Ready to elevate your favorite artichoke dip? This Hot Cheesy Crab Artichoke Dip is just the way to do it! It's rich, creamy and absolutely perfect for holidays, game days, or a casual night in with friends. Trust me, this easy-to-make dip is always the first app to disappear.
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This Hot Cheesy Crab Artichoke Dip is one of my go-to recipes when I want something comforting but still "wow-worthy." Adding lump crab meat and fresh spinach to a classic artichoke dip brings just the right amount of richness, perfect for nights when you want something extra special without any extra effort.
Pair it with a simple cheese and cracker board, a batch of Candied Bacon and a festive Cranberry Martini, and suddenly your holiday happy hour feels effortless, elevated, and exactly the kind of night-in you deserve.
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Why I Love This Recipe
- Layers of flavor: Artichokes, crab, spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, and a touch of lemon - every ingredient shines in this dip.
- A memorable twist: Everyone knows and loves artichoke dip… but artichoke crab dip? That's the dish they'll talk about.
- Make-ahead friendly: Assemble it earlier in the day and pop it in the oven right before guests arrive. Anything that can be done ahead of time is always a time saver.
Ingredients
The ingredient list is short + sweet for this tasty dip!
Ingredient Notes
- Fresh spinach - Remove the stems from the leaves for a smooth and creamy dip..
- Cream cheese - room temperature cream cheese is the secret to a creamy base without lumps.
- Lemon juice + hot sauce - Fresh lemon juice is always best.
- Artichoke hearts - Drain artichoke hearts well to prevent a runny dip.
- Lump crab meat - Canned lump crab meat is perfect for this recipe.
- Sun-dried tomatoes - Make sure to use sun-dried tomatoes from a dry package, not sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil. The added oil makes the dip greasy and changes the color.
- Green onions - Chop the white part and most of the green. No green onions? Chives can be used instead.
- Cheese - We used freshly grated mozzarella and parmesan.
Note: Place your chopped artichoke hearts in a strainer for at least 20 minutes to drain all extra liquid. It's a game changer for a smooth and creamy artichoke dip.
Instructions
This dip comes together quickly and can be prepped ahead of time.
mix
Mix the cream cheese, sour cream, mayo and spices until smooth and creamy.
Sauté
Cook the spinach until wilted and add it to the cream cheese mixture.
Stir
Add the spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, artichokes and cheese. Stir well to combine. Gently fold the lump crab meat in and transfer to a baking dish
Bake
Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and bake until bubbly.
Tips to Make the Crab Flavor Shine
- Choose lump crab meat for the sweetest flavor and best texture.
- Fold gently so the crab stays in chunks.
- Taste and add more lemon and garlic only if needed. Subtle amounts brighten the flavor of the dip without overpowering the crab.
- Use dry sun-dried tomatoes to avoid extra oiliness and keep the dip white.
Storage
- For cooked dip: Store leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
- For uncooked dip: You can prepare the dip ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator for up to 1 day before baking.
- Reheating: Reheat in the oven or microwave until hot. If the dip is very cold from the fridge, it may need a little extra time to heat through.
- Freezing: This dip does not freeze well because it becomes watery when reheated.
FAQs
Yes, you can! We love the flavor and texture that fresh spinach gives but frozen can easily be swapped instead. Be sure to squeeze all of the moisture out with a paper towel before adding it to the dip.
Any cheese that melts easily is a great choice for this dip. We used mozarella, but any mild flavored cheese can be swapped in its place - fontina or Monterey Jack are great choices.
Pre-shredded cheese has additives in it to prevent caking. The extra few minutes it takes to shred a block of cheese yourself ensures that the artichoke dip is as creamy as it can be. The taste and texture is well worth the extra effort.
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Recipe
Hot Cheesy Artichoke Crab Dip
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 cup fresh spinach, packed and stems removed
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup sour cream
- Juice of ½ lemon
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 14 ounces canned artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
- 3 green onions chopped
- 1 cup lump crab meat, drained
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, julienned (dry, not packed in oil)
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- ⅓ cup parmesan cheese
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Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉.
- In a small pan, melt 1 tablespoon butter. Add spinach and cook until just wilted. Set aside.1 tablespoon butter, 1 cup fresh spinach,
- In a medium bowl, stir together cream cheese, mayonnaise, sour cream, lemon juice, hot sauce and garlic powder until combined. Add artichoke hearts, green onions, sun-dried tomatoes and mozzarella cheese to cream cheese mixture and stir well. Gently stir in crab meat. Transfer to a baking dish.8 ounces cream cheese,, ¼ cup mayonnaise, ½ cup sour cream, Juice of ½ lemon, 1 teaspoon hot sauce, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 14 ounces canned artichoke hearts,, 3 green onions, ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes,, 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, 1 cup lump crab meat,
- Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and bake for 20 minutes or until heated through and bubbly. Serve immediately with crostini.⅓ cup parmesan cheese
Notes
- Drain the artichoke hearts well before adding to recipe.
- Remove the stems from the spinach for a smoother dip.
- Choose lump crab meat for the sweetest flavor and best texture.
- Fold gently so the crab stays in chunks.
- Taste and adjust lemon juice and garlic powder. Start with the suggested amounts and adjust if needed so they don't overpower the crab.
- Use dry sun-dried tomatoes to avoid extra oiliness and keep the dip from turning pink.
- For cooked dip: Store leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
- For uncooked dip: You can prepare the dip ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator for up to 1 days before baking.
- Reheating: Reheat in the oven or microwave until hot. If the dip is very cold from the fridge, it may need a little extra time to heat through.
- Freezing: This dip does not freeze well, it becomes watery when reheated.
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Nutrition
Nutrition info not guaranteed to be accurate.
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