Crab Meat au Gratin

Total Time

Takes: 30 min.

Makes

about 2 cups

Updated: Dec. 09, 2023
When the holidays roll around, I love to serve this warm crab meat au gratin. It has a rich taste and is easy to whip up with convenient canned crab. &mdashSuzanne Zick, Maiden, North Carolina
Crab Meat au Gratin Recipe photo by Taste of Home

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon butter, divided
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 cup half-and-half cream
  • 1/2 cup 2% milk
  • 1/4 cup white wine or chicken broth
  • 1 can (6 ounces) crabmeat, drained, flaked and cartilage removed or 2/3 cup chopped imitation crabmeat
  • 1 can (4 ounces) mushroom stems and pieces, drained and chopped
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons minced chives
  • 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1 tablespoon dry bread crumbs
  • Assorted crackers and fresh vegetables

Directions

  1. In a large saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Stir in the flour, salt and paprika until smooth. Gradually add the cream, milk and wine. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in the crab, mushrooms and chives; heat through. Stir in cheese just until melted.
  2. Transfer to a greased shallow 1-qt. baking dish. Melt remaining butter; toss with bread crumbs. Sprinkle over crab mixture. Bake, uncovered, at 400° for 10-15 minutes or until bubbly. Let stand 5 minutes. Serve with crackers and vegetables. If desired, sprinkle with additional minced chives.
  3. To Make Ahead: Prepare the melted cheese mixture and transfer it to a 1-qt. baking dish. Cover dish and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Remove the dish from the refrigerator; let mixture come to room temperature. Then proceed with the recipe as directed.

Crab Meat au Gratin Tips

How do you select the right kind of crab meat for this crab meat au gratin recipe?

This recipe for crab meat au gratin calls for canned crab or imitation crab to keep costs low. But feel free to use an equal amount of cooked crab if you’d like. This spread is a great way to use up any leftover crab you may have when preparing one of these incredible crab recipes.

What are some of the best melting cheeses to consider using for this recipe?

Some of the best melting cheeses include Fontina, Gouda, provolone, mozzarella and Gruyere. Substitute any of these in equal amounts for the cheddar in this recipe. And if you love cheesy crab dips, give this crab dip a try!

What can you pair with crab meat au gratin?

Crackers are always a natural choice for crab meat au gratin, but also try celery sticks, broccoli, pita chips or slices of sourdough or French bread.

How do you make this recipe ahead of time?

You can make this recipe ahead of time by preparing the melted cheese mixture and transferring it to a 1-qt. baking dish. Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Remove the dish from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature. Then proceed with the recipe as directed.

—Mark Hagen, Taste of Home Executive Editor

Nutrition Facts

2 tablespoons: 64 calories, 4g fat (2g saturated fat), 22mg cholesterol, 185mg sodium, 2g carbohydrate (1g sugars, 0 fiber), 4g protein.