This decadent Hot Crab and Spinach Dip is a blend of sweet crab meat, fresh spinach, artichokes and four kinds of cheese, all baked together into a luxurious but simple, make-ahead appetizer that everyone will love.
As a full-time seafood recipe developer, this seafood and spinach dip is one of my favorite appetizers. It's rich and creamy, decadent with sweet crab meat and all our favorite cheeses.
If you love this dip, you've got to try its cousins - my Cheesy Hot Spinach Dip and Salmon Spinach Pie with Puff Pastry!
Ingredients for Recipe
Before we get to the step-by-step instructions, a few notes about the ingredients and substitutions:
Crab meat: I use crab claw meat when I make this dish, but lump crab is also a good option. Use what you have! Be sure you pick through any fresh crab meat to remove shell fragments before adding seafood to the dip.
Fresh spinach: baby spinach creates the most tender texture. But I've made it with regular spinach leaves (after removing all stems!) and received no complaints.
Cheeses: Garlic and Herb Boursin is a powerhouse ingredient that packs a ton of flavor. Cream cheese, Parmesan and Mozzarella team up to make this the creamiest, most crave-able crab dip. Substitute Monterey Jack, gouda or Swiss, if that's what you love.
Artichokes: grab one can of artichoke hearts (NOT marinated). Just like with the spinach, be sure to wrap in paper towels and wring out any excess liquid before adding to the dip.
Check the printable recipe card below for a complete ingredient list and measurements.
How to Make Crab Spinach Dip
Step 1: Prep and Preheat
Set oven to 400 degrees. Dice artichokes and wilt spinach leaves, wringing out excess moisture.
Combine all ingredients (saving ½ cup shredded mozzarella and crab meat) in a bowl. Taste and add salt and pepper, if needed.
Step 2: Layer and Bake
Spread about half the the mixture into a baking dish, top with a layer of crab meat, then spoon remaining dip over the top. Sprinkle with final ½ cup of shredded mozzarella. Bake until bubbly and lightly browned.
Step 3: Serve and Enjoy
Let the dip sit for 10 minutes before serving (it will still be very hot!) Serve with toasted or grilled baguette slices, veggies or fancy crackers.
Can I make crab spinach dip ahead of time?
You can! Since we're using fresh spinach, bake within 24 hours of mixing. Just let the dish of dip come to room temp while preheating the oven, then bake!
Can I mix the crab into the dip?
The cheesy spinach dip is quite thick before it's baked, so folding in the crab created a more shredded experience, instead of keeping the chunks intact. So I recommend layering, but either way works!
More seafood options for spinach dip
Substitute small shrimp or cut shrimp (cooked) in place of crab meat in this recipe for a cheesy shrimp spinach dip.
Print
Crab Spinach Dip Recipe
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 8-10 1x
Ingredients
- 5 ounces fresh baby spinach leaves
- 1 (14-oz) can artichoke hearts, diced
- 1 (5.3 oz box) Boursin garlic herb cheese
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 ½ cups mozzarella cheese, shredded (divided)
- ¼ cup Parmesan
- Pinch red pepper flakes, optional
- 12 ounces crab meat (lump or claw)
- Toasted baguette slices, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Wilt spinach leaves in microwave for about 90 seconds. Cool, then use paper towels to squeeze out any water.
- Combine spinach, chopped and drained artichokes, Boursin, cream cheese, parmesan, 1 cup of mozzarella and red pepper flakes, if using. Mix well, then taste and add a pinch of salt, if needed.
- Spread about half the the mixture into a small skillet or baking dish, top with a layer of crab meat, then spoon remaining dip over the top. Sprinkle with final ½ cup of shredded mozzarella. Bake for 15-18 minutes, until bubbly and lightly browned.
- Serve with toasted baguette slices or veggies.
Notes
Spinach Dip Tips for Success
- Be sure excess moisture is squeezed out of your fresh (wilted) spinach and drained artichoke hearts. Just wrap in a few layers of paper towels to wring out all the liquid.
- Fresh spinach adds the perfect texture to this dip. Substitute frozen, if needed. But I find the texture gets a bit stringy and competes with the delicate crab.
- Feel free to substitute a shredded Italian blend for the parm and mozzarella, or grab Monterey Jack or your favorite melty cheese. While I prefer to shred my own cheese for the best texture, no one will judge if you use pre-shredded cheese.
- You can fold the crab meat into your dip, but I've found layering it into the dish keeps the crab intact better.
Make Ahead
- You can prep this dip the night before and bake it the next day. Transfer the mix to the serving dish as directed, cover with foil, and refrigerate. When you're ready to bake it, bring the dish out of the fridge and remove the foil while the oven preheats. The bake time will remain the same.
Storage and Reheating
- Keep leftover dip in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. To reheat, bake gently until hot. Or warm in a small skillet with a few tablespoons of milk.
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 20
- Category: Easy Recipes
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ⅛
- Calories: 216
- Sugar: 1.8 g
- Sodium: 543.9 mg
- Fat: 11.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 10.6 g
- Protein: 19.3 g
- Cholesterol: 57.6 mg
Leave a Reply