This Dairy Free Crab Dip is the perfect appetizer for your holiday meal or special occasion. It’s a cheesy dip filled with lump crab meat. And it’s sure to please not just your dairy free friends but also Paleo, Whole30 and Autoimmune Protocol peeps.
Is imitation crab meat Paleo or AIP?
No! Technically it’s made from fish which is AIP but it uses other ingredients like food dye which isn’t allowed during the elimination stage.
However, any shellfish is considered Paleo or AIP. Just make sure to get lump crab meat that is just the meat. I found crab meat in the frozen, seafood and canned sections of grocery stores. But the only one I found that was free of additives or additional seasonings was in the seafood section. I was able to find fresh and frozen. Fresh may be harder to find unless it’s in season (Fall/Winter).
How do you thicken crab dip?
In this recipe, I used tapioca starch to thicken the dip. It doesn’t have a flavor, so it doesn’t alter the taste. Additionally, the nutritional yeast thickens the dip.
How long does crab dip last in fridge?
Crab dip only lasts about 3-4 days in the fridge. The crab won’t last long in the fridge as it spoils easily.
Can Crab Dip be reheated?
Yes. You can definitely eat this dip as leftovers. My family (non-paleo people) loves this dip hot or cold.
How do you make crab dip from scratch?
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Add the squash to a large saucepan filled with water over high heat. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium ad let simmer for 15 minutes or until fork tender.
2. Drain water from pan then add the nutritional yeast, coconut milk, extra virgin olive oil, shallots, garlic, salt and lemon juice.
3. Using an immersion blender blend the squash mixture until smooth. Next add the crab meat and chives, then stir to combine.
4. Add the tapioca starch one teaspoon at a time until the desired consistency then pour into small casserole dish.
5. Place in oven and cook for about 20 minutes or until heated through and the dip is hot. Remove from the oven and add the pork rinds evenly over the top then serve.
Tips for making the best Dairy Free Crab Dip
- Reserve some of the cooking liquid of the butternut squash. If the ‘cheese’ gets too thick, you can always add a little of the liquid.
- I used an immersion blender, but a food processor would also work for this recipe.
- This is the immersion blender that I used.
- I don’t have a food processor but this one is on my wish list.
What are some other examples of AIP appetizers?
- AIP Shrimp Ceviche
- Cantaloupe and Prosciutto
- Grilled Artichokes with Cilantro Avocado Dipping Sauce
- Apple Salsa
- AIP Guacamole
- AIP Coconut Date Bars
- AIP Nacho Cheese Sauce
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Dairy Free Crab Dip
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound Butternut Squash peeled and roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup Nutritional Yeast
- 1/4 cup Coconut Milk
- 1 teaspoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 Shallot roughly chopped
- 2 Garlic Cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 2 tablespoons Lemon Juice about the juice of one lemon
- 3 teaspoons Tapioca Starch
- 8 ounces Lump Crab Meat about 1/2 cup
- 2 tablespoons Chives chopped
- 1/2 cup Pork rinds crumbled
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Add the squash to a large saucepan filled with water over high heat. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium ad let simmer for 15 minutes or until fork tender.
- Drain water from pan then add the nutritional yeast, coconut milk, extra virgin olive oil, shallots, garlic, salt and lemon juice.
- Using an immersion blender blend the squash mixture until smooth. Next add the crab meat and chives, then stir to combine. Add the tapioca starch one teaspoon at a time until the desired consistency then pour into small casserole dish.
- Place in oven and cook for about 20 minutes or until heated through and the dip is hot. Remove from the oven and add the pork rinds even over the top then serve.
Notes
- Reserve some of the cooking liquid of the butternut squash. If the ‘cheese’ gets too thick, you can always add a little of the liquid.
- I used an immersion blender, but a food processor would also work for this recipe.
- This is the immersion blender that I used.
- I don’t have a food processor but this one is on my wish list.
Nutrition
Helpful Info For All Recipes
- I always use extra virgin olive oil in all of my recipes unless stated otherwise.
- I always use Himalayan sea salt or Celtic sea salt, unless otherwise noted.
- The majority of my recipes are strict AIP or include notations for reintroductions. However while I make every effort to label non-AIP ingredients and recipes sometimes they slip past me. If you have questions, please ask in advance.
Did you make this recipe? I love hearing your thoughts on my recipes so please rate and comment below.
Absolutely delicious and easily made for the next party.
Where can you find preservative free crab meat??
It can be surprisingly hard to find! I was able to finally find it at a local grocery store. But I did have to go to at least 4 stores before I finally found it.
Oh bummer I got excited seeing this cuz of being crab dip but I cannot use nutritional yeast 🙁
You could always leave the nutritional yeast out. It's not ideal but it would still work.
It says to bake for 20 minutes but I’m not seeing a time. Guessing 350?
Yes! Thanks for pointing this out. I've updated the recipe.