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Home » Recipes » Appetizers & Snacks

Quickie Crab Dip

By: Kathryn Doherty | Last Updated: Mar 10, 2025 | Published: Jun 25, 2015
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An easy, fast 3-ingredient crab dip appetizer that tastes fancy and delicious! Perfect for entertaining!

Quickie crab dip appetizer - a crowd pleaser!


 

This quickie crab dip is just 3 ingredients! Three!

And it's OH so easy to make.

All you do is stir the crab meat, sour cream and seasoning packet together and stick it in the fridge. Seriously simple.

And yet it feels so decadent, so special, so fancy.

Quickie crab dip appetizer - just 3 ingredients!

My Aunt Edith passed this recipe along to me. She’s an amazing cook.

And I’d like to think amazing cooks come up with simple but amazing appetizers like this so they can devote time and attention to other parts of the meal.

Cause really, this appetizer just sets you up well!

3-ingredient quickie crab dip
A blue tinted bowl full of a creamy crab dip with crab meat and fresh parsley on top and crackers and toasted baguette slices on a plate underneath.

I served it topped with parsley and small canned shrimp (again, Edith’s suggestions), alongside crackers and crusty bread. So, so tasty!

And perfect for parties, too, because it seems sophisticated and can be made in advance. That's winning at the entertaining game if you ask me!

(If you are looking for a hot appetizer, these crab melts are delicious! They feel fancy too and are super easy to make. That's just how I do things, I guess.)

Three wheat crackers with dollops of a creamy crab dip topped with tiny cooked shrimp with fresh parsley to the side.

Now, I will admit that I accidentally doubled the recipe when I made this for the first time.

And I wasn't making it for a party, just for 4 people. Whoops!

Should have checked those pesky little details, like ounces on packages and details in directions.

Have no fear, I found some delicious ways to use the leftovers.

It’s worth making this dip just to make the other recipes!

Here are the links cause I simply couldn’t hold off on sharing them with you:

  1. Crab salad sandwich (kinda like a lobster roll, reimagined)
  2. Creamy pasta with crab and peas (you are in for a seriously delicious dinner)
Close up of a crab salad sandwich on a long whole wheat hoagie roll with fresh chopped parsley sprinkled on top and to the side.
Close up of a low white bowl filled with a creamy crab pasta with green peas and sprinkled with chopped fresh parsley.

Any which way you serve this — hopefully all 3 ways, like me! — I hope you love its simplicity but sophistication.

Enjoy!

XO,

Kathryn

P.S. Here’s a good guide to choosing crabmeat if you want to read up on that.

A blue and white bowl filled with a creamy crab dip appetizer topped with fresh parsley and chopped crab and crackers to the side for dipping.
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3.93 from 39 votes

Quickie Crab Dip

An easy, fast 3-ingredient crab dip appetizer that tastes fancy and delicious! Perfect for entertaining!
Prep Time5 minutes mins
Additional TimeInactive Time2 hours hrs
Total Time2 hours hrs 5 minutes mins

Ingredients

  • 1 (16 oz.) container real crab meat (about 2 cups)
  • 1 (16 oz.) container sour cream (you could sub Greek yogurt)
  • 1 (0.7 oz.) envelope dry Italian seasoning/salad dressing mix

Optional toppings:

  • Chopped fresh parsley, canned pink shrimp (rinsed and drained)

Instructions

  • Pick over the crab meat carefully to remove any bones.
  • Mix the crab meat, sour cream and Italian dressing in a bowl and stir to combine.
  • Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours.
  • Top with parsley and shrimp, if desired. Serve with crackers, crunchy bread, toasted baguettes and/or veggies.

Notes

This makes a huge serving! It’s perfect for a big party, but even if you have a smaller group, leftovers are a good thing. You can use them in my crab salad sandwich and/or creamy pasta with crab and peas. Or you could halve the recipe.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 14kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 2g | Cholesterol: 8mg | Sodium: 172mg
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary

    June 25, 2015 at 11:50 am

    Simple, yet elegant appetizers are where it is at! Especially one that is creamy and dreamy. I love the little shrimp on top-- tres cute!! This is the perfect little snack to enjoy after a lounging around at the pool or beach. I plan on making this over the weekend after my R & R in the sun! Thanks for sharing!! Cheers, my dear!

    Reply
    • Kathryn

      June 25, 2015 at 7:40 pm

      Yes! It's so helpful to have an easy go-to that tastes so decadent! A perfect treat after a hot summer day of relaxing. Get your rest on and I hope you enjoy the dip! XO

      Reply
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Meet Kathryn

Hi there! I’m Kathryn Doherty, a cookbook author, mom of two, and devoted food and home cooking nut. I’ve got lots of easy recipes to help you get delicious food on the table for your family!

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