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crab rolls

When it comes to vintage recipes that still hold their own, this just might be at the top of the list. The dish was first described to me by a friend and I had some serious questions. Velveeta and crab meat? Wonder bread? And top it all off with… sesame seeds? I was not sold.

The recipe came from said friend’s Nana who made them for every holiday party. As a kid, he’d camp out at the food table to sneak as many rolls as he could before being noticed. He was very insistent that they were worth a try and in the end he was absolutely right.

crab rolls
crab rolls

I first brought them to a potluck where there was no shortage of amazing food, yet all anyone could talk about was the crab rolls. People were asking what the dough was made of and if I could share the recipe. I wish you could have seen the looks on their faces when I told them that the “dough” was white bread. Priceless.

crab rolls

While processed cheese like velveeta can get a bad reputation, it really does work best for this recipe. It melts down so well and blends beautifully with a truly unhealthy amount of butter. This is not a healthy dish, but holiday calories don’t count, right? If you’re going to indulge, might as well go all in and enjoy every last bite!

I owe a big thank you to the Picha family for introducing me to a new guilty pleasure. I hope Nana is looking down and smiling as her great-grandkids sneak a few too many of these cheesy little treats. They’re seriously addictive and you can bet they’ll now be found at all of my holiday gatherings. Give them a try and I’m sure you’ll love them just as much!

crab rolls

Yield(s): 40 Roll-ups

1h 30m prep time

5m cook time

1h inactive

4.3
Rated 4.3 out of 5
Rated by 360 reviewers
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you're making mealtime meaningful.
100% of the Share to Care sponsor fees fund meals for families in need. Learn More
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Ingredients
  • ½ pound Velveeta cheese, sliced
  • 1 cup butter (two sticks), divided
  • 8 oz imitation crab meat
  • 1 large loaf sliced white bread (the cheap stuff!)
  • ¼ cup Sesame Seeds
In a medium bowl, melt cheese and ½ cup butter. Stir until fully combined.
  1. In a medium bowl, melt cheese and ½ cup butter. Stir until fully combined.
  2. Break crab into small pieces. Add to the butter mixture and stir.
  3. Cut the crust off of the bread slices and roll out with a rolling pin until completely flattened.
  4. Spread a line of the crab mixture across the flattened bread slice and roll tightly.
  5. Place rolls in a prepared 9x13 baking dish and refrigerate for a minimum of 1 hour.
  6. Remove dish from fridge and cut each roll in half.
  7. Dip each roll in the remaining melted butter then place back in baking dish seam down. Sprinkle sesame seeds across top.
  8. Broil on medium high for 3-5 minutes or until golden brown.
  9. Serve warm if possible!

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