Hot Cajun Crab Dip With Cream Cheese | Front Range Fed (2024)

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

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!

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