Last updated on December 30th, 2024
My imitation crab meat dip is a whip-it-up-in-no-time, perfect appetizer that will get scarfed up quickly!
Being from Maryland–of course I love crab. You can see this on my site, with loads of super popular recipes like my Maryland hot crab dip recipe and this incredible cream of crab soup recipe (made with jumbo lump crab meat).
Being such a crab recipe expert, I decided to add one more to the mix, but this time I’m using imitation crab since it’s WAY less expensive than real crab meat.
Here I’ll give you my unique recipe, plus some tips and tricks so you can really make the best imitation crab dip.
Why Use Imitation Crab Meat?
Don’t get me wrong, I ADORE real, fresh crab meat.
Being born and raised here in Maryland where my first solid food was blue crabs, nothing even comes close to the real deal.
However, these days buying the real thing can get downright pricey!
So I figure, why not throw in an imitation crab recipe to my ‘good eats’ rotation every once in a while? Right?
What Is Imitation Crab Made Out Of?
You’ll be surprised how similar imitation crab meat tastes to the real thing.
It’s made using something called surimi. This is a paste made most oftenly from pollock. It’s the same stuff you’ll find in most fish sticks and even some sushi like California rolls.
It IS indeed seafood! I’ve got a full imitation crab guide if you want to know more.
Clearly, if I had my druthers, I’d prefer real crab meat over imitation crab any day. But let me tell you, this imitation crab dip is ah-mazing!!
Imitation Crab Dip Recipe Ingredients
Here’s the quick lowdown of the main ingredients in this simple imitation crab meat dip recipe. Find the full ingredients list in the recipe card below.
Jump to Recipe- Imitation Crab Meat: Use your favorite brand and chop or shred it finely. I like using flake-style imitation crab for the best texture.
- Cream Cheese: Kraft Philadelphia Cream Cheese is my go-to brand. It holds itself well and doesn’t go runny like some of the cheaper brands.
- Sour Cream: Cream cheese and sour cream seem to go hand in hand when it comes to dip recipes. The tanginess balances out the richness of the cream cheese. It also makes the dip smoother and more scoopable. For best results, stick with full-fat sour cream.
- Veggies: I add some finely cut veggies like celery and green onions. It adds a little texture and crunch to the recipe.
- Extras: Some cheddar cheese, a dash of hot pepper sauce, and of course: Old Bay Seasoning. It really sets this dip recipe apart from the others.
In fact, once you get all of your ingredients together, just mix them all together and it’s pretty much done! But I’ve got some tips and tricks below to really take it up a notch.
How To Make Imitation Crab Dip
So, now that you have your ingredients together, the steps to making this imitation crab dip recipe are ridiculously easy!
The only part that requires a little bit of time is chilling the imitation crab dip before serving it.
Step 1: Mix Cream Cheese & Sour Cream
First we need to mix the cream cheese and sour cream together.
You can do this by hand with a wooden spoon and a large mixing bowl. Just remember to take the cream cheese out of the fridge about 20 minutes beforehand so it softens slightly.
Alternatively, use an electric mixer like I did. Believe me when I say this, it’ll make your life so much easier and totally save your arm strength!
Step 2: Mix in Remaining Ingredients
Second, add the rest of your ingredients to the mixer bowl and mix thoroughly with a large spoon.
Tip: It’s probably better to do this by hand. You can use an electric mixer, just be careful to keep the speed down—you don’t want to mash up the ingredients too much!
Step 3: Chill Imitation Crab Dip in the Refrigerator
Next, transfer your imitation crab dip to a large bowl and cover with cling film.
Place it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to an hour to get it nice and chilled. This dip recipe tastes better chilled as opposed to being room temperature.
And now, your creamy crab dip is ready to dig into with some Ritz crackers (or whatever your favorite crackers are), tortilla chips, pita chips, or even fresh veggies!
Tips to Make the Best Crab Dip
Follow these tips and your imitation crab meat dip will be perfect every time!
- Adjust Creaminess: If you prefer a less creamy dip, use less sour cream and cream cheese.
- Mind the Salt: Don’t add extra salt to the recipe if you’re using Old Bay Seasoning since this already has plenty of salt in it.
