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Our favorite smoked crab dip is made with two different types of crab to keep the costs down – real claw crabmeat and imitation crab. Mixed with cream cheese, Monterrey Jack, and a bit of Cajun seasoning and smoked on the pellet grill, this easy smoker dip recipe is the perfect game day or party appetizer!
Smoked Crab Dip
Ingredients
- 8 ounces canned claw crabmeat
- 8 ounces imitation crab
- 8 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (divided – about 75% in the mix, 25% for topping)
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup Mayonnaise
- ¼ cup Sour cream
- ¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1½ tablespoons chives, diced
- ½ teaspoon Cajun seasoning
Instructions
- Preheat your pellet grill or smoker to 350°F with your choice of wood or pellets.
- For the canned claw or lump crabmeat – Drain the crab meat thoroughly. Pick through it carefully to remove any shells. Using a knife, roughly chop the crab meat. For the imitation crab – Use a knife to shred or chunk the meat. Mix the imitation and regular crab together and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, mayonnaise, and sour cream. Mix well until the cream cheese is fully incorporated and the mixture is smooth.
- Add the minced garlic, lemon juice, black pepper, Worcestershire sauce, Cajun seasoning, and 1 tablespoon of the chives to the cream cheese mixture. Stir until well combined.
- Fold in about 6 ounces of the grated Monterey Jack cheese and half of the Parmesan cheese to the mixture, reserving the rest of the cheese for topping.
- Gently fold in the imitation crab and claw crab meat. If using lump crab, fold carefully to avoid breaking up the chunks.
- Transfer the mixture to a grill-safe cast iron skillet or baking dish, spreading into an even layer. Then place the dish on the preheated smoker and cook for 20 minutes.
- While the dip smokes, combine the reserved Monterey Jack cheese, reserved Parmesan cheese, and about ½ tablespoon of diced chives in a small bowl.
- After 20 minutes, remove the dip from the smoker. Sprinkle the reserved cheese mixture over the top. Return the dip to the smoker and cook for an additional 10-12 minutes, until the cheese is melted.
- Remove the dip from the smoker and let cool for 2-3 minutes before serving. Serve hot with crostini, crackers, corn chips, or vegetable crudités.
Notes
- Crab options: Use any combination of imitation crab, claw meat, or lump crab based on your budget and preference. Imitation crab keeps costs down while real crab adds authentic flavor. I like the combination of the two.
- Serving Suggestion: We served our smoked crab dip with crostinis that we made on the grill while the dip was cooking. Slice a French loaf into slices on the bias, add olive oil (with a pastry brush), sprinkle with garlic powder and a bit of Cajun seasoning, and toast on the grill.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven or smoker until warmed through.
- Allergy warning: This recipe contains seafood. Not suitable for those with shellfish allergies.
Ingredients and Notes
- crab – I like using a combination of imitation crab and claw meat to keep costs down while still getting that authentic crab flavor. If you want to go all-in, use lump and claw crab meat, but be prepared to pay significantly more. Since this is a dip, the imitation crab works great and provides excellent value.
- Monterey Jack cheese and parmesan cheese – About 75% gets mixed in with the dip, and the remainder is melted on top.
- cream cheese
- mayonnaise
- sour cream
- garlic cloves – We prefer using fresh minced garlic, but you can substitute the jarred variety if needed.
- lemon juice
- Cajun seasoning and black pepper – The perfect blend of spice for this seafood dip.
- Worcestershire sauce
- chives – We prefer using the dried chopped chives that you can find in the refrigerated produce section of the grocery store. They keep longer in the fridge than fresh.
Instructions
Prep the Crab: Start by draining your lump or claw crab meat. Pick through it carefully to make sure there aren’t any shells hiding in there. Once drained, dice it into chunks. For the imitation crab, you can shred it or dice it to the same size chunks as the real crabmeat.
Mix the Base: In a mixing bowl, combine all of the dip ingredients except for the crab and the Monterey Jack and parmesan cheeses. Mix everything together well until the cream cheese is smooth.
Add the Cheese and Crab: Fold in about three-quarters of your grated Monterey Jack and parmesan (save some for topping). Add your imitation crab and claw crab meat. If you’re using lump crab, fold it in gently so you don’t break up those beautiful chunks.
Smoke the Dip: Transfer the crab dip to a grill-safe cast iron skillet or baking dish, spreading it out in an even layer. Cook on the pellet grill at 350°F for about 20 minutes. Then sprinkle on the remaining cheeses and chives, and smoke another 10 minutes. You’re looking for bubbly sides and melted cheese on top.
Remove from the smoker, allow to cool slightly, and serve with your favorite dippers.
Serving Suggestions
This smoked crab dip is great with crackers or even corn chips. But we love it best with a simple crostini that we cook on the grill right alongside the dip.
First, slice a French loaf into medallions on the bias. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil, or garlic-infused or flavored olive oil if you have it. Sprinkle with a bit of Cajun seasoning and garlic powder. You can “bake” the crostini on the pellet grill or smoker while the crab dip finishes up.
Other Smoker Dip Recipes to Try
If you loved this easy smoked party dip, then be sure to try out some of our other dip recipes:
- Smoked Buffalo Chicken Dip
- Loaded Cowboy Queso – One of our favorite smoked queso dips ever!
- Smoked Jalapeno Popper Dip – This one is great with corn chips or even spread on chicken quesadillas!
- Smoked Sausage and Cream Cheese Rotel Dip – Another super easy dip that delivers on flavor! Make it with just a few ingredients!
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