Imitation crab dip is hot, creamy, chunky, and loaded with flavor. A quick and easy dip everyone loves. A few simple ingredients, a quick trip in the oven, and you’ve got yourself delicious hot crab dip.
Mahalo to Foodland Hawai’i for sponsoring this post. As always, thoughts and opinions are my own.
This is a great creamy crab dip. I love that it’s simple and flavorful, and you can serve it just about everywhere. I take it to family gatherings, make it when friends come over, game days, and we even snack on it during movie nights. It’s also a fabulous appetizer before a meal of tasty seafood, or go surf and turf and pair it with a great steak.
This is the perfect seafood dip recipe for when you’re short on time because the whole thing can be made ahead of time and popped into the fridge. It’s fine in the fridge for a day or two, then pop it into the oven when you’re ready to eat! I love easy recipes.
This hot crab dip is one of those recipes that you can make over and over again and never get sick of. It’s the perfect appetizer and you can jazz it up in various ways – see all my suggestions below.
What Is Imitation Crab?
What a terrible name for a tasty product! Sure, it is a good substitute for real crab – which is crazy expensive – and it is a processed product, but it is all seafood! Imitation crab meat is made by finely mincing white fish, usually pollock, combining it with other flavors and ingredients, and pressed into shape before being cooked.
You’ll also see imitation crab labeled as crab-flavored seafood, surimi seafood, or even kamaboko, which is what it is called in Japan.
Is There Real Crab In Imitation Crab?
Not usually, no. Some brands may have crab extract added for flavor, but usually, there’s no actual crab in imitation crab.
Ingredients To Make The Best Imitation Crab Dip
(Full recipe instructions and ingredient amounts are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post)
- Cream cheese – Softened.
- Imitation crab – You can buy them in crab sticks or flake style. Of course you can always use fresh crab meat or canned crab as well.
- Mayonnaise – Get yourself a good brand that you enjoy. You can use Kewpie mayo here as well.
- Green onions – Also called scallions, thinly chopped. Red onion can also work.
- Shoyu – This is a Japanese style soy sauce that can be found in the Asian aisle at most grocery stores.
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Pepper
- Mozzarella cheese – Shredded.
(Full recipe instructions and ingredient amounts are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post)
How To Make This Imitation Crab Dip Recipe
- Preheat your oven to 350-F.
- Combine the cream cheese, imitation crab, mayonnaise, green onion, shoyu, garlic powder, onion powder, and pepper in a large bowl until well mixed.
- Add the crab dip mixture to a shallow baking dish and top with the shredded mozzarella.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until hot and bubbly.
- Broil for the last 2 minutes or until golden brown.
- Serve with your favorite dippers, and enjoy!
Variations
This delicious crab dip is GREAT as it is, but if you want to jazz it up, there are a few different things you can do.
- Get spicy! If you like spicy food add some hot sauce to the dip or cayenne pepper before baking to add a bit of heat.
- Switch up the cheese – Top it with sharp cheddar cheese, pepper Jack, gouda, parmesan cheese or any other cheese for a different flavor.
- Add roasted red bell peppers for a bit of color and more flavor.
- Fold in some thawed and drained frozen spinach to make this a crab and spinach dip.
Imitation Crab Dip Dippers
Wondering what goes well with crab dip? Here are some of my favorites:
- Maika’i white corn tortilla chips – I love these because they’re crispy and crunchy and hold up well to big scoopfuls of dip.
- Bread cubes – Bread cubes are a great option if you have time to dice the bread.
- Pita bread or your favorite crackers – Pitas are great with this dip, too. Whole pitas can be cut or torn into bite-sized pieces or serve pita crackers that are thick enough to get big scoops of dip. Ritz crackers are also a favorite.
- Veggies – I love my carbs, but carrots and celery make good dippers, too.
- Wonton wrappers – Fry it up and use it as a chip. So yummy.
Storage
Even though this crab dip recipe is made with imitation crab, it is still seafood. Package any leftovers in an airtight container and use it within 1-2 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you’re using gluten-free imitation crab and your shoyu is gluten-free (many brands are, but it doesn’t hurt to double-check), then yes, this easy crab dip recipe is gluten-free!
Yes, this is a really easy recipe. There’s a bit of slicing, but it shouldn’t take you long. The hardest part is waiting for the creamy dip to get bubbly and hot in the oven!
Yes, you can. It’s an easy, affordable, and tasty ingredient that works fabulously in a creamy dip. Real lump crab meat is expensive and sometimes hard to find, but imitation crab is available in the seafood area of just about every grocery store.
More Great Dip Recipes
Imitation Crab Dip
Equipment
Ingredients
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 4 ounces imitation crab roughly chopped
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup green onion thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons shoyu
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella
- 1 bag Maika’i Organic Tortilla Chips
Instructions
- Pre heat oven to 350F.
- To a large bowl add cream cheese, imitation crab, mayonnaise, green onion, shoyu, garlic powder, onion powder, and pepper. Mix until well combined.
- Add crab dip mixture to a shallow baking dish. Top with mozzarella.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes. Turn the oven to broil and broil for the last 2 minutes or until golden brown.
- Serve warm with Maika’i Organic Tortilla Chips and ENJOY!
Notes
- Get spicy! If you like spicy food add some hot sauce to the dip or cayenne pepper before baking to add a bit of heat.
- Switch up the cheese – Top it with sharp cheddar cheese, pepper Jack, gouda, parmesan cheese or any other cheese for a different flavor.
- Add roasted red bell peppers for a bit of color and more flavor.
- Fold in some thawed and drained frozen spinach to make this a crab and spinach dip.
Nutrition
© Relle Lum for Keeping It Relle. Please do not copy and paste or screenshot recipes online or on social media. I’d love it if you share a link with a photo instead. Mahalo!
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