My husband practically begs me to make this every time we have friends over for the weekend. Only 4 ingredients to make something this rich and comforting.

This southern 4-ingredient baked crab dip is my secret weapon whenever we have friends staying over for the weekend. My husband practically begs me to make it because it’s rich, comforting, and ridiculously easy to throw together after a long workday. It has that cozy, church-potluck-meets-beach-town feel: creamy, cheesy, full of crab, and baked until it’s bubbly with a golden, buttery top. It’s the kind of recipe you can memorize, make ahead, and pop in the oven right before everyone wanders into the kitchen looking for snacks.

Serve this dip piping hot straight from the oven with sturdy dippers: toasted baguette slices, buttery crackers, or thick-cut tortilla chips work best. I like to set it in the center of a big board with celery sticks, carrot sticks, and cucumber rounds for a fresh crunch alongside all that creamy richness. It’s perfect with cold beer, sweet tea, or a light white wine. If you’re making this for a weekend crowd, pair it with a simple green salad or a pot of chili so people can graze on the dip while the main dish finishes up.

Servings: 8

16 oz lump crab meat, drained and picked over for shells

Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a 9-inch white ceramic pie plate or similar shallow baking dish so the dip doesn’t stick.

In a medium mixing bowl, add the softened cream cheese and mayonnaise. Use a spoon or spatula to stir until the mixture is smooth and well combined. This is your creamy base, so take a minute to mash out any big cream cheese lumps.

Stir in 3/4 cup of the shredded sharp cheddar cheese, mixing until the cheese is evenly distributed throughout the cream cheese mixture.

Gently fold in the lump crab meat, being careful not to break it up too much so you get nice, meaty bites in the finished dip. Taste and, if you like, add a small pinch of salt and pepper, but it’s optional since the cheese and crab are already seasoned.

Spoon the crab mixture into the prepared pie plate and spread it into an even layer, smoothing the top with the back of your spoon so it bakes evenly.

Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese evenly over the top to create that golden, bubbly crust as it bakes.

Place the pie plate on the middle rack of the preheated oven and bake for 20–25 minutes, or until the dip is hot and bubbling around the edges and the top is melted, lightly golden, and just starting to brown in spots.

Carefully remove the dish from the oven and let the dip rest for about 5–10 minutes. This helps it thicken slightly so it’s scoopable and keeps everyone from burning their mouths on molten cheese.

Serve warm right from the pie plate with your favorite dippers. If you’re hosting for the weekend, you can assemble the dip earlier in the day, refrigerate it covered, then bake it just before guests arrive, adding 5–10 extra minutes to the bake time if it’s going in cold.

For a little heat, you can stir a small spoonful of hot sauce or a pinch of cayenne into the cream cheese mixture before adding the crab, though this would technically add a fifth ingredient—so I usually just serve hot sauce on the side to keep the base recipe at four ingredients. If you like a more pronounced southern flavor, use extra-sharp cheddar and serve with buttery crackers. To make this slightly lighter, you can use light cream cheese and light mayonnaise, but keep in mind it may not be quite as rich or thick. If fresh lump crab isn’t available, refrigerated pasteurized crab works well; just be sure it’s fully cooked and smells fresh and sweet, never sour or strongly fishy. For food safety, always keep crab refrigerated at 40°F (4°C) or below until you’re ready to mix the dip, and don’t leave the baked dip out at room temperature for more than 2 hours (or 1 hour if it’s a very warm day). Reheat leftovers thoroughly in the oven until steaming hot in the center, and use them within 2–3 days. If you’re prepping ahead, assemble the uncooked dip up to a day in advance, cover tightly, and refrigerate; bake just before serving until bubbly and golden.