Maryland Crab Dip
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This creamy delicious Maryland Crab Dip is made with the highest quality mayonnaise, cream cheese, impeccable blend of spices, and blue crab meat fresh from the Chesapeake.
Maryland Crab Dip is a must for your game day party spread! I’m partnering with Duke’s to bring you bold, palate-thrilling southern recipes for football season and this one is sure to draw a crowd. It is the ultimate southern appetizer made with fresh Maryland crab meat, a wicked blend of spices, and Duke’s Real Mayonnaise. Duke’s is the preferred mayo of the south for professional chefs as well as home cooks like me to add twang to any recipe.
Maryland crab dip
Crab dip is a classic Maryland recipe that literally everyone and their momma has a recipe for. The base recipe is simply crab, cream cheese, mayo, sour cream, and cheese. The spice ratio might differ from person to person, but it’s guaranteed that every recipe includes Old Bay. What makes this recipe different from the rest is that it doesn’t use sour cream. Duke’s mayo adds such creamy tanginess that it eliminates the need for sour cream usually found in other recipes.
Crab dip ingredients and equipment
Blue crab meat– This recipe requires blue crab meat. If you aren’t local you can purchase Maryland crab from local markets that ship nationally. Refer to my post for Maryland Cream of Crab Soup where I rundown the legit places to order Maryland crab meat online. *Pro tip—Don’t break the bank! Lump crab meat is great but you can use a mix of backfin and claw meat to save money.
Duke’s Mayo– Using Duke’s is the reason I’m able to remove sour cream from the recipe. It provided both creaminess and tanginess. Plus Duke’s mayo has fantastic flavor that stands out in recipes.
Cream cheese
Shredded cheese– You’ll find that cheddar is most often used to top the dip. I’m using a mix of sharp and mild. Don’t pile the cheese on too heavily or you’ll lose the taste of the crab.
Pimentos– Pimento is definitely not traditional and is totally optional. It’s one ingredient that I like to taste in crab cakes and just transferred it to this dip. The sweetness of the pimento and the fresh lemon juice lightens the dip.
Chives
Worcestershire sauce
Lemon juice
Old bay seafood seasoning
Mustard powder
Fresh parsley
8” skillet or 8×8 baking dish
Dipper suggestions
An assortment of entertaining crackers is customary for crab dip. Old school cooks serve it with ginger snap cookies. I like to use pretzel chips and Buttery Ranch Seasoned Crackers. Since Duke’s is naturally sugar-free, it’s perfect for low-carb and keto dieters. You can serve the dip with celery sticks and carrot chips as well.
Instructions
Prepare the crab meat by picking through the lumps to remove any missed cartilage. Set the meat aside. In a bowl, beat the cream cheese and Duke’s mayo until smooth. Then beat in the spices, lemon juice, and worcestershire sauce.
Stir in the chives, pimentos, and half of the cheese. Gently fold in the crab meat. Try to avoid breaking apart the lumps too much. Some flaking is expected.
Transfer the dip to a baking dish or skillet and top with the remaining cheese. Bake at 400 degrees in a preheated oven for about 20 minutes until bubbling. Serve immediately.
The ultimate game day spread
Maryland crab dip is the type of dip that keeps folk hovering and eyeing the pan, so they don’t miss out on seconds. Moral: make a double batch! And be sure to check out more Maryland recipes like Old Bay Wings, Maryland Crab Cake Sliders, and Steamed Shrimp with Onion. For more game day recipe inspiration, follow Duke’s Mayo on Instagram!
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Maryland Crab Dip
Ingredients
- 1 lb Maryland backfin lump crab meat picked clean
- 6 oz cream cheese softened
- 1/2 c Duke's Mayonnaise
- 4 oz cheddar shredded
- 2 tbsp pimentos
- 2 tbsp chives
- 1 tbsp worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tsp old bay
- 1 tsp mustard powder
- Fresh parsley
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°. In a bowl, beat the cream cheese and Duke’s mayo until smooth. Then beat in the spices, lemon juice, and worcestershire sauce, chives, and pimentos. Gently fold in the crab meat and half of the cheese. Try to avoid breaking apart the lumps too much. Some flaking is expected.
- Transfer the dip to a baking dish or skillet. Top with the remaining cheese and bake for 18-20 minutes until bubbling. Serve immediately.