Crunchy, toasted sourdough meets a creamy, herb-flecked crab mixture in this open-faced crab melt sandwich, ready in under 15 minutes from your air fryer or oven. Bright lemon zest, dill, and melted mozzarella give every bite a gooey, citrusy finish.
Season with sweet paprika and garlic powder for warmth, then top with tomato and extra cheese before broiling until golden. It's a fast, satisfying lunch or light dinner that tastes far more indulgent than the effort it takes.
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I love a sinking my teeth into a good crab melt, especially when it's made with fresh meat. But, I often make it with canned meat as it's much more affordable. If you're a melt person like me, this one fits right alongside my tuna melt and chipotle chicken avocado melt sandwiches.
This melt is super easy to make and truly comes together in a matter of minutes thanks to canned crab meat and an air fryer. The recipe is great for using up canned crab meat you've had sitting around. Once you taste that golden, bubbly cheese on crispy sourdough, you'll understand why I keep making it on repeat.
What You'll Need
- Bread of choice (English muffin, sourdough, or baguette work great)
- Crab meat (Canned or lump)
- Unsalted butter
- Shredded cheese (mozzarella cheese, cheddar, Swiss, or a blend)
- Mayonnaise
- Fresh dill (optional)
- Seasoning (fresh dill, fresh parsley, garlic powder, sweet paprika, lemon zest, salt, and ground black pepper)
- Tomato
Scroll down to the recipe card for quantities used.
How to make a crab melt sandwich
Gather up all the ingredients needed to make this the sandwich and preheat the air fryer to 370°F.
Smear butter on both sides of the bread.
Air fry bread slices for 2 minutes on each side or until slightly golden.
Add crab meat, seasonings, and mayonnaise to a large bowl.
Mix ingredients until well combined.
Spread crab mixture over lightly toasted bread slices.
Sprinkle half the grated mozzarella.
Top with 1 slice of tomato and the rest of the grated mozzarella cheese.
Air fry for 4 to 5 minutes until cheese is melted and slightly golden.
Garnish with the remaining fresh parsley. Serve immediately.
Air Fryer vs. Oven
| Method | Temp | Time | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Fryer | 370-375°F | 6–10 minutes | Faster, crispier edges, less cleanup |
| Oven (Broil) | Broil, high | 3–5 minutes | Bigger batches, more even melt |
Hint: For the best open-faced crab melt, toast the bread lightly first, then add the crab mixture and cheese. This keeps the base from getting soggy whichever method you use.
Variations
Here are a few suggestions to try if you'd like to customize this crab melt:
- Add extra spice. Try sprinkling some Old Bay seasoning into the crab mixture.
- Add other toppings. Sliced avocado, bacon bites, pickled onions or jalapenos can be added to the melt after air frying.
- Add vegetables. You can add in diced red onions, celery or bell peppers to the crab mixture to make it with more vegetables.
- Switch up the cheese. You can use another cheese besides mozzarella but make sure it has a low melting point to ensure you get that gooey melt. A few cheeses with high melting points are cheddar cheese, gouda or gruyère.
- Serve on different bread. Ciabatta rolls, English muffins, Texas toast or Artisan Italian bread make great breads to use because they are all thick and sturdy enough to handle the crab mixture.
- Use Greek yogurt. Swap out the mayo for Greek yogurt to enjoy a healthier option.
Tips
Top tip: When filing the bread slices with the crab mixture, close the door to the air fryer oven. If you don't close the door, the air fryers temperature might change. You can easily adjust the timer as needed.
- Freshly grated mozzarella is used for this recipe. I like to use a mild type of cheese to not overpower the delicate crab.
- I recommend using fresh dill as dried dill can overpower the crab meat.
- Budget-friendly canned crab meat is used, but lump crab, either fresh or canned, can be used if you prefer larger pieces of crab. If you do decide to use fresh lump crab, make sure to fold crab meat in gently so lumps don't break apart.
Storage
Leftover open-faced crab melts are best stored in an airtight container in the fridge, where they'll keep well for up to 3 days.
For reheating, skip the microwave if you can because it tends to make the sourdough chewy and rubbery instead of crisp. Your best bet is popping it back in the air fryer at around 350°F for 3 to 5 minutes, or under the oven broiler for a couple of minutes, just until the cheese is bubbly again and the bread re-crisps.
FAQs
Can I use fresh crab meat instead of canned?
Yes, canned crab meat is more budget friendly and accessible but if you have access to fresh crab meat then it can certainly be used.
Can I make this recipe without mayonnaise?
Yes, you can use Greek yogurt in place of mayonnaise for a healthier option.
How do I know when the crab melt is done?
The bread will be nice and golden brown. The cheese will be bubbly and melted.
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Recipe
Crab Melts
Ingredients
CRAB MIXTURE:
- ½ cup freshly grated mozzarella cheese divided
- ⅓ cup canned crab meat
- 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
- ½ tablespoon chopped fresh dill
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon smoked sweet paprika
- ⅛ kosher salt to taste
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper to taste
- lemon zest from 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley divided
- 2 thick slices salad tomato ¼ inch thick
BREAD:
- 2 thick slices of sourdough bread ½ inch thick
- 1 to 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Instructions
- Pre-heat Air Fryer at 370°F (188°C). Set at 10 minutes.
- Smear butter on both sides of the thick sourdough bread.
- Place bread onto Air Fryer tray and slowly insert tray into the middle cooking chamber, near the rotisserie catch. Air Fry thick sourdough bread slices for 2 minutes on each side or until slightly golden. Remove slightly golden bread slices from the Air Fryer.
- Add crab meat, dill, parsley, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, paprika, lemon zest, and mayonnaise to a large bowl.
- Mix ingredients until well combined.
- Spread crab mixture over lightly toasted bread slices. Sprinkle half the grated mozzarella. Top with 1 slice of tomato and the rest of the grated mozzarella cheese.
- Return the Air Fryer tray with crab-filled bread slices. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes until cheese is melted and slightly golden.
- Garnish with the remaining fresh parsley. Serve immediately.
Sarah says
Just made this crab melt recipe for brunch and it was absolutely fantastic! Cheesy and so flavorful and the recipe was super easy to follow. Thanks for sharing this incredible recipe!
Vaishali says
Loved this crab melt, Lisa. The directions with the step by step pictures were so easy to follow and the result was delicious. Another winner!!
Sage Scott says
So delicious! I used dairy-free cheese and this recipe worked flawlessly. Using an air fryer is pure genius!