- Lemon Juice Shortcut: When it comes to lemon juice, I have a confession: 9 times out of 10 I use the bottled ReaLemon Lemon Juice instead of fresh lemon juice. It’s a great time saver!
- Control the Heat: Add or subtract the amount of hot sauce based on your personal preference.
Ingredients Substitutions
Here are some good swaps for this delicious dip recipe:
- Imitation Crab: Obviously, you can substitute real crab meat for the imitation crab.
- Flake Style Crab: I used the flake style imitation crab, but next time I’m going to try the imitation crab sticks and cut them up since the texture is closer to real crab legs.
- Spring Onions: To give your dip more of a bite, substitute red onion for the spring onions and add some cayenne pepper.
- Lemon Juice: If you prefer lime juice over lemon juice, it’s perfectly fine to substitute it.
- Sour Cream: If not to your liking, you can also substitute greek yoghurt.
- Herbs & Spices: I think my mix works great, but you can also add a teaspoon garlic powder for a little more umph.
What is the Best Imitation Crab?
Being that I typically do not eat imitation crab, I had to do a little bit of research to find out which brands are the best.
Through my research I found that imitation crab comes in 3 different forms:
- Imitation Crab Flakes: Great for dips, spreads, salads, casseroles, & chowders
- Shredded Imitation Crab: Best for fish tacos, salad toppings, lettuce wraps
- Imitation Crab Sticks: Good as an appetizer, in sushi, and in tortilla wraps
Apparently the consensus is that the texture of crab sticks is less dense and closest to that of real crab legs. On the other hand, imitation crab flakes are tougher and chewier and not as realistic as real crab legs.
The following brands have good reviews:
- Osaki
- Kanikama
- TransOcean – This is the brand I use, which I buy at my local Wegmans
- Louis Kemp
How Long Does Imitation Crab Dip Last?
Well, in my house, not very long!
Maybe 30 minutes?
BUT if you mean how long will it last in the refrigerator, stored in an airtight container, it will last up to 5 days.
Imitation Crab Dip with Old Bay Seasoning
Ingredients
- 8 ounces Cream Cheese, softened
- 8 ounces Sour Cream
- ½ cup Celery, diced
- 3 Green Onions, diced
- 2 tbsp Lemon Juice
- 1 cup Cheddar Cheese, shredded
- 10 ounces Imitation Crab, flaked or sticks cut into bite size pieces
- 1 tbsp Hot Pepper Sauce
- 1 tsp Old Bay Seasoning
Instructions
- In a stand mixer bowl, add cream cheese and sour cream. Mix until thoroughly blended.
- Add celery, green onions, lemon juice, cheddar cheese, imitation crab, hot pepper sauce, and Old Bay Seasoning. Mix with a large spoon until well combined.
- Place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to 1 hour to chill. Serve chilled.
Before You Go…
For more simple recipes with crab, or imitation crab dip recipes, click on over to:
- Imitation Crab Ceviche – A light, refreshing salad with imitation crab, fresh veggies, and citrus flavors.
- Baked Crab Casserole – A cheesy, creamy crab casserole that’s easy to make and perfect for family dinners or gatherings.
- Maryland Crab Fries – Crispy fries topped with Old Bay seasoning and creamy crab dip. A must-try comfort food classic.
I’ve also got a great roundup of 13 healthy imitation crab recipes.
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My coworker loves crab dip. I decided to make this for him as a Christmas gift. Thank you for sharing your recipe.
You’re welcome! Thank you!
Your recipe made a lot. I split it. Some for him and some for my family and I. My coworker tea enjoyed it. We did too! I’m making it again this weekend because I was craving it 😊. I didn’t write the recipe down and began to search the internet. I found a recipe, but it didn’t seem right. I searched further. I’m so glad I found yours! I’m writing it down this time
Can you make this into a hot dip instead of serving it cold? If so how would you change the recipe?
Hi Val, yes you can! I bet it would be very good heated up because the cheese will melt. Please let me know how you like it heated. Enjoy! Pam
I made it for a coworker and he heated it up and said it tasted good.
How much old bay? I do not see on the recipe
Thank you for pointing that out! I will update the recipe. Start with 1 tsp of Old Bay Seasoning and then taste it. You can add more after that to your preferred taste. Old Bay can be pretty salty so be careful not to add too much.