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Easy Crab Spinach Artichoke Dip

spinach artichoke crab dip being scooped.
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This crab spinach artichoke dip is easy to prepare; many of the ingredients can be purchased in the exact amounts you need - no need to measure! This festive dip is a crowd pleaser, perfect for holiday get-togethers.

Ingredients

Scale
  • one 8-ounce block full-fat cream cheese (1 cup), at room temperature
  • 4 ounces freshly-shredded mozzarella (1 cup)
  • 2 ounces freshly-shredded Parmesan (1/2 cup) (note 2)
  • one 8-ounce tub full-fat sour cream (1 cup)
  • 1/4 cup (56 g) mayonnaise (optional, for a richer dip)
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning
  • one 10-ounce box frozen chopped spinach, thawed (about 2/3 cup once moisture has been squeezed out) 
  • one 14-ounce can quartered artichoke hearts (about 1 1/2 cups), drained and chopped or torn into bite-sized pieces
  • one 8-ounce tub fresh crabmeat (scant 1 cup), picked through for shells (or two 6-ounce cans crabmeat, drained)

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
  2. Add the softened cream cheese to a large bowl. Stir the cream cheese until smooth.
  3. Mix together the mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Add about 1 cup of the shredded cheese mix to the cream cheese. (Reserve about ½ cup of the cheese for later, you can eyeball this.) Also add the sour cream, (optional) mayo, minced garlic, and Old Bay seasoning to the bowl. Stir the mixture together until evenly combined.
  4. Squeeze the moisture out of the thawed chopped spinach (this step is important, otherwise the dip will be too watery). Add the squeezed spinach to the bowl. Also add the drained chopped or torn artichokes hearts. Mix to combine.
  5. Add the crab meat to the bowl and fold it in gently.
  6. Scoop the dip into a deep-dish pie plate, small casserole dish, or 10-10.5 inch cast-iron skillet. Spread the dip out evenly. Sprinkle the reserved shredded cheese evenly over the top.
  7. Bake the dip in the preheated oven for 25 - 30 minutes, or until the dip is bubbling and the edges are browned. If desired, move the dip to the top oven rack and broil on high for 2 - 3 minutes to brown the top even more.

Notes

(1) If you didn't thaw the spinach in the fridge ahead of time, and/or didn't take the cream cheese out to come up to room temperature before making the dip, don't worry! Here is how to quickly and easily thaw those ingredients using the microwave:

  • Frozen spinach: remove the frozen spinach from all the packaging and place in a microwave-safe container. Microwave the block of spinach on high for 1 minute. Break the spinach up into chunks, and then microwave again on high for 1 minute. Stir the spinach well, and, if needed, microwave again on high in 30 second increments, stirring in-between, until thawed. (The spinach doesn't have to be warm, just no longer frozen.)
  • Cream cheese: remove the block of cream cheese from all the packaging and place it in a microwave-safe container. Microwave the cream cheese on 50% power for 30 seconds. Break the cream cheese into chunks, and microwave again at 50% power for 30 seconds. Stir the cream cheese. If it is still not softened, microwave again at 50% power in 15 second increments, stirring in-between, until softened.

(2) If you want a shortcut, you can use pre-shredded Italian blend cheese instead of the mozzarella and Parmesan. However, I have found that the top layer of cheese doesn't melt or brown quite as well with this type of cheese. If that's not a concern, flavor-wise this is a great substitute!

The nutrition information below is an estimate only, provided by an online nutrition calculator. It does not include the optional mayonnaise. The nutrition counts of your dish will vary based on the brand and exact amounts of ingredients used. This nutrition estimate should not be considered a substitute for professional medical, health, or nutritional advice. See our full disclosure policy.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://nibbleanddine.com/crab-spinach-artichoke-dip/