Hot Cheesy Crab Dip

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A party isn't a party without a cheesy dip.

Marianne Williams

Published on November 15, 2021

Hot Cheesy Crab Dip — Photo: Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis

Active Time:

15 mins

Bake Time:

20 mins

Broil Time:

5 mins

Cool Time:

10 mins

Total Time:

50 mins

Servings:

Cue the bells and whistles. When it comes to holiday appetizers, we're going all-out. This is the one time of the year when we pull out all of the fancy favorites—from elegant Bacon-Cheddar Gougeres to our Best Deviled Eggs, our appetizer spreads celebrate the bountiful, vibrant spirit of the holiday season. The crème de la crème of our appetizer board? This Hot Cheesy Crab Dip.

Forget spinach-artichoke and onion dips—this Hot Cheesy Crab Dip is our party pièce de résistance. Jumbo lump crabmeat makes this dip absolutely decadent—and a bit pricey—but you can keep costs down with crab claw meat. Either way, make sure the crab is fresh, not canned. A medley of three cheeses hits all the right notes—you get the bold flavor from the extra-sharp Cheddar and the creamy, melty factor from the cream cheese and the Havarti.

Endive leaves form sturdy, natural cups for scooping up this cheesy crab dip—plus, their gorgeous purple color stands out on any table. You can also serve this dip with toasted baguette slices or crackers.

Ingredients

4 medium scallions (about 3¼ oz. total)
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
¾ cup mayonnaise
⅓ cup sour cream
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon hot sauce (such as Tabasco)
1 teaspoon sherry vinegar
½ teaspoon celery salt
5 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded (about 1¼ cups), divided
5 ounces creamy Havarti cheese, shredded (about 1¼ cups), divided
1 pound fresh jumbo lump crabmeat, drained and picked over
4 medium-size Belgian endive heads (about 12 oz. total), leaves separated

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°F. Thinly slice scallions, separating dark green parts from white and light green parts; set aside.
Beat cream cheese, mayonnaise, sour cream, salt, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, vinegar, and celery salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium speed until creamy and smooth, 30 seconds to 1 minute, stopping to scrape down sides of bowl as needed. Add 1 cup each of the Cheddar and Havarti, and beat on medium-low speed until incorporated, about 10 seconds. Remove bowl from stand mixer, and fold in crabmeat and white and light green parts of scallions.
Transfer crab mixture to a 2-quart baking dish, and top with remaining ¼ cup each Cheddar and Havarti. Bake in preheated oven until edges are bubbly and cheese is melted, about 20 minutes. Turn oven to broil, and continue baking until cheese is browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from oven, and set aside to cool slightly, about 10 minutes. Top with reserved dark green parts of scallions, and serve with endive leaves.

Hot Cheesy Crab Dip

Ingredients

Directions

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