Last Updated on February 27, 2022 by Kimberly Stroh

I’m all about quick and easy appetizers that don’t require much effort. That’s even more important to me when I’m in the kitchen preparing for guests. Appetizers have to taste good and can’t be complicated. I love this cold Southwest Crab Dip recipe – you just mix everything together, serve it and enjoy. It doesn’t get easier than this!

 

I love making crab dip for a spring or summer gathering. You want something that’s easy, but won’t heat the kitchen. When the months are warmer, you want to serve something chilled. Crab dip is creamy, with a bit of kick, and it’s easy to scoop up with chips or crackers.

Basically, if you can dump everything together in a bowl and mix – you can certainly make this cold crab dip recipe. I even prep mine ahead of time and just keep it in the refrigerator before serving. We’ve enjoyed it as an easy appetizer for summer holidays and enjoyed it around the pool.

I always like to make this for a crowd. You can serve it for tailgating, a summer party or as an appetizer with wine and crackers. You can pair it with pretzel crackers, Ritz Crackers or anything that you prefer for dipping. A trick that I like to do is put the bowl in the freezer while preparing the dip. That way it’s extra cold when you serve the dip. If you’re serving it at an outdoor gathering, be sure to serve it over ice!

The only problem that we have is the crab dip disappearing too quickly. With that in mind, you might want to double the recipe and know that your guests will love it!

Looking for even more great dip recipes? Here are some of my favorites:

• Hot Bacon Cheddar Dip Recipe
• Oven Baked Gruyere Cheese Dip
• Georgia Pan-Fried Onion Dip

How To Make This Southwest Crab Dip Recipe

This recipe doesn’t require any fancy kitchen tools to throw together, which is great. However, I recommend that when you serve a cold dip (especially if you serve it outside) that you keep it chilled. That means you’ll probably have to serve the cold crab dip over ice. Invest in an over-ice stainless steel serving bowl from Amazon.

What To Serve With Southwest Crab Dip

Give a variety of options use as dippers. I like to serve my cold crab dip with slices of white French bread, pretzels, crackers and even chips. Feeling fancy? Make your own homemade crackers for dipping. If you want to be even more generous about the spice, place a bottle of hot sauce next to the dip. There’s always a few guests who want a tad more heat in their crab dip.

How To Prepare Cold Crab Dip Ahead Of Time

To make the Southwest Crab Dip ahead of time, you want to mix it tougher and place the mixing bowl in the refrigerator. You can even add it to the freezer 30-minutes ahead of your gather so it’s super chilled. Do not keep it room temperature and serve it over ice.

How To Store Leftover Southwest Crab Dip

Place any leftovers in an airtight food storage container and put it in the refrigerator. Enjoy the crab dip for 4-5 days before tossing any remaining leftovers. 

Can You Freeze The Dip?

No – crab dip doesn’t freeze well like it’s counterpart, warm crab dip. It’s so easy to make that I always recommend throwing together a new batch. Just toss any leftovers and don’t freeze.

What You’ll Need From The Grocery Store:

• Sour Cream
• Mayonnaise
• Jalapeños
• Garlic
• Salt and Pepper
• Crab Meat
• Red Pepper
• Celery

Step-By-Step Directions To Make Cold Southwest Crab Dip

In a large bowl, combine the sour cream, mayo, cream cheese, jalapeños, garlic, salt and pepper, whisking until combined.

Mix in the crab meat, red pepper, and celery until combined.