This Hot Crab Spinach & Artichoke Dip is going to be on regular rotation at your house! It's full of juicy lump crab meat, and has the perfect cheesy, savory flavor that you get at any restaurant - for a fraction of the cost.
Spinach dip is one of those recipes that I love to pull out during game days or when we're hosting guests. It's made all in one pan and comes together super quickly! To elevate this meal, we're adding lump crab meat and a little bit of Old Bay seasoning for a coastal twist.
The Coined Breakdown
- Total Cost per serving: $2.40
- Total Cost (about 6 servings): $14.41
- Those Other Guys: $21.99 per skillet
Ingredients
- Jumbo Lump Crab Meat - Be sure to get the jumbo lump meat so you get those juicy bites of crab in every spoonful. For a budget hack - I've found the claw lump crabmeat to be significantly cheaper!
- Three-Cheese Blend - For our cheese flavor profile, I like to use a combination of Monterey jack and white cheddar in the dip. And for the topping? Shredded mozzarella.
- Pickled Jalapeños - Pickled jalapeños give this dip the perfect amount of kick. If you don't like spice, feel free to reduce the amount from the recipe.
- Cream - Baked spinach dip that's dry and stiff is a crime. So we use heavy cream, sour cream, and cream cheese. I normally substitute my sour cream with plain Greek yogurt for a protein boost since you can't taste the difference.
- Old Bay - Of course, Old Bay and seafood go together like peanut butter and jelly. It's perfectly salty and savory.
- Frozen Chopped Spinach - Thaw, then drain the extra moisture from your spinach before adding to the mixing bowl. I use a strainer for ease.
Variations and Substitutions
Spinach & Artichoke Quesadillas: A tasty appetizer that's also handheld! These Spinach Dip Quesadillas are seared to golden-brown perfection.
Various Shredded Cheeses: Other cheeses that go fantastic in spinach dip are Romano, asiago, and fresh parmesan.
Regular Spinach Dip: Not a seafood fan? I have a recipe for Creamy Baked Spinach Dip that's just as delicious!
Cream Cheese Substitute: No cream cheese? I've made this plenty of times with the store-bought creamy, spreadable cheeses like Boursin brand.
For Dipping: Tortilla chips, veggie sticks, or sliced pita are all great to dip. You can also take some Homemade Garlic Naan and slice into wedges!
How to Make Baked Crab Spinach Dip
Step 1: Add all of your ingredients (besides the lump crab and mozzarella) to a large bowl and mix together.
Taste, and add any seasonings to your preference.
Step 2: Gently fold in the crab meat into the spinach dip.
Transfer everything to a pan, top with shredded mozzarella, and bake.
It's that easy! Serve with your favorite dipping tools like tortilla chips or flatbread slices.
Recipe Pro Tip
- Gently fold in your crab. Using a soft touch, fold your crab in after everything else is mixed together. This helps prevent the crabmeat from shredding apart in the dip!
Recipe FAQs
Absolutely!
Add the unbaked dip to an aluminum pan or casserole dish, then cover tightly with foil.
Store in the refrigerator for up to two days. When you're ready to bake, simply place the wrapped pan in the oven and bake according to the recipe instructions.
You surely can.
Bake it per the recipe instructions so the cheeses incorporate throughout the dip, and then serve it cool.
Other Seafood-Based Recipes You'll Crave!
If you tried this Hot Crab Spinach & Artichoke Dip Recipe, or any other recipe on my website, please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. I love hearing from you! Thanks for visiting!
Hot Crab Spinach and Artichoke Dip
Equipment
- Strainer
- Chef's Knife
- Large Mixing Bowl
- Spoon
- Ceramic Baking Dish
- Aluminum Foil
Ingredients
Spinach Dip
- 12 ounces frozen chopped spinach thawed & drained
- ½ cup artichoke hearts (finely chopped)
- 2 tablespoons pickled jalapeños (finely chopped)
- ⅓ cup Monterey jack cheese (shredded or sliced)
- ⅓ cup sharp white cheddar (shredded or sliced)
- 6 ounces cream cheese
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ⅓ cup sour cream (or plain Greek yogurt)
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 8 ounces jumbo lump crab meat
- ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese for topping
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- If you haven't already, drain the thawed chopped spinach really well.Make sure to finely chop your artichoke hearts and pickled jalapeños.
- In a large bowl, add all ingredients besides the crab meat and the mozzarella cheese.12 ounces frozen chopped spinach, ½ cup artichoke hearts, 2 tablespoons pickled jalapeños, ⅓ cup Monterey jack cheese, ⅓ cup sharp white cheddar, 6 ounces cream cheese, ⅓ cup sour cream, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning, 1 teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, ½ cup heavy cream
- Stir well, and taste to adjust any seasonings to your preference.
- Gently fold in the crab meat.8 ounces jumbo lump crab meat
- Transfer the spinach dip to a baking dish, then sprinkle the mozzarella cheese on top.½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- Bake, covered in aluminum foil, for 15 minutes. Remove the foil, turn the heat up to 375℉, and bake for another 10-15 minutes until the dip is nice and bubbly.
- Remove the pan from the oven and let the dip sit for about 5 minutes to set. Serve with extra sour cream and pickled jalapeños on top. I love to pair this with slices of Homemade Garlic Butter Naan. Enjoy!
Daniel Brown says
This was so good, I ate the entire pan! Went with your suggestion to use garlic butter flatbread instead of tortilla chips - genius!
Shani H. says
Yay, so glad you loved it Daniel! Thank you for trying my recipe and leaving a comment.