This creamy hot artichoke crab dip is an easy appetizer and game day favorite that is sure to be a hit with your party guests!
Artichokes and crab have always been two of my favorite foods and I think they go particularly well together. Growing up in Northern California both were pretty much always available. During the summers we went out to the beach in Monterey County, which is where the “Artichoke Center of the World” happens to be. You see artichokes growing everywhere! I’ve always loved them just simply steamed and dipped in mayo or some type of dipping sauce like the one I created for this grilled artichoke recipe.
While steamed or grilled artichokes are fantastic, artichoke dip is always a favorite when it comes to party appetizers. Since the Super Bowl is only a few weeks away, I’m going to be publishing a couple of my game day party favorites for those of you who will be entertaining or who just want to make some great snacks for the game – or anytime!!
So, when you are having guests over for a casual party what’s key?? A bunch of quick, tasty appetizers that will be crowd-pleasers! This Hot Artichoke Crab Dip definitely fits the bill!
I tested this recipe with a group of my girlfriends a couple of months ago and they gave it rave reviews. So much so, that if you are entertaining a large group, you might want to double the recipe! This recipe also definitely fits my definition of easy entertaining as it’s ready in less than 25 minutes from start to serving.
notes from the kitchen
- I’d recommend baking this in a ceramic or stainless steel dish. I first tried it in a cast iron pan and while it was initially fine, I wasn’t happy with what happened after it sat for a bit so I’d say don’t go there!
- You can also split it into multiple dishes and heat them up as you need them.
- You can use either frozen or canned artichoke hearts for this recipe. I often use frozen because I usually have them in my freezer. I don’t recommend marinated, as the flavoring in the artichoke with change the flavor of the dip.
- You can use just about anything you like for dipping. I normally lean towards a toasted baguette but you could use crackers or pre-made crostini. If you want to toast a baguette just get a sliced baguette from the grocery store (most grocery store bakeries will slice them for you), rub the slices with a garlic clove cut in half and then spray or coat with a bit of olive oil. Toast in a 350°F oven for 15-20 minutes.
things you may want for this recipe
Mini Gratin Pans – These little pans are one of my kitchen favorites. They are great for individual frittatas, pasta dishes or for breaking servings of things like this dip into multiples so you can place at different spots or serve at different times without too much additional effort.
Hot Artichoke-Crab Dip
Ingredients
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 15- oz can artichoke hearts drained
- 1 green onion, cut into 4 pieces
- ⅓ cup shredded parmesan cheese
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ cup plain greek yogurt
- 2 oz lump crab meat
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 350°F.
- Add garlic, artichoke hearts and green onion to a food processor fitted with a standard blade. Pulse until well chopped. Add parmesan and cream cheese and continue to pulse until everything is well combined.
- Remove the blade from the food processor and add the pepper flakes, salt, lemon zest, yogurt and crab. Stir until combined.
- Spray two mini gratin pans or an 8x8 baking dish with cooking spray. Scoop the dip into the prepared baking dish and spread into an even layer. Bake for 15 minutes. Turn the oven to broil and broil just until the top of the dip begins to brown (30-60 seconds).
- Serve with toasted bread or crackers.
Wowza. It’s gonna take a whole lot of willpower to keep myself from eating this stuff like soup rather than a dip. Seriously, it looks that good! I must try this soon!
Yum. I love warm dip, especially with crab. I’ve never tried it with artichoke so that should be fun! Thanks for the recipe!
This sounds awesome!
Hi Kathryn, this looks great! I love artichokes and crab but have never tried them both together in a dip! I’m gonna have to try this, thanks for the recipe x
I hope you enjoy it!
Thanks for the tip about not doing it in a cast iron pan because that would probably have been my go-to approach. I’ll choose a different one instead!
Love artichokes, love crab! What a fantastic combination in a dip! Love the Greek yogurt in it, too!
Awesome collection!