The base takes the place of a tomato sauce: softened cream cheese stirred with a teaspoon each of soy sauce and lime juice, spread right to the edges of a store-bought flatbread or naan.
Cooked lump crab and mozzarella go on top with a light drizzle of sweet chili sauce, then the flatbread bakes just long enough to crisp and melt before green onion and fresh chili go on.
Why This Recipe Works
- A little soy and lime in the cream cheese gives the base a savoury, bright flavour.
- Using already-cooked crab means the short bake only has to heat it through.
- Mozzarella holds the crab in place and browns at the edges.
- Adding the green onion and chili after baking keeps them fresh and crunchy.
How to Make It
Oven to 425°F, flatbread on a sheet pan
Heat the oven to 425°F and set the flatbread on a sheet pan.
Soy-lime cream cheese spread on
Mix the cream cheese with the soy sauce and lime juice and spread it evenly over the flatbread, leaving a small border.
Crab, mozzarella and sweet chili sauce
Scatter the crab and mozzarella over the creamy base and spoon the sweet chili sauce lightly across the top.
Baked 10 to 12 minutes
Bake 10 to 12 minutes, until the flatbread is crisp and the cheese is melted and golden at the edges.
Green onion and chili, cut into squares
Finish with green onions and fresh red chili, then cut into squares.
Building the Flatbread
Each layer goes on in order, and the fresh toppings wait until after the oven.
The flatbread
One rectangular flatbread or naan on a sheet pan.
The creamy base
Six ounces of cream cheese mixed with soy sauce and lime juice, spread to a small border.
The crab and cheese
Cooked lump crab and shredded mozzarella scattered evenly.
The sweet chili
A light spoonful of sweet chili sauce across the top, then 10 to 12 minutes at 425°F.
Sliced green onions and fresh red chili after baking, then cut into squares.
Ingredient Notes
- Cooked lump crab meat
- Six ounces, picked over for shell. Crab is a shellfish allergen.
- Rectangular flatbread or naan
- About 10 by 14 inches, for eight squares.
- Sweet chili sauce
- A third of a cup, spooned on lightly so the base stays visible.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this made with real crab?
Yes. It uses cooked lump crab meat.
Is there tomato sauce?
No. The base is cream cheese seasoned with soy and lime.
What allergens does it contain?
Crab is a shellfish allergen, the base is dairy, and soy sauce may contain soy and wheat.
Success Tips
- Soften the cream cheese fully so it spreads without tearing the flatbread.
- Break the crab into loose pieces rather than packing it in clumps.
- Let the flatbread rest a minute before cutting so the topping sets.
Serving Ideas
Cut into eight squares on a wooden board and serve warm, with the green onion and red chili rings scattered over the glazed crab.
