• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Flour Child logo

  • About Us
  • Recipes
  • Privacy
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Classic Cocktails
  • Dinners
  • About Us
    • Email
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Home » Appetizers » Cream Cheese Crab Dip - A Festive Looking Appetizer

    Published: Jul 9, 2020 · Modified: Mar 12, 2022 by Nancy · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Cream Cheese Crab Dip - A Festive Looking Appetizer

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Close up of crabmeat sprinkled on top of crab dip and surrounded by crackers

    This cream cheese crab dip with a bit of chili spice is a quick and easy mid century appetizer. Your guests will love its impressive taste!

    My parents loved to entertain. When my mom was preparing foods for company, she spent the bulk of her time on dinner and chose appetizers that were quick and easy to prepare. Dips and spreads served with crackers were an appetizer mainstay of the mid-century era. This one was one of her favorites. Cream cheese crab dip screams "Turn on Sinatra and mix up a Manhattan!"

    1950's ad campaign popularizes appetizer dips

    Chips and crackers with dips became very popular in the 1950's, in part due to an advertising campaign by Lipton Soups urging people to mix their dry onion soup mix with sour cream or cream cheese to serve for entertaining. During this time special trays were invented for holding and serving this new type of appetizer. Though it doesn't contain onion soup mix, this recipe was born during the midcentury dip craze, as was the chipped beef cheeseball.

    Just 7 Ingredients is all it takes

    Here's all you need to make this retro three layer dip:

    • Cream Cheese
    • Mayonnaise
    • Worcestershire sauce
    • Minced onion
    • Lemon Juice
    • Chili sauce
    • Canned crab meat
    • Parsley for garnish
    • Crackers for serving

    So fast and easy to prepare

    You begin by making the flavorful cream cheese portion of the dip, then adding the chili sauce layer and finally the flaked crabmeat:

    • First, make sure the cream cheese has reached room temperature. Then make the flavorful bottom layer of the dip by combining the first four ingredients with an electric mixer.
    • Second, spread the cream cheese mixture on a platter and cover it with a bottle of chili sauce.
    • Third, sprinkle the canned crabmeat over the top, garnish, and either refrigerate until guests arrive, or serve immediately with crackers!

     

    A mid century setting with crab dip on a flame red tricorne plate.

    Cream Cheese Crab Dip

    Nancy Blackstone
    This recipe is quick to whip up and not overly filling before dinner. The red sauce with a green parsley garnish makes it perfect to serve during the holidays
    4.60 from 5 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 0 minutes mins
    Total Time 10 minutes mins
    Course Appetizer
    Cuisine American
    Servings 8 servings
    Calories 174 kcal

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 8 ounces cream cheese
    • 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
    • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
    • 1 teaspoon minced onion
    • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
    • 1 cup chili sauce
    • 4.25 ounces canned crab meat drained
    • Parsley for garnish
    • Crackers for serving

    Instructions
     

    • In a bowl, combine the cream cheese, mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce, minced onion and lemon juice with an electric mixer until smooth. 
    • Using a flat spatula, spread the cream cheese mixture on a platter, then cover it with chili sauce.
    • Sprinkle crab meat over the top and garnish with parsley. Serve with crackers

    Notes

    You can use substitute a can of small shrimp for the crab meat if you prefer 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 174kcalCarbohydrates: 9gProtein: 5gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 47mgSodium: 671mgPotassium: 250mgFiber: 2gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 619IUVitamin C: 7mgCalcium: 55mgIron: 1mg
    Keyword Christmas, crab, crab dip, dip, Holiday, seafood
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    More Mid-Century Appetizer Recipes

    • Divided 3-way pupu platter tray with crab rangoon, teriyaki meatballs, and fresh pineapple chunks.
      Homemade Pupu Platter Recipes
    • Three pieces of crab rangoon on a blue plate.
      Crab Rangoon Appetizer Recipe
    • Four teriyaki meatballs on a blue plate.
      Easy Teriyaki Meatballs Appetizer
    • Coconut shrimp on a plate, with a small bowl of apricot dipping sauce that has a shrimp dipped into it.
      Baked Coconut Shrimp with Apricot Dipping Sauce

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Nancy and Bentley

    Hi, I'm Nancy! Welcome to Flourchild where I share classic mid-century recipes from the 1940's - 1970's. I feature many vintage handwritten recipes, and provide modern shortcuts and a variety of healthy and special diet-friendly versions whenever possible. Join me in exploring the delicious flavors and from-scratch cooking techniques of our past!

    More about me →

      Easter Favorites

      • A spiral sliced ham with pineapple and cherries affixed with toothpick, sitting in a large silver roasting pan.
        Spiral Sliced Ham with Pineapple
      • Coconut Whipped Cream Cake ready to serve, sitting on a wooded pedestal.
        Coconut Whipped Cream Cake
      • Ambrosia salad with colored marshmallows inside an antique bowl with a pink napkin behind it.
        Vintage Ambrosia Salad (made with fresh fruit)
      • A dozen deviled eggs on a blue batter, sitting on a red-checkered table cloth.
        Classic Mid Century Deviled Eggs

      Soups & Stews

      • Cream of Chicken & Wild Rice Soup
      • A bowl of lasagna soup with shredded cheese on top and basil garnish. A glass of wine and a hot roll are pictured next to the bowl.
        Easy Lasagna Soup (Stovetop and Crockpot Methods)
      • Bowl of simple lentil soup served with French bread on the side.
        Simple Lentil Soup Recipe
      • A close up image of vegetable barley soup in a white bowl
        Old Fashioned Vegetable Barley Soup
      • Super Bowl Chili Is The Perfect Football Food
      • Two bowls of beef burgundy stew with a loaf of French bread sitting on a table
        Beef Burgundy Stew - Warm Comfort on a Cold Night

      Popular Recipes

      • Two brownies stacked on top of each other on a white plate.
        Fudgy Dark Chocolate Brownies
      • Creamed chipped beef poured over two slices of toast.
        Creamed Chipped Beef on Toast
      • El Presidente cocktail in a cocktail glass with a twist of orange peel
        The Classic El Presidente Rum Cocktail
      • Slice of cheesy potato casserole on a mid century plate with a fork and napkin.
        Cheesy Potato Casserole with Fresh Potatoes

      • Email
      • Instagram
      • Pinterest

      Footer

      ↑ back to top

      About

      • Privacy Policy
      • Accessibility Policy

      Newsletter

      • Sign Up! for emails and updates

      Contact

      • Contact

      As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

      Copyright © 2022 Brunch Pro on the Brunch Pro Theme