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๐Ÿฆ€ 19 Best Crab Appetizers That Your Guests Will Absolutely Love! ๐Ÿฆ€

🦀 19 Best Crab Appetizers That Your Guests Will Absolutely Love! 🦀

Crabs are one of the most loved and popular types of food in all of the world. This is why this type of protein is preferred when serving starters, such as crab appetizers.

Everyone loves to eat these delectable shellfish, which can be cooked in numerous ways to create a wide variety of appealingly flavorful dishes. 

These crustaceans can be found in many different parts of the world, with their distinct flavor providing layers of taste to many cuisines. 

Crabs can thrive in salt, and fresh water and have been part of humankind’s diet for centuries. 

The variety of crab meat also offers different taste profiles, with people considering it to be a saltier middle ground between lobster and shrimp and with a natural sweetness that’s also distinct.  

Its texture is not too soft while absorbing flavors from added ingredients quickly, without any strong fish taste or smell. 

Eating crab meat can be a rich and delicate experience, as it can melt in your mouth and break apart easily. 

Many crab appetizers can provide different flavors, from savory to creamy, elegant, and crunch. 

You will want to give the Crab Cake SlidersSpicy Crab Nuggets, and Cajun Crab Tarts a try.

The #12 Crab-Stuffed Deviled Eggs is an elevation of the particularly sophisticated side dish, and will truly rise up your ranks of the best crab appetizers

With this list, you can pick out delicious recipes you can try first as you work on an appetite and get to try them all!

1. Crab Cake Bites

Crab cakes are delicious recipes that many consider involving plenty of tedious work, but this easy and convenient recipe is an option that results in mini crab cakes that are worth every bite. 

All you need is to add your crab cake ingredients into one large bowl and load your mixture into a muffin pan to bake, and you can churn out platefuls of crab cake with each batch. 

It’s an easy and taste-worthy recipe that provides everything you want, from a crab cake with the proper lemony dipping sauce to making the flavors pop!

2. Crab Cocktail

When picking out crab appetizers, you’d want a recipe that’s simple enough and can highlight the main ingredient: the crab meat. 

This Crab Cocktail uses lump crab meat and is served with spicy cocktail sauce, much like a shrimp cocktail except with crab. 

You can add some of the kick with more horseradish or place a bit of celery in the mix to add some crunch.

3. Crab Dip

Prepare this insanely delicious crowd favorite, and watch it get devoured as soon as you place it on your table. 

This easy-to-make crab dip is one of the best crab appetizers and is assured to provide rich, cheesy flavors with every bite. 

Perfect for parties, get-togethers, or simply to match with crackers or toasted bread while you watch the game on tv, this Crab Dip is best served hot to make the most out of its super savory offering.

4. Crabbies

Also known as the English muffin crab appetizer, Crabbies are pieces of cheesy and toasty bite full of crab that will always provide plenty of delight. 

This recipe is refreshing, light, and totally satisfying while being very easy to make. 

You’ll need a pack of crab meat, garlic, mayo, cheddar cheese, and some butter; put on some open-faced muffins, and place in the oven for all that fantastic, gooey goodness.

5. Crab Cake Sliders

This crab appetizer is so scrumptious that there’s a huge possibility you’d need an appetizer while making this appetizer. 

These fantastic Crab Cake Sliders are succulent and baked to perfection, as they are served on a toasty bun topped with spicy mayo and arugula

You can also add a twist of lemon as a final touch to put in some zest and let the flavors pop.

6. Cranberry, Crab Meat & Cream Cheese Bite

A festive crab appetizer option, this Cranberry, Crab Meat & Cream Cheese Bite can liven up any holiday gathering with its juicy and tart ingredients. 

This option is quick to whip up and has five easy ingredients that you’d need. 

The savory crab and tart cranberries provide the sweet and bright flavors that make each bite highly desirable.

7. Crab Artichoke Dip

Crab dips are a favorite at every party, which is why when thinking about crab appetizers, you won’t go wrong with a delicious dip. 

This Crab Artichoke Dip is a crowd-pleasing recipe that can be done in under 10 minutes, making it easy and convenient. 

All you have to do is place all the ingredients on a skillet and bake to a golden brown bubbly perfection. 

Serve it with some crackers or crusty bread, and you have one of the best crab appetizers you’ll ever taste.

8. Crab & Bacon Rolls

This easy-to-make appetizer is a great surf and turf dish that can make any party come alive. 

This recipe features succulent crab cakes that are wrapped with bacon and baked to a crisp. 

These Crab & Bacon Rolls are perfect finger food, making them convenient to eat and delicious.

9. Crab Stuffed Mushrooms

These Crab Stuffed Mushrooms have all the flavor you want from a crab appetizer, with its savory, umami, sweet, crunchy, and cheesy goodness.

The mushrooms in this recipe are critical ingredients and should be cleaned thoroughly to avoid that grimy flavor and allow you to pack it up to the brim with crab filling. 

Adding some panko breadcrumbs also adds a desirable crunch to provide more texture to an already flavor-filled dish.

10. Crab Artichoke Toasts

Crab and artichoke are a great combination, providing savory, sweet, and nutty flavors from both ingredients. 

This Crab Artichoke Toast recipe is an elevated appetizer that combines those ingredients to provide complex flavors in one tasty bite. 

Made as mini crostinis, this is a simple dish that exudes quality and sophistication and is a reliable option for any gathering.

11. Phyllo Crab Cups

Baked phyllo dough is shaped into mini bowls that fit in all the scoops of creamy and cheese crab dip, making it a perfect munchable appetizer option. 

This recipe can take away the action of reaching over the table to scoop some crab dip since it’s already in each crab cup. 

The next thing you’ll need to think of is how many servings to make; since this recipe is so delicious, people can’t help but hoard more than a few on their plates.

12. Crab-Stuffed Deviled Eggs

Deviled eggs are already a popular appetizer dish and are elevated even more when stuffed with crab meat. 

This recipe’s ingredients are mayonnaise and mustard-based, with a bit of its kick coming from the added seasoning and hot sauce. 

The highlight, however, is the crab meat, providing a savory taste to an already creamy side dish.

13. Spicy Crab Nuggets

An improved version of the crab cakes, added with some spice to take the favorite to the next level. 

These Spicy Crab Nuggets are delicious and tangy while also sweet and scrumptious. 

When it comes to some southern cooking, you can’t go wrong with these spicy crab nuggets.

14. Crab Rangoon

This variation of a crispy fried wonton is filled with oozing crabby deliciousness that will undoubtedly be a hit at your next get-together. 

To make this delectable appetizer, you’ll need some crab meat and cream cheese with some seasoning. 

Dollop some from that mixture onto wonton wrappers to fold, and they’re ready to fry. 

Not only do these Crab Rangoons taste incredible, but they also look appetizing and impressive.

15. Crab Puffs

Using crescent roll dough cut into bite-sized squares, you can make incredibly delicious Crab Puffs by adding in a creamy crab meat mixture. 

The result after baking is a perfect puffed pastry with succulent crab meat and a sauce that makes it just the right type of finger food. 

This recipe is ideal for elegant gatherings and cocktail parties while still being easy enough to make for movie nights and hangouts with buddies.

16. Stuffed Crab Egg Roll

This crunchy and delectable egg roll is packed with savory and sweet crab meat, providing the right textures and flavors in every bite. 

After creating a crab mixture using identified ingredients, you’ll place a heap of the mixture onto a wonton wrapper to be rolled into easy-to-munch-on bites. 

Frying these eggrolls gets the whole recipe going, melting everything inside while getting the wonton crispy and perfect.

17. Crab Bruschetta

An elegant crab appetizer option suited for any social gathering, these Crab Bruschettas are delicious and so appealing. 

It takes about an hour or more to whip up to ensure that each element of the dish is made pristinely, leading to a savory and crunchy bite that your guests will truly savor.

18. Toasted Almond Crab Dip

A recipe that many consider being super spread, this Toasted Almond Crab Dip elevates the typical favorite dip and makes it suitable for your fancier gatherings. 

The toasted almonds provide a fresh nutty, and sweet flavor, mixed into the creamy and savory goodness of crab meat and cheese combined. 

You can serve this dip with wheat thins, crackers, or toasted bread, and each one will be a genuinely flavorful bite.

19. Cajun Crab Tarts

These Cajun Crab Tarts are loaded with delicious crab, seasoning, lemon zest, and chives baked in a crispy wonton shell, topped with lots of creamy cheese and panko crumbs for some added crunch. 

This recipe is easy to make, and you’ll be baking with a mini muffin pan to create easy-to-eat tarts that are filling and super delicious.

The bottom line

Crab appetizers can elevate just about any gathering with the complexity of their flavors despite the simplicity of their preparation. 

When these crab appetizers are placed on the table, you can rest assured knowing that everyone will compliment how incredibly delicious they are and can always have your guests wanting more.

Looking for more crab options, we’ve compiled lists of 24 Yummy Imitation Crab Recipes27 BEST Canned Crab Meat Recipes21 Insanely Good Crab Meat Recipes, and 12 Best Crab Toast Recipes that you should definitely check out.

Top 19 BEST Crab Appetizers 🦀

Top 19 BEST Crab Appetizers 🦀

These delicious 19 easy crab appetizers will have your guests wanting more!

Ingredients

  • Crab Cake Bites
  • Crab Cocktail
  • Crab Dip
  • Crabbies
  • Crab Cake Sliders
  • Cranberry, Crab Meat & Cream Cheese Bite
  • Crab Artichoke Dip
  • Crab & Bacon Rolls
  • Crab Stuffed Mushrooms
  • Crab Artichoke Toasts
  • Phyllo Crab Cups
  • Crab-Stuffed Deviled Eggs
  • Spicy Crab Nuggets
  • Crab Rangoon
  • Crab Puffs
  • Stuffed Crab Egg Roll
  • Crab Bruschetta
  • Toasted Almond Crab Dip
  • Cajun Crab Tarts

Instructions

  1. Skim through our Crab Appetizers list.
  2. Select the recipe you’re looking for.
  3. Prep the ingredients as instructed.
  4. Spill your thoughts on our Facebook page!

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