Creamy Warm Crab Dip with Old Bay
This warm dip with crab is one that all your party guests will enjoy. Instead of cream cheese, it has a bechamel sauce that makes it thick along with gooey melted cheese and lump crab meat throughout. It just takes 10 minutes of prep time and then it’s baked topped with panko for added crunch. Still scrumptious at room temperature so you can enjoy it for the entire party.
Ingredients
- 5 tablespoons butter (divided)
- 3 tablespoons flour
- ½ teaspoon dry mustard
- 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
- 1 cup heavy cream (warmed in the microwave)
- 1 shallot (finely chopped)
- ¼ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 3 tablespoons Marsala wine (dry)
- 8 ounces lump crabmeat
- ½ cup cheddar cheese (shredded)
- ¼ cup fresh chives
- ½ cup Panko bread crumbs
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375º and butter a 1 quart or 8 x 8-inch baking dish.
- Add 3 tablespoons butter to a saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots and cook until softened, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add flour, dry mustard, and Old Bay seasoning and whisk for about 1 minute. Gradually add warm cream to the flour mixture, whisking constantly until it has thickened. It will get very thick.
- Add wine and Worcestershire sauce and whisk. Once combined, remove from the heat and add crabmeat, cheese, and ½ of the chives. Salt to taste and spread into a baking dish.
- In a measuring cup, add 2 tablespoons of melted butter to Panko breadcrumbs and stir to combine with a fork. Sprinkle over the crab dip and bake for 30 minutes until it is bubbly and golden brown. Remove and sprinkle with reserved chives. Serve warm.
Barbara's Notes + Tips
- Don’t add the cream all at once! Add it a little at a time and whisk it into the flour mixture between each addition.
- Fresh crab can have shell fragments in it sometimes. As you add it to your dip, check it carefully for small pieces.
- You can use canned crab meat if necessary.
Nutrition
Calories: 127kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 36mg | Sodium: 189mg | Potassium: 64mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 397IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 49mg | Iron: 0.4mg
