One recipe turned into 3 different appetizers

CRAB NACHOS | STUFFED CRAB MUSHROOMS | CRAB RANGOON DIP

First the Nachos… When I was young girl my mother and I used to go to a mexican restaurant named “Chi Chi’s”. Everytime we went to this place, my mother ordered the Crab Nachos appetizer. Chi Chi’s filed bankruptcy and closed it’s doors for good in 2004. But I have always remembered that dish.

My version taste more like, Crab Rangoon Nachos… My kids absolutely love this.. There wasn’t one single chip left. The kids played rock, paper, scissors for the last one on the plate.

One of my children loves imitation crab meat. He would eat it straight out of the package. I’m not a huge fan of the stuff but I do love crab rangoon.. even if it’s typically made with “krab” and since My mom stayed over last night, I decided to remake this memory dish for the family. I was surprised my mom didn’t remember these right off the bat… I had to jog her memory bank. YES, I remember. I loved those!!!.

These are addicting.. I must have said “ok, this is my last one” 5 times…

If you like crab rangoon you will LOVE this.. Heck, If you like cream cheese & tortilla chips you are gonna love them.

If you’re a fan of savory, cheesy appetizers, then these Crab, Cream Cheese, Caramelized Onion Nachos are sure to become your new go-to party snack. These nachos are utterly decadent, combining the rich flavors of crab and cream cheese with the sweetness of caramelized onions, all piled high on a bed of crispy tortilla chips.

Here is what you’ll need: Cream Cheese, crab meat or Imitation Crab Meat, Mayo, Cheddar Cheese, Caramelized Onion, roasted garlic & green onions for garnish…. and tortilla chips. You can garnish with any toppings you like such as avocado, pico de gallo, sliced jalapenos, olives, queso, lettuce, hot sauce, guacamole, sour cream, salsa, etc.

I also used the same mixture and stuffed some of the filling in mushrooms & topped with cheese – DELICIOUS!

To make these nachos, You will need caramelized onion and roasted garlic. Click here to see the easiest way to caramelize onions without standing over the stove.. This will bring out the natural sweetness of the onions and add a delicious depth of flavor to the dish.

Next, mix together some cooked crab meat (fresh or canned will work just fine), cream cheese, and a dash of Worcestershire sauce. Spread this creamy mixture over the tortilla chips, then sprinkle the caramelized onions on top. Pop the nachos in the oven for a few minutes to melt the cheese and warm everything through. The result is a combination of flavors and textures that will delight your taste buds. The creamy, rich crab and cream cheese mixture pairs perfectly with the sweet and savory caramelized onions, while the crispy tortilla chips provide a satisfying crunch.

The versatility of this mixture extends beyond nachos to stuffed mushrooms, appetizers, and dip options. Each variation is sure to impress your guests. Here are some more creative ideas for using this delicious filling.

Wonton wrappers: Fry the filling in a wonton wrapper for crab rangoon or boil them for homemade ravioli.
Flour Tortilla Shells: Make Crab Enchiladas by spreading the mixture onto a flour tortilla shell, wrapping it, and baking it with a white cream sauce and cheese.

The options for this dish are truly endless. This Crab, Cream Cheese & Caramelized Onion Nachos recipe is simple to make and incredibly tasty. For a large group, you can also bake the dip in a casserole dish and serve with tortilla chips for dipping.

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I’m able to put this together in a short amount of time because I always have roasted peppers, caramelized onions and roasted garlic on hand. It’s easy to do and saves me TONS of time in the kitchen and adds incredible flavor to any dish. I wrote a post on roasting the easy way.. You can see it here: How to roast peppers & caramelize onion, the easy way.

Crab, Cream Cheese, Caramelized Onion Nachos

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Ingredients

2 onions chopped & roasted
4 roasted garlic cloves
1 8 oz package cream cheese room temperature
1/2 cup mayo
2 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 16 oz can of crabmeat or package imitation crab meat
2 cups cheddar cheese shredded (divided)
Tortilla Chips
3 green onions chopped for garnish

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
To roast the onions: Arrange the onions on a sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and roast at 425 degrees for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally until tender and edges start to brown.
To roast the garlic: Cut the top off the head of garlic exposing a bit of each clove of garlic. Place garlic head in a sheet of aluminum foil, drizzle olive oil on top, sprinkle with salt, wrap and seal the foil around the garlic. Place in the oven and roast at 375 degrees for 30 minutes or until completely tender when poked with a fork or knife. Allow to cool, remove from foil and set aside.
Squeeze 4 roasted garlic cloves out of the head of garlic and mash into a paste.
In a large bowl, mix the softened cream cheese, mayo, lemon juice, and sea salt. Stir in the chopped crab meat, caramelized onions, mashed roasted garlic, and 1 cup of cheddar cheese until well mixed.
Place 1 tsp of crab & cream cheese filling on top of each tortilla chip. Top each chip with the remaining cheddar cheese.
Bake at 350 degrees for 3-5 minutes until cheese is melted and tortilla chips are crisp.
Garnish with chopped green onions before serving. Enjoy!

So next time you’re planning a party or just craving a decadent snack, give these Crab, Cream Cheese, Caramelized Onion Nachos a try. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed.