The Maryland Crab Dip Worth the Hype
Warm, bubbly, and gone in minutes. The hot crab dip I bring to every Chesapeake gathering, with the one ingredient most recipes get wrong.
If you grew up anywhere near the Bay, you have strong feelings about crab dip. This is the version that disappears first at every party I bring it to, and I have finally written it down so I can stop texting it one-handed from the kitchen.
What most recipes get wrong
They skip the Old Bay in the dip itself and only sprinkle it on top. You want it folded all the way through so every bite tastes like summer on the water. Do not be shy.
Ingredients
- 1 lb jumbo lump crab meat, picked over gently
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup sharp cheddar, plus more for the top
- 2 tsp Old Bay, plus a sprinkle to finish
- 1 tbsp Dijon
- 1 lemon, juiced
- A dash of Worcestershire
Method
- Heat the oven to 375°F.
- Stir together everything except the crab until smooth.
- Fold the crab in last, gently, so you keep those big beautiful lumps intact.
- Spread into a buttered dish, top with cheddar and a final dusting of Old Bay.
- Bake 20 to 25 minutes, until golden and bubbling at the edges.
Serve hot with toasted baguette and celery, and accept the compliments graciously. Around here, that is just good manners.
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