Easy Horseradish Crab Dip

This horseradish crab dip is the kind of party appetizer that lives in everyone’s recipe box for a reason: seven ingredients, one bowl, and the kind of warm, creamy bite that disappears as fast as you can refill the cracker plate. Softened cream cheese gets loosened with a splash of milk, then folded with crab meat, finely diced onion, and just enough prepared horseradish to wake everything up.

The horseradish is the move here. Two teaspoons sounds modest, but it cuts through the richness of the cream cheese and brightens the natural sweetness of the crab without ever shouting. Topped with sliced almonds before baking, you get a toasty crunch against the molten dip underneath.

Use the best crab you can afford. Lump or backfin gives you those beautiful pillowy chunks; claw meat is fine for stretching a budget but lacks the same texture.

Pro Tips

• Bring the cream cheese fully to room temperature before mixing. Cold cream cheese leaves lumps that won’t bake out.
• Pick through the crab carefully for any bits of shell or cartilage. Even premium crab can have a few stragglers.
• Mix gently with a fork, not a spoon. You want to keep the lumps of crab intact, not mash them.
• Bake just until bubbly at the edges. Overbaking dries out the crab and turns the cream cheese grainy.

Variations

• Swap horseradish for Old Bay seasoning and a squeeze of lemon for a Maryland-style spin.
• Add a half cup of shredded sharp cheddar or gruyere for a richer, cheesier dip.
• Serve cold instead of baked: skip the oven, chill for an hour, and use as a sandwich filling or topper for cucumber rounds.