Crab and Artichoke Dip

By Melissa Knific

Updated October 27, 2024

  • Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
50 minutes
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes, plus 10 minutes' cooling
Rating
5(394)
Comments
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Briny crab and artichokes, paired with creamy cheeses, sour cream and mayonnaise, set the groundwork for this American coastal favorite with regional variations. On the East Coast, this dip is sometimes referred to as Maryland crab dip, as it uses blue crabs from the Chesapeake Bay and Old Bay seasoning; in the Pacific Northwest, Dungeness crab and artichokes are essential to the mix. This version pulls inspiration from both, and you can use whatever variety is available to you at your local market. You don't need to use lump crab. Instead, look for less expensive options, which have small pieces of crab that distribute more evenly in the creamy base. The cheese pull — that long, gooey string that extends as a result of cheese being pulled apart — is the telltale sign that a dip has reached peak richness. Here, fontina achieves maximum cheesiness and doesn’t overpower the other flavors. Serve with crostini, pita or a sleeve of saltines.

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Ingredients

Yield:8 servings

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

  • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

  • 1 small shallot, finely chopped

  • 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

  • 1 ½ cups (6 ounces) shredded fontina cheese

  • ½ cup (2 ounces) shredded Parmesan 

  • ⅓ cup mayonnaise

  • ⅓ cup sour cream

  • 2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning, plus more for serving

  • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

  • 1 lemon (optional)

  • 1 (8-ounce) container refrigerated special grade (not lump) crab, drained

  • 1 (14-ounce) can quartered artichoke hearts packed in water, drained and roughly chopped

  • Fresh chopped parsley, for serving (optional)

  • Crostini, pita or saltines, for serving

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)

14 grams carbs; 90 milligrams cholesterol; 389 calories; 9 grams monosaturated fat; 6 grams polyunsaturated fat; 13 grams saturated fat; 30 grams fat; 4 grams fiber; 586 milligrams sodium; 18 grams protein; 3 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat oven to 425 degrees. In a small skillet, heat olive oil over medium. Stir in garlic and shallot; cook, stirring until softened, about 2 minutes; turn off heat.

  2. Step 2

    In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, 1 cup of the fontina, ¼ cup of the Parmesan, the mayonnaise, sour cream, Old Bay, Worcestershire and, if desired, juice from half the lemon. Stir until everything is well combined. Gently stir in crab, artichokes and garlic mixture until combined. Taste and add more lemon juice, if desired.

  3. Step 3

    Transfer to a 1 ½-quart baking dish, spreading evenly and smoothing the top. In a small bowl, mix the remaining fontina and Parmesan, then scatter evenly on top. Bake until the dip is bubbling and golden-brown, 20 to 25 minutes.

  4. Step 4

    Remove from the oven and cool for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley and more Old Bay, if desired. Serve hot with crostini alongside.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
394 user ratings
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Comments

Richard X

Lump crab meat has a delicate flavor. Special, which is recommended here, has a much stronger flavor which would not be overpowered by Old Bay.

Mary

For my taste, Old Bay overpowers the delicate flavor of crab. I substituted 2 teaspoons of cocktail sauce. Delicious.

SaraJane Danaher

How many days in advance can I prepare this dip? I'm serving it on Thanksgiving, but want to make it well in advance. Thank you!

Kristal

Marylander here - Everyone loved this! Couldn’t find fontina so substituted Gruyere - but since Gruyere is a bit stronger in flavor I increased the Special grade crab to ~12 oz, any less and the cheese was the predominant flavor in the mix. Squeezed the heck out of the quartered artichokes with multiple towels, then threw them into the mix without chopping further.

Hazel P

This was delicious! A big hit at my party. I had to substitute the cheese for what I had on hand and I used Heluva Good French onion sour cream dip rather than plain sour cream with no noticeable effect. My artichokes were marinated, tasted good but not noticeable. Very, very tasty and satisfying. Definitely happy to make this again.

Sarah N

Special crab meat refers to the grade of crab (jumbo lump, lump, backfin, claw, special). Special is the cheapest as it is the small shredded portions of meat lefts after the larger portions are picked.

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