This 3-ingredient slow cooker crab dip combines imitation crab, butter and cream cheese in a warm appetizer with five minutes of prep. Thaw the crab safely in the refrigerator before adding it to the slow cooker.
Why You’ll Love It
Only 3 ingredients — thawed imitation crab, butter and cream cheese.
Five minutes of prep — thaw the imitation crab safely in the refrigerator first, then layer the three ingredients. Try our Crab and Shrimp Casserole next.
Mostly hands-off — 2 to 3 hours on LOW and it basically makes itself.
Stays warm and creamy — keep it on the WARM setting and it holds its texture for hours without breaking or getting that weird skin on top.
Dangerously good with crackers — buttery, silky, and rich in the best possible way.
A Word About the Ingredients
Imitation crab works well here because it shreds easily after heating and blends into the cream cheese. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator, then keep it chilled until the slow cooker is ready. For another seafood recipe, try our Crab and Shrimp Seafood Bisque.
Butter: two sticks. Unsalted, because the crab is already salty and you want to control the salt yourself. Cut it into chunks so it melts more evenly rather than sitting there like a block for the first hour.
Cream cheese: the block kind, not the whipped kind. This matters. Whipped cream cheese has air in it and the texture at the end is different — not bad, but not the same. Get the full-fat block and cut it into cubes. Let it sit on the counter for a few minutes while you’re getting everything else together, just to take the chill off.
That’s it. Three things. I keep coming back to that.
Ingredients
2 pounds imitation crab sticks, thawed in the refrigerator
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into chunks
8 ounces block cream cheese, cut into cubes (maybe let it sit out for a bit before you start) For another easy option, see our Chicken Bacon Ranch Pinwheels.
How to Make It
Get out your slow cooker. You’ll want a 4- to 6-quart — I use my 6-quart because I like the dip to have room to breathe, and also because I always end up wanting more.
Lay the thawed imitation crab sticks in an even layer in the bottom of the slow cooker.
Scatter the butter chunks over the top. Space them out so they’re distributed across the surface. Then add the cream cheese cubes, same idea — spread them around so they can melt into the dip from multiple spots rather than creating one dense, slow-melting lump.
Put the lid on. Set it to LOW. Walk away.
I do two to three hours on LOW. I’ve done it in closer to two hours when I’ve forgotten we had people coming over and I was pressed for time, and it was fine. I’ve also done it for closer to three and a half hours when I got caught up watching something and lost track of time — also fine. It’s forgiving. That’s the whole point.
When everything’s melted and the crab sticks are hot and the butter and cream cheese are pooled around them, grab two forks. This is the part I find oddly satisfying. You shred and pull apart the crab sticks right there in the slow cooker — they break apart easily once they’ve cooked — and then you stir everything together. The shredded crab gets folded into the melted butter and cream cheese, and it all comes together into this thick, creamy dip with little threads of crab throughout. Stir it well. Really work it.
Taste it. Add a pinch of salt if you want, a crack of black pepper. I usually don’t add much — the crab does a lot of that work on its own.
Switch it to WARM, prop the lid slightly so condensation doesn’t drip back in and thin out the dip, and leave it. Stir it every once in a while if you remember. That’s really it.
More easy dinners you might like
Variations
A squeeze of lemon juice — maybe a teaspoon — stirred in at the end brightens the whole thing up without much effort. You might also like our Pillsbury Biscuit Garlic Butter Cheese Bombs.
A little garlic powder is good. Maybe half a teaspoon, maybe a full one, stirred in with the butter and cream cheese before cooking. I’ve also done minced fresh garlic and I think I prefer the powder, honestly. The fresh garlic can get a little sharp.
Some shredded mozzarella stirred in during the last thirty minutes makes it cheesier and slightly thicker. Mozzarella with a hit of cayenne is really good. I’ve been meaning to nail down that ratio and haven’t quite managed it yet.
The version I tried with whipped cream cheese — I mentioned this above but I’ll say it again — the texture was softer and a little looser than I like. Not ruined, just not ideal. Stick with the block.
Storage,
If you have leftovers — and sometimes you do, if you’ve made it for a smaller group or you held yourself back, which is its own kind of discipline — refrigerate them within two hours. I use a glass container with a lid. It keeps for three or four days in the fridge, and you reheat it gently, either in the microwave in short bursts (stir between them) or back in the slow cooker on LOW until it’s hot and creamy again. Try our Sausage and Cream Cheese Crescents next.
I have, more than once, left this out longer than two hours. I’m telling you what the food safety guidelines say, not necessarily what I’ve always done. But do try to get it covered and into the fridge before too long — it’s better reheated than it has any right to be. If you like this, you'll love our Chicken Crescent Roll Ups.
3-Ingredient Slow Cooker Crab Dip with Butter
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Ingredients
- 2 lbs imitation crab sticks thawed in the refrigerator
- 1 cup unsalted butter cut into chunks
- 8 oz cream cheese cut into cubes, slightly softened
Instructions
- Place thawed imitation crab sticks in an even layer in the bottom of a slow cooker.
- Scatter butter chunks evenly over the crab, followed by cream cheese cubes.
- Cover and cook on low for 2 to 3 hours, until butter and cream cheese are fully melted and heated through.
- Use two forks to shred the softened crab sticks directly in the slow cooker.
- Stir thoroughly until the crab is fully incorporated into the creamy butter mixture.
- Taste and season lightly with salt and black pepper if desired. Switch to warm setting and stir occasionally before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition values are estimates based on the listed ingredients and serving count. Actual values vary with brands, cuts and portion sizes.
