Crab and Shrimp Dip (Seafood Dip)

This Crab and Shrimp Dip recipe is an easy seafood dip to whip up and can be served hot or cold. Loaded with sweet and plump shrimp and crab, this crab dip will soon be a family favorite.

There’s a debate going on right now in my house. Are plain potatoes for snacking alone or for dipping? When you have teens in the house, you are constantly buying food – especially with two teenage boys.

I buy a large bag of potato chips so Middle Child can use the chips for dipping in mast-o khiar (Persian yogurt with cucumbers).

Well, my almost 18-year old Professor finds the chips and inhales the bag. Then my Princess comes finding me, looking for the chips for dipping and low and behold, the chips are gone.

I tell my eldest, “Honey, plain potato chips are for dipping, but the flavored ones are there to enjoy alone. Stop eating our chips if you aren’t gonna dip!”

And the cycle continues, back and forth bickering amongst the kids. The Professor insists that the plain potato chips are fair game to eat alone, the rest of us argue they are best for dipping. But I have to say, there are certain brands of potato chips that really are amazing alone or dipless.

Why you must try this recipe

My path usually takes my bag of chips to a bowl of dip. You see, I’m a HUGE dip fan. Cheesy, creamy, yogurty, corny, avocado-y, I love all dips, I make all dips, and I eat all dips. And this seafood dip is definitely a favorite of mine.

And best of all, this dip is ready quick, too. The base is cream cheese, mayonnaise and sour cream whipped to a frenzy until smooth and creamy.

You can use all lump crab meat or do what I did and mix a combination of chopped shrimp and crab. Some celery adds crunch and fresh dill gives the dip such great flavor.

I prepared this to be a cold dip, but you can also serve it up as a warm shrimp dip. Just transfer your dip into an oven safe dish and bake at 350ºF until bubbly, about 20 minutes.

Now if you are interested in a really delicious hot crab dip, you’ve got to try my crab rangoon dip. So freaking good!!

Ingredients you need

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• Lump crab: This is the crab meat you find in a can. It is basically a combination of broken pieces of jumbo lump and a special grade of crab meat. It is more economical to buy lump crab meat than to pull out the meat from crab legs. You can also use imitation crab meat for this dip. I know purists knock down the imitation crab, but it is cheaper than lump crab and is a good alternative if you are on a budget.
• Shrimp: If you are using larger shrimp, be sure to chop it up. If using the small crab salad type shrimps, you don’t need to do any chopping.
• Cream cheese, sour cream and mayonnaise: This is the trifecta that makes the base of the dip. They each bring something different. Cream cheese is thick and provides flavor. Sour cream gives a bit of tang. And the mayonnaise brings some smooth creaminess.
• Celery: I love the flavor and crunch of raw celery, especially in a dip.
• Green onions: You can also use chives and/or chopped onions.
• Fresh dill: Fresh dill gives so much flavor and aroma. You can use dried dill if you can’t find fresh. Swap out fresh with 2 teaspoons of dried dill.
• Lemon juice: You can use fresh lemon juice or bottled. If using fresh, add some grated zest for a bit more flavor.
• Hot sauce: You can add as little or as much hot sauce as you like. I love Cholula and Tapatio brands. You can also use Sriracha or Tobasco.
• Seasonings: garlic powder, sea salt and ground black pepper

Tools to Use

• Chef’s Knife
• Cutting board
• Mixing bowls

SHOP NOW

Step-by-step directions

1. In a medium bowl, use a hand mixer to blend together cream cheese, mayonnaise and sour cream until smooth. Mix in celery, green onions, dill, lemon juice and remaining spices until thoroughly combined. Fold in seafood.

2. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. The longer it sits, the better the flavor.

Expert tips and recipe FAQs

I like to serve this dip with a hearty potato chip because I like to get a good helping of yumminess with every bite. You can also use tortilla chips, pita chips or your favorite cracker. And of course, you can use crudites like carrots, celery and cauliflower.

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Yield: serves 6

Crab and Shrimp Dip (Seafood Dip)

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This Crab and Shrimp Dip recipe is an easy seafood dip to whip up and can be served hot or cold. Loaded with sweet and plump shrimp and crab, this crab dip will soon be a family favorite.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Total Time 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 8 oz lump crab and cooked shrimp, chopped
• 5 oz cream cheese, softened
• ¼ cup sour cream
• ¼ cup mayonnaise
• 1 cup finely chopped celery
• 2 green onions, finely chopped
• 2 TBS chopped fresh dill
• 2 teaspoon lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon hot sauce
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions

1. In a medium bowl, use a hand mixer to blend together cream cheese, mayonnaise and sour cream until smooth.
2. Mix in celery, green onions, dill, lemon juice and remaining spices until thoroughly combined.
3. Fold in shrimp and crab.
4. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. The longer it sits, the better the flavor.
5. If you want to serve this dip warm, place contents in an oven-safe dish and bake at 350ºF until bubbly, about 20 minutes.

Notes

Imitation crab can be instead of real crab, if you don't want to spend the extra money for real crab meat.

This dip should last in refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

approximately ¼ cup
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 219Total Fat: 17gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 100mgSodium: 642mgCarbohydrates: 4gFiber: 1gSugar: 2gProtein: 12g

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