Quick and Easy Crab Melts – A Tasty Appetizer or Light Meal

My Quick and Easy Crab Melts are seriously delicious and oh so versatile. They are great for a light lunch or brunch with some chips (crisps) or a salad, or you can cut them into small slices or squares and serve as appetizers, on a buffet, or at a cocktail party. I serve them a lot during the holiday season. Perfect for warmer days when you don’t want to have the stove going for too long, in cooler weather these Crab Melts are a tasty accompaniment to a warming bowl of soup.

Crab Melts are really satisfying with the crab meat and cheese; I serve half a slice of French bread or ciabatta per person. You can also make crab melts on toasted sliced bread. Of course, you can easily double or triple the recipe to serve more people. I use Seafood and Eat It white crab meat (not sponsored, just saying!), ready prepared in a little pot from the grocery store. It’s expensive, but a little goes a long way. You can also use canned white crab meat as a more frugal option.

Crab Meat Is Nutritious

Crab meat is relatively low in calories and very high in protein, vitamins and minerals. If I’m just making a crab melt for myself, I use wholegrain bread with chia seeds, or a nice sourdough rye bread to make it more nutritious, and I just use one slice of cheese. It’s still a treat, but it’s a relatively healthy one.

Love crab as much as I do? Check out these easy Crab Recipes! 

You can use this cheese topped crab mixture on just about anything. I can’t get Triscuits here in the UK but I’d love to put a teaspoon of the crab mixture on top of several of them, top with cheese, grill and serve as tiny crab melts canapés.

Whether you serve crab melts as a light lunch, canapés or as part of a buffet, you will love how easy and delicious this recipe is!

How to Make Crab Melts

Put the French bread or ciabatta bread halves in the oven on a baking sheet at about 350°F (175°C) or under the broiler or grill for five minutes or until they are beginning to take on a bit of colour.

Meanwhile, mix the crab meat with the mustard, red pepper and celery.

Add crème fraîche or sour cream as well as salt and pepper to taste.

Mix together gently. Divide the crab mixture between the pieces of bread.

Top with the cheese slices.

Return the crab and cheese topped bread to the oven for five to ten minutes, or place under the broiler or grill, until the cheese is bubbling and brown.

The cheese gets very hot, so allow these to cool a bit before serving half of the panini or ciabatta to each person, or cutting the crab melts into small pieces to serve as hors d’oeuvres.

Quick and Easy Crab Melts – Printable Recipe

Created by: April J Harris

Quick and Easy Crab Melts

Course Appetizer

Cuisine British

Crab Melts are a fast, easy and delicious way to enjoy fresh or canned crab meat, perfect as a meal in themselves or sliced as finger food at parties.

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Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 10 mins

Total Time 25 mins

Ingredients

  

• ½ cup white crab meat
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped red pepper
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped celery
• 2 tablespoons crème fraîche or sour cream low fat is fine
• salt and pepper to taste
• 4 slices of Monterey Jack cheese or Swiss cheese or use Pepper Jack if you like a bit of spice
• a four or five inch slice of baguette or 2 or 3 pieces of sliced bread long French bread, or ciabatta bread, cut carefully in half lengthwise, or use ordinary sliced bread but toast it first

Instructions

• Put the French bread or ciabatta bread halves in the oven on a baking sheet at about 350°F (175°C) or under the broiler or grill for five minutes or until they are beginning to take on a bit of colour.
• Meanwhile, mix the crab meat with the mustard, red pepper, and celery.
• Add crème fraîche or sour cream as well as salt and pepper to taste. Mix together gently.
• Divide the crab mixture between the pieces of bread and top with the cheese slices.
• Return the crab and cheese topped bread to the oven for five to ten minutes, or place under the broiler or grill, until the cheese is bubbling and brown.
• The cheese gets very hot, so allow these to cool a bit before serving one half of the panini or ciabatta to each person, or cutting into small pieces to serve as hors d’oeuvres.

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