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Healthy Crab Dip.

Jumbo lump crab meat, shredded cheddar, cream cheese, cottage cheese, Old Bay seasoning and panko crumbs are baked in a cast-iron skillet until hot and bubbly, then served with your favorite whole grain crackers or pretzels. This healthy crab dip is the perfect appetizer for game day … or, any day you’re entertaining and need a comforting, crowd-pleasing warm dip.

An image of crab dip in a cast iron skillet with a long spoon and crackers.

What’s in this healthy crab dip?

INGREDIENTS:

  • Reduced fat cream cheese
  • Reduced fat cottage cheese (yep! the cottage cheese is wonderful in here!)
  • Canned lump crab meat
  • Shredded cheddar cheese, use reduced fat cheddar if preferred
  • Old Bay seasoning
  • Garlic powder
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • Panko crumbs
  • Chives

How do I make this warm dip?

Making this dip couldn’t be easier. You mix all the ingredients in one bowl, pour into your hot skillet and baked until melted and toasty. Easy. Here are the specifics:

  • Preheat the oven and a greased cast-iron skillet in a 350 F degree oven.
  • Mix together the room temperature cream cheese, cottage cheese, crab, most of the cheddar, Old Bay, garlic powder and black pepper in a large mixing bowl.
  • Remove skillet from oven carefully (it’s hot!) and add the crab mixture.
  • Place into oven for 20 minutes.
  • Remove from oven and top with remaining cheddar and panko crumbs.
  • Place back into the oven for 5-10 more minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly and panko crumbs are lightly toasted.
  • Remove from oven.
  • Top dip with chives. Serve with lemon wedges and whole grain crackers, baguette slices or veggies.

This crab dip makes a great game day appetizer. Why?

  • It’s gotta be hot (sure cold apps can be good, but nothing beats a warm dip).
  • It’s gotta be cheesy. What is a great appetizer without cheese? Nothing.
  • It’s gotta keep you coming back for more.
  • It’s gotta have a bit of a kick. This crab dip is spiced up with Old Bay for a match made in seafood heaven.
  • There’s gotta be crunch. You’ll get crunch from the crackers and pretzels (and veggies, if you serve them), but there’s also panko crumbs on top that get nice and toasty in the oven, to give this creamy dip a great crunchy crust on the top. Because creamy dips are good, but creamy dips with crunchy tops are great.
  • And, of course, for us, there’s an extra bonus if seafood is involved. This hot crab dip packs 1 pound of jumbo lump crab meat into it. That’s a lot of crab.

This hot crab dip has all of those things and more. It’s creamy, crunchy, savory and pure comfort food. A true crowd pleaser! If you love crab and you need a great appetizer for Game Day, this is it.

An overhead image of a skillet with warm crab dip, crackers and pretzels for dipping.

Here’s how to make this Warm Crab Dip recipe:

An overhead image of a warm crab dip with crackers and pretzels.

Healthy Crab Dip

Healthy Crab Dip. Jumbo lump crab meat, shredded cheddar, cream cheese, cottage cheese, Old Bay seasoning and panko crumbs are baked in a cast-iron skillet until hot and bubbly, then served with your favorite whole grain crackers or pretzels. This warm crab dip is the perfect appetizer for game day ... or, any day you're entertaining and need a comforting, crowd-pleasing warm dip.
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Total Time 35 minutes
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Servings 12
Calories 109 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 8 ounces reduced fat cream cheese
  • 4 ounces reduced fat cottage cheese
  • 16 ounces canned lump crab meat
  • 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning plus more for topping
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons plain panko crumbs
  • 1 tablespoon chives thinly sliced

For serving

  • 1 lemon cut into wedges
  • Crackers, baguette slices and veggies

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F with your cast-iron skillet inside. 
  • In a large mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, cottage cheese, crab meat, ½ cup cheddar, Old Bay, garlic powder and black pepper. Gently mix with your hands to combine. 
  • Remove skillet from oven. Careful, skillet is hot! Spoon crab mixture into skillet. Place into oven for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and top with remaining ¼ cup cheddar and 2 tablespoons panko crumbs. Place back into the oven for 5-10 more minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly and panko crumbs are lightly toasted. Remove from oven.
  • Top dip with chives. Serve with lemon wedges and whole grain crackers, baguette slices or veggies. 

Nutrition

Calories: 109kcalCarbohydrates: 3gProtein: 11gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 34mgSodium: 487mgPotassium: 156mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 210IUVitamin C: 8mgCalcium: 108mgIron: 1mg
Keyword Healthy Crab Dip
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

What’s on your Big Game menu? Let me know if you try this lightened up crab dip!

An image of warm crab dip in a skillet on a tan napkin and white plate served with crackers.

PIN this crab appetizer for later:

A PIN of a warm crab dip recipe.

Looking for more crab recipes?

Mini Crab Cakes

Kelp and Crab Stuffed Avocados

Crab Stuffed Portabellas