Food and Recipes Seafood Crab Deviled Crab Melts Be the first to rate & review! Unexpected but absolutely delicious. By Southern Living Test Kitchen Southern Living Test Kitchen The Southern Living Test Kitchen has been publishing recipes since 1970, four years after the first issue of Southern Living Magazine appeared on newsstands. The Southern Living Test Kitchen team includes a team of professionals with deep expertise in recipe development, from pastry chefs and grilling experts to nutritionists and dietitians. Together, the team tests and retests, produces, styles, and photographs thousands of recipes each year in the state-of-the-art test kitchen facility located in Birmingham, Alabama. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on October 10, 2022 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Torie Cox Active Time: 20 mins Total Time: 30 mins Yield: 8 serves Kick off a summer party with crunchy crostinis topped with lightly spiced crab, fresh tomatoes, and gooey cheese. Keep a close eye on the crab melts when they are under the broiler, and pull the pan out of the oven just as the cheese is starting to brown. Ingredients 8 sourdough bread slices 24 ounces fresh lump crabmeat, drained and picked over 1 cup mayonnaise 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, plus basil leaves for topping 1 1/2 teaspoon lime zest (from 1 lime) 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1/4 teaspoon chili powder 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper 5 plum tomatoes, cut into 1⁄4-inch-thick slices 8 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (about 2 cups) Directions Preheat broiler with oven rack 6 inches from heat. Place bread on a wire rack on a baking sheet; broil until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Remove pan; set aside. Gently combine crabmeat, mayonnaise, cilantro, basil, lime zest, salt, chili powder, and cayenne in a large bowl. Spread crab mixture evenly over bread slices. Top evenly with tomato slices and cheese. Return pan to oven, and broil until cheese is melted and starting to brown, about 3 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes, and serve immediately. Top with basil. Rate it Print