Jalapeno Crab Dip is a delectable bite of cheesy, spicy deliciousness. This savory dip will disappear right before your eyes!
One of my all-time favorite appetizers is a warm, melty cheese dip. Honestly, who can resist warm, melty cheese mixed with an endless possibility of yummy ingredients? Another amazing, and in my opinion underutilized ingredient is crab meat. Give me a fresh California roll, a crunchy crab rangoon, or a spicy hot crab dip and I am in heaven! This Jalapeno Crab Dip recipe is truly sent from above.
JALAPENO CRAB DIP
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This easy crab dip recipe will elevate your snacking game to another level. Jalapeno Crab Dip is the perfect pairing of beautifully briny crab meat and melty jack cheese with an irresistible kick of spice! If you enjoy crab cakes you are going to be blown away. This dip is a total game changer!
JALAPENO CRAB DIP INGREDIENTS
Jalapenos: If you cannot find jalapeno peppers for any reason, serrano peppers are an easy substitute. They do have more of a spicy flavor than you may be accustomed to so, depending on your tolerance for spicy foods, you may want to use less to start.
If you are looking for the least spicy version of this Jalapeno Crab Dip, senorita jalapenos are the mildest jalapeno I have found in my local stores. Whatever peppers you decide to use, remember to remove all the seeds- especially if you are at all concerned about the spice level.
HOW TO MAKE JALAPEÑO CRAB DIP
Crab dip is surprisingly simple to throw together. This crab dip recipe in particular delivers loads of flavor in such a small amount of prep time. The hardest part is definitely waiting to take it out of the oven!
- Grab your skillet and heat it over medium-high heat. Melt your butter and then add in your diced onions and coat them in the melted butter. Cook your onions for about 10 minutes, until they soften and start to brown. Remove the skillet from heat.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, 1 cup of Jack cheese, jalapeños, crab meat, and onions. Use a fork to mix together the contents of the bowl until it is evenly combined.
- Transfer and evenly spread your dip mixture into a 9-inch by 9-inch baking dish. Top with the remaining cup of shredded Jack Cheese.
- Bake your Jalapeño Crab Dip for 30 minutes until it is bubbling around the edges. If you want to add some extra color to your cheese topping, set the oven to broil on high for 2-3 minutes until the desired golden color is achieved.
- Remove your dip from the oven and serve warm with crackers or chips for dipping.
WHAT DO YOU EAT CRAB DIP WITH?
There are lots of options when it comes to what to eat your crab dip with. My personal favorite is to dip are slices of really good bread. A soft and flakey French baguette goes perfectly with the warm, melty dip. Luckily, you can usually find a fresh-baked baguette at your local grocery store. I have even heard of some people serving hot crab dip with soft pretzels. I have never tried it personally, but sign me up!
If you prefer to add crunchy textures to your dip, you can use your favorite crackers, baked pita chips or melba toasts. If you happen to be watching your carb intake, you can also consider using celery. The options are really endless. I would not even judge you if you just ate it straight with a fork.
TRY THESE OTHER APPETIZER RECIPES
TOOLS USED TO MAKE THIS JALAPENO CRAB DIP RECIPE
BAKING DISH: These glass baking dishes are my favorite! They perfectly bake everything from casseroles to dips and more!
MIXING BOWLS: With as much time as I spend in the kitchen, these bowls are tested and approved!
*This post originally posted on 04/24/2016.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- ½ onion peeled and diced
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 2 cups jack cheese divided
- 8 ounces crab meat
- 2 jalapeños seeded and finely diced
Instructions
- Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Melt the butter in the skillet and then add the onions. Stir to coat the onions in butter. Cook stirring often until the onions are soft and begin to brown about 10 minutes. Remove the skillet from heat.
- To a mixing bowl add the cream cheese, 1 cup of jack cheese, jalapeños, crab meat, and onions. Use a fork to mix everything together until evenly combined.
- Transfer the mixture to a 9-inch by 9-inch baking dish. Spread the dip into an even layer, and then sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of jack cheese over the top of the dip.
- Bake for 30 minutes until the dip is bubbling around the edges. *If you want a golden hue to your cheese, turn your oven to broil on high and cook for 2-3 minutes or until your desired doneness is reached.
- Carefully remove the dip from the oven. Serve warm with crackers or chips.
Embee says
Can you make a day ahead and cook later the day of? I’m making a Reuben dip for the same thing and that recipe let’s me make a day ahead and just bake the same time and temp as this… just curious.
Lisa says
That looks awesome!
Rebecca Vigeant says
Hi I broiled it for 203 minutes as directed and IT CAUGHT FIRE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Still good though
Aubrey Cota says
Uh oh, that should have said 2-3 minutes!! Thanks for bringing that to our attention.