10-Minute Cold Crab Dip with Cream Cheese
This is an easy recipe for cold homemade crab dip. Quick to make, this crab dip is ultra creamy because it combines both cream cheese and Greek yogurt with chunks of real crab meat. A bit of horseradish and Worcestershire sauce also give this dip a terrific extra kick! Ready within 10 minutes—can’t beat that!

If you’re looking for quick and easy appetizer ideas for the holidays, you’ve come to the right place! You gotta try this cold crab dip recipe! Craaaaaaazy good, easy to make, and your guests will love it.
I’m all about the typical taco dip, avocado dip, chicken wings, or even a good old fashioned cheese board. But sometimes I like to switch things up and make an appetizer extra special while of course, keeping it easy.
Watch how to make crab dip
If you love crab as much as I do, you’ll also absolutely love my Bakes Crab Cakes. They are perfect in every way, shape and form AND you don’t have to stand over the stove to cook them. Serve them with my simple dipping sauce for crab cakes and you will be in heaven. Trust me. Want something even heartier? Turn them into Crab Cake Sliders! And if you have any leftover rice you can whip up a quick and easy Crab Fried Rice. Feel like pasta? Go for my 20 Minute Crab Linguine!
Ingredients for crab dip
- Cream cheese: make sure it’s softened so it’s easy to mix in
- Greek yogurt: I prefer to use full fat
- Horseradish: gives great flavor without making it spicy
- Fresh lemon juice: brightens up the whole dish
- Worcestershire sauce: adds depth of flavor
- Spices: salt, pepper and paprika
- Lump crab meat: a must!!
- Chives: for a little color and flavor
Substitutions for real crab
Sorry. In this case, it’s not worth it and it just won’t taste the same if you use imitation crab. The key is lump crab meat. The expensive stuff. Yeah, you gotta spend the extra dough for this one. You can find this in the fresh fish section of your supermarket in the cold section, not the canned stuff on the shelf. The quality of crab is what makes all the difference, especially when it’s the star.
Can you make crab dip ahead?
Yes! In fact it gets better as it sits in the fridge. You can make it a day or two in advance and enjoy it when you’re ready. This is one of my favorite things about this recipe. Takes hardly any time and perfect to make ahead!
Can you freeze crab dip?
No. I don’t recommend freezing things that have dairy like cream cheese or milk because the texture will change once it’s thawed.
What to serve with crab dip?
Honestly, whatever you like! Since the dip has a somewhat creamy texture, I like to serve it with something crunchy. Here are some options that work really well!
- Crostini
- Crackers
- Tortilla chips
- Celery
- Bell peppers
- Cucumbers
10-Minute Cold Crab Dip with Cream Cheese
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
- Category: appetizer
- Cuisine: American
Description
This is an easy recipe for cold homemade crab dip. Quick to make, this crab dip is ultra creamy because it combines both cream cheese and Greek yogurt with chunks of real crab meat. A bit of horseradish and Worcestershire sauce also give this dip a terrific extra kick! Ready within 10 minutes—can’t beat that!
Ingredients
- 8 ounces cream cheese (softened)
- 1/2 cup greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon horseradish
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- 1 pound jumbo lump crab meat
- Chopped chives for garnish
Instructions
- In a bowl add the cream cheese, yogurt, horseradish, lemon juice, worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, and paprika and mix until combined.
- Add the crab meat and mix until well all the crab is coated. Serve immediately with chips, crostini, and/or veggies or store in the fridge for 1-2 days until ready to use.