Cheesy Crab and Jalapeño Dip

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This cheesy crab and jalapeño dip is a huge crowd pleaser, easy to prepare, and can be made ahead of time then baked at the last minute.

Cheesy Crab and Jalapeño Dip
Cheesy Crab and Jalapeño Dip

Have you ever had the following conversation with your husband or roommate?

Scotch:  “Hey! We’ve been invited over to {insert friend’s name here} for drinks.”

Me:  “That’s great! But we need to bring our own food.”

Scotch:  “What?”

Me:  “They never serve any food. Oh wait, hold on. Yes, last time I got a buttered roll. Not exactly my idea of snack food for cocktail hour.”

Scotch:  {Rolls eyes.}

I can’t help it. I think about food a lot. Even more so when I am drinking. I like snacking on cheese, charcuterie, pate, any type of tapas, dim sum… Just give me some good food. Not a buttered roll, please. Unless it’s fancy salted French butter served on soft homemade fresh bread straight out of the oven.

So I have a few recipes that I can whip up quickly to bring over to someone’s house – whether for cocktail hour, a play date or a book club meeting.

And this crab and jalapeño dip is one of my favorites. In fact, I sometimes can’t help it and serve myself larger helpings than I should instead of saving to share with others.

Now I wish there was a Costco in Dubai to buy jumbo crab meat from as fresh crab meat isn’t always available and when it is available, it’s soooo expensive.  I’ve tried a couple of canned alternatives but they all suck (too stringy or too much cartilage) except for the canned crab meat from John West. The crab is in nice chunks, not too small, no unwelcome bits of cartilage (so far), and the taste is just like crab. I think it retails for 20 dhs ($6) a can.

Crab Jalepeno Dip - John West Crab Chunks
The only commercial crab meat I use

As for the cheese, I have experimented with many different combinations (Monterrey, Emmental, Gruyere) but found that you can’t go wrong with a good cheddar.

My recipe does not use fresh jalapeños but the pickled ones in a jar. In a pinch, you can substitute cayenne pepper but I tried that once and just didn’t like it as much. I like tasting the jalapeño’s in random bites. You know, surprise!

Crab Jalepeno Dip
Crab Jalepeno Dip

Finally, please use a good mayonnaise.  Why use a luxury ingredient like crab meat only to use inferior tasting mayo. Or low fat (unless your low fat is, like, better than full fat – in that case, definitely drop me a message and let me know which brand it is).

Personally, I love Hellmann’s brand mayo but not the stuff that’s sold here in Dubai which is produced locally and tastes like cardboard. I actually bring a Costco-sized container (64-oz!) of Hellman’s mayo back every summer and that will usually last me half the year until someone else from the States visits and replenishes my stock. Yes, that is nearly 2 kg of mayo in a jar but a lot of it goes into making dips for parties…

Now make this for your next get-together and please invite me over 🙂 .

Enjoy!

Crab Jalepeno Dip - so creamy and cheesy!
Crab Jalepeno Dip

Cheesy Crab and Jalapeño Dip

Cheesy Crab and Jalapeño Dip

Ginger and Scotch
This cheesy crab and jalapeño dip is a huge crowd pleaser, easy to prepare, and can be made a head of time then baked at the last minute.
3 from 2 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Course Appetizer
Servings 6 -8

Ingredients
  

  • 1/2 pound (450g) jumbo lump crab meat or 2 cans John West crab chunks
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 cups (8 oz, 226g) cheddar cheese, grated
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan (reserve about 2 Tb for sprinkling on top)
  • 1/4 cup jalapeño slices from a jar/can , drained and diced (adjust amout to your desired spiciness)
  • 2 bunch green onions , chopped, optional
  • 2 cloves garlic , minced
  • 1 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • For serving - sliced French bread , table crackers, etc

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C).
  • In a mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients (except 2 Tb Parmesan) until thoroughly mixed.
  • Transfer dip to an oven-safe serving bowl and sprinkle remaining Parmesan on top.
  • Bake for about 25 minutes in the middle rack until golden brown and bubbly.
  • Serve hot with crackers or sliced French bread or whatever suits your fancy.

Notes

To save on time, buy pre-shredded or pre-grated cheese.

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Recipe Rating




24 Comments

  1. This dip is speaking to me… Very cool that you’re living in Dubai — and I love the Hellman’s and Costco mention. I am constantly at Costco.

  2. Hahaha! I hear ya about thinking about food! I’m usually thinking about lunch when I’m eating breakfast! 😉 Not only that, but I love a good dip and this one looks amazing! Love the blend of flavors you used! 🙂

  3. Oh wow this looks pretty amazing, I am exactly the same I think about food far too much and if we go anywhere I am normally thinking what we will get to eat?? I love how thick and gooey the cheese looks on this dip.

  4. Crab is one of my hubby’s favorite meat. Cant imagine how much he would love this dip. Looks so very delicious 🙂

  5. I don’t eat crab enough and this reminds me just how tasty it is! The canned crab looks very good too.

  6. That really looks so so good. I’d not share it and keep it all for me, possibly eat al with a spoon, of dollop into a jacket potato? Hellmann’s recently changed their recipe here and it really is not quite as good sadly.

    1. Mmm, dollop onto jacket potato – what a great idea! Oh no! How could they change their recipe on me? I’ll have to do a taste test when I’m home in New York this summer.