Cajun crab dip is a mildly hot crab dip recipe (not too spicy) made with cream cheese, sriracha sauce, cheddar, mayo, sour cream, creole spices, and imitation crab meat. This cold crab dip is so good! Find out what makes this cold dip stay creamy, cheesy, and incredibly silky!

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Homemade dips are the perfect appetizers for Holidays, a party, or gatherings! Try our most loved dip recipes like this Uno’s Hot Shrimp Dip, Buffalo Chicken dip, and this cheesy Spinach dip. They all make mouthwatering snacks, worthy enough to serve for special events!

What Is Cajun Crab Dip?

What is in crab dip? Cajun crab dip is a spicy cold crab dip with cream cheese, imitation crab, some creole spices, cheddar cheese sauce, mayonnaise, and sour cream. Sriracha is loaded with chili, garlic, and tang from the vinegar which gives this dip an orange hue and a spicy kick. This is not too spicy though, if you love spicy mayo, think of it as being mixed into the cream cheese filling, only better than a crab rangoon dip if you ask me.

I tried the best crab dip recipe at a Country Market called Bäckermann’s. Needless to say, I could eat that dip with crackers real quick! It was so irresistibly good, with a deep orange hue, and amazing umami flavors that I tried recreating it at home. One of the first things I detected was a spicy mayo profile similar to the Sushi sauce most of us love. It only made sense to use it as a base to create the creole cajun vibe perfect for seafood! If you’ve tried Kani Salad, this is very similar- crab meat with spicy mayo only with a cajun twist.

Best Crackers for Crab Dip:

Crisp thin wheat crackers are my choice of crackers. Look for a crisp cracker suitable for savory toppings, sweet wafers are not recommended. The Toasted’s harvest wheat crackers have got to be my favorite, they hold their crunch well and don’t flake apart. You’ll want a sturdy cracker that won’t shatter easily when dipping into the crab dip, nobody wants to lose their cracker in the dip.

Crab Dip Ingredients:

This is a super simple crab dip recipe using easy-to-find ingredients. You can buy cheddar cheese sauce at a dollar store near you or pick up a jar of queso cheese. Cheddar cheese sauce does not solidify making it perfect to serve cold. Here is everything you will need to make this cajun crab dip.

Imitation Crab Meat- in flake style is best. The crab legs style will be harder to mix into the cream cheese. You can also use canned lump crabmeat or fresh crab meat claw. Maryland blue crab meat (King crab meat) is a popular choice, and you can always boil snow crab legs or lobster for a decadent treat!
Cheese- I used softened cream cheese and cheddar cheese sauce for the cheeses here. If you can’t find cheese sauce use any Velveeta- style cheese and just melt it with some milk to make a cheese sauce from scratch. You can even melt American cheese with milk!
Sriracha- is a red chili pepper and garlic sauce. It’s spicy, and vinegary and will darken the crab dip with an orange hue.
Sour Cream- is the butterfat of milk (the fatty portion of milk.) It is rich and mellows out the salty mayo.
Mayonnaise- completes this crab dip recipe with a whipped texture.
Seasonings- paprika, onion, and seasoned salt are New Orlean-style creole spices. The sugar makes this dip mild and the dried chives add texture and color. Substitute seasoned salt with old-bay seasoning, if you need to.

How To Make Crab Dip:

This crab dip recipe is so easy to prep and is a no-cook recipe! Typically, I’m making dips last minute so, I will microwave the cream cheese for 30 seconds to get it to room temperature, it always works!

Using a hand mixer, beat the softened cream cheese, sriracha, cheddar cheese sauce, and sour cream in a medium bowl. Whip until smooth (about 1-2 minutes.)
Add the mayonnaise and mix until well combined, the texture should be whipped and super creamy.
Mix in the spices, dried chives, and sugar.
Add the crab meat and beat until the crabmeat flakes into smaller pieces.
Spread into a serving dish and keep refrigerated.

Pro-Tip: if the dip is too firm after the fridge, revive it again by mixing it with a splash of cream.

Can You Make Crab Dip Ahead Of Time?

This cold crab dip recipe is the perfect make-ahead dip because it doesn’t stiffen hard and stays semi-soft from the whipped mayo and cheese sauce. It’s incredibly good cold and if you do want to serve it warm, it can be baked with additional cheese on top for a hot crab dip. A slow cooker can be handy for this too as you bring this dip inside a crock pot and keep it on warm until needed.

How Long Does Crab Dip Last in the Fridge?

Homemade crab dip can last up to 5 days in the fridge covered tightly with plastic wrap or stored in a food container. Always keep seafood refrigerated and try not to leave the crab meat dip, out for long periods of time. It can spoil faster and won’t be as fresh tasting.

Can You Freeze Crab Dip?

You can freeze unbaked crab dip for up to 3 months in the freezer. If the crab dip looks grainy after thawing, beat it in a bowl with a splash of cream to revive it. If it still looks gritty simply cover it with grated cheese and bake at 350°F for 15-20 minutes.

What To Eat With Crab Dip:

Wondering what to do with leftover crab dip? Or maybe you’re not sure how to eat this dip? Cold Imitation crab dip is best with crackers but you can bake this and make it into an even more creamy crab dip with extra cheese. Crab dip goes a long way, here are some ideas to serve it;

Dollop on bread rounds or cucumber slices for a quick snack
Turn it into a dip with chips
Shape leftovers into a cheeseball
Stuff it into crab rangoon wrappers and deep fry.
Make it Keto and gluten-free by serving it with sliced veggies
Fill into pounded chicken breasts and roll up and bake or use as a filling in sushi rolls.

Q&A

Is Cajun Crab Dip Spicy?

This cajun crab dip recipe is not too spicy. If you want a spicy crab dip add a tablespoon of sriracha sauce to desired heat.

Tips for Making Crab Dip:

Make ahead this easy crab dip days in advance! This recipe for crab dip is perfect for Holidays!
Don’t have cheddar cheese sauce? Make your own by melting 4 oz of American cheese slices with 2 Tbsp of milk.
I think this is best as a cold crab dip recipe but you can bake this in the oven with extra cheese if you prefer a warm dip for this one.
You can use Philadelphia Neufchatel cheese as a cream cheese substitute.
Roll up dip in sushi rice or seaweed!
Mix and match with different cheeses to make a crab dip with the cheese of your choice.
Crab dip recipes can last longer if stored properly. Avoid keeping the dip for long periods of time.
Stir in artichokes for additional flavor.

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How To Make Cajun Crab Dip:

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