to get enough of it!
Let me tell you, I love a hearty party dip, and this one is one of my all-time favorites. It's basically a meal on its own, which makes it perfect for tailgating, potlucks, and pretty much any kind of entertaining. If you're a fan of hot spinach and artichoke dip, this Crab, Spinach and Artichoke Dip takes that classic and gives it a seafood upgrade. It takes just minutes to throw together, can be made a day ahead, and reheats beautifully, so you get all the credit with none of the last-minute stress on game day (or any day, really). Serve it warm with tortilla chips, pita chips or sliced veggies like carrot, bell pepper and celery, and get ready for everyone's new favorite appetizer!
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Equipment
- Mixing bowls: I love these Pyrex nesting glass mixing bowls from Amazon.
- Electric hand mixer or stand mixer with paddle attachment: My KitchenAid 6 speed hand mixer works great for this recipe!
- Baking dish: I love serving this dip in a 11.25" au gratin style baking dish. The one I use is the Le Creuset Stoneware Heritage au gratin dish.
- Cheese grater (optional): While pre shredded cheese works in a pinch, I always recommend freshly grating your cheese for the best texture and flavor. This Oxo Good Grips Box Grater is my favorite.
Ingredients
- Cream Cheese: Be sure to use full fat cream cheese for the best flavor and texture.
- Sour Cream: Full fat, good quality sour cream will give you the best outcome for this recipe.
- Mayonnaise: I know not everyone is a huge fan of mayo (myself included) but I promise in this recipe it's more about texture than flavor. Be sure to use a good quality mayonnaise for the best results. Or if you prefer you can substitute full fat yogurt or extra sour cream.
- Old Bay Seasoning
- Crab Meat: I highly recommend using pasteurized lump crab meat, such as this brand from Sprouts. Imitation crab meat just doesn't bake up as well or have the same great flavor.
- Garlic cloves: I recommend using fresh garlic, rather than the pre-minced kind you buy in a jar.
- Frozen Spinach: I like using frozen spinach for this recipe because it's easy to thaw and drain. You could substitute with fresh but you would need to cook it down and get out as much liquid as possible.
- Canned artichoke hearts: You want the kind canned in water rather than in oil.
- Green Onions
- Shredded Mozzarella: You can use freshly shredded or pre-shredded for this recipe.
- Cheddar or Colby Jack cheese, shredded
- Shredded parmeson
- Cayenne (optional)
- Lemon juice (optional)
- Salt & pepper
Step by Step Instructions
Time needed: 35 minutes
- Blend the cream cheese base.
In a mixing bowl combine cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, garlic, lemon juice, cayenne and Old Bay seasoning.
Blend on medium speed with an electric hand mixer until well combined.
- Add in veggies, cheese and crab.
Add in the green onions, artichoke hearts and spinach along with 1 ½ cups of the shredded cheese and stir until smooth.
Fold in the lump crab meat. Taste and add additional salt and pepper as necessary.
- Bake and serve.
Transfer the mixture to a baking dish then top with the remaining shredded cheese.
Bake at 375 degrees F for 25-30 minutes until bubbly and golden brown.
Serve hot and enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
I love serving this Crab Spinach and Artichoke Dip with tortilla chips or pita chips. It's also great on a toasted baguette pieces or served with fresh veggie slices.
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Made this Crab, Spinach and Artichoke Dip recipe? Let me know what you think in the comments!
Recipe
Crab, Spinach and Artichoke Dip
Equipment
- Electric hand mixer
- Mixing bowls
- baking dish I recommend using an 11 inch au gratin pan
Ingredients
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup sour cream
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- pinch of cayenne optional
- 10 oz frozen spinach, thawed, drained and roughly chopped
- 14 oz canned artichoke hearts, roughly chopped Use artichoke hearts in water not oil
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
- ½ cup parmesan cheese, grated
- ½ cup cheddar cheese, shredded
- 8 oz lump crab meat
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 F. In a medium size mixing bowl combine shredded parmesan, mozzarella and cheddar. Mix well and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl combine cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, crushed garlic, Old Bay seasoning, lemon juice and a pinch of cayenne (optional). Use an electric hand mixer on medium speed until the ingredients are well combined. Add in the spinach, chopped artichoke hearts, green onions and 1.5 cups of the shredded cheese. Mix by hand until combined. Then fold in the drained lump crab meat, trying not to break up the pieces too much. Taste and season with salt and pepper to your preference. Sprinkle the remaining cheese evenly over the top. Then bake at 375 degrees F for 25-30 minutes until bubbly and the cheese is melted and browned.
- Remove from the oven and serve hot with pita chips, tortilla chips or veggie slices.
Helen at the Lazy Gastronome
I will never make plain old spinach artichoke dip again! The crab really makes this spectacular!
nancy
this spinach dip is perfect for game night and parties. i may have indulged in a batch myself 'pre-game'
Bernice
Oh YUM! I'm trying a new dip each weekend during football season and last weekend it was this crab dip! I love the crab with artichoke and spinach. It didn't take too long and the bowl was empty.
Melinda
This dip recipe is a winner, winner! The Old Bay Seasoning is the perfect spice. I boosted the crab meat by a few ounces, only because I had a larger container on hand. Everyone absolutely loved this dip! I served it with an assortment of sturdy potato chips and crackers. Delicious!
Larry Keesey
Can this be cooked in a crockpot?
jamjarkitchen
Hi Larry - I have not made this in a crockpot so I can't tell you for sure how it would turn out, but I don't see why it wouldn't work. If you decide to experiment please let me know how it turns out. Hope you enjoy!
Jason
I made this today in the crockpot and it came out perfect. Made it for our family Christmas potluck and it was the talk of the night.
jamjarkitchen
Hi Jason - That makes me so happy to hear! I love that you did it in the crockpot too. Perfect for a potluck!
Amy Hayes
Can this be made in advance? A few days before a party. Thanks!
jamjarkitchen
Hi Amy- I'm sorry for the slow response! Yes, it can be made ahead of time, but I'd really stick with one day in advance rather than a few days for optimum freshness. Hope you enjoy!
Jean Hincks
It says additional salt and pepper but no where did the recipe call for it. Plus I wasn’t sure what to do with the green onions but figured it out.
jamjarkitchen
Hi Jean, thanks so much for the comment! I hope you enjoyed the dip.
I really appreciate you pointing out the green onions. I just noticed that I included them in the step-by-step photos but somehow forgot to add them to the recipe card. I've updated that now.
As for the salt and pepper, this is one of those recipes where they're added to taste rather than in a specific measured amount. Depending on the saltiness of the other ingredients you're using, you may want a little more or a little less, so I recommend seasoning at the end before topping with the cheese and adjusting to your preference.
Thanks again for catching that, and I hope you enjoy the recipe!