Stuffed Shrimp is what you order at a restaurant because you think it’s too difficult to make at home. This recipe for Sweet Daddy D’s Stuffed Shrimp with Crabmeat will change your mind. Large Gulf shrimp, surrounded in crabmeat stuffing seasoned with creole and cajun magic, then baked to golden perfection. You’ll love to make this no-angst recipe because it’s so simple, but best of all, your family and guests will go nuts with praise for the cook.
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What's so special about this dish?
Stuffed Shrimp with Crabmeat brings two South Louisiana prizes together: Gulf Shrimp and succulent Louisiana Blue Crab. These are the royalty of Louisiana seafood. They complement each other and blend perfectly with the seasonings that make our region shine. Given the popularity of shrimp and crab and the propensity for Cajun and Creole cooks to stuff things, it’s only natural that Stuffed Shrimp with Crabmeat is a popular item on most restaurant menus in South Louisiana. It’s common to see Stuffed Shrimp as an entrée and on seafood platters. If more people understood just how easy they are to make, Stuffed Shrimp with Crabmeat would be a common item in the home kitchen.
Here's What You Need
Here are some of the key ingredients for this recipe:
Ingredient Notes
- Shrimp: We want large shrimp for this recipe. Fresh or frozen shrimp work well. Check out the FAQs (Hints and Tips) section below for more on shrimp size, peeling, and deveining.
- Crabmeat: Various types of meat from Louisiana Blue Crabs can be purchased already processed. I prefer Lump Crabmeat for this, but claw meat, backfin, and even Jumbo Lump are great for Stuffed Shrimp. You can also use a combination. Frozen crabmeat works well if fresh crabmeat is not available.
- Dry White Wine: Use your favorite dry white wine. Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Vermouth work well. For no alcoholic substitute try a tablespoon of white wine vinegar (or an extra tablespoon of lemon juice) with ½ cup of chicken or shrimp stock.
- Salt: I developed this recipe using Le Bon Papa Creole Seasoning, a No-Salt, No-MSG all-purpose Creole or Cajun seasoning. If you use a seasoning that contains salt, reduce the amount of kosher salt you use in the recipe. Other sources of salt in this recipe may include butter, mayonnaise, breadcrumbs, and Worcestershire sauce.
Equipment
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This recipe does not require any special equipment. The onions are sauteed in a small skillet and you'll need a baking dish to bake the Stuffed Shrimp. Other than that, you'll need your normal prep equipment.
Hints and Tips (FAQs)
Leftover stuffed shrimp can be stored in the fridge for 2 to 3 days if kept in an airtight container. To reheat, wrap them in aluminum foil and place in a 400-degree oven until warmed, which will probably take 20 to 25 minutes. You can also slip them in the microwave but be careful not to overcook the shrimp.
Leftover cooked stuffed shrimp can also be frozen (even if the shrimp or crabmeat was frozen when you bought it) if wrapped and placed in an airtight container or vacuum-sealed bag. The frozen stuffed shrimp should maintain its quality for about 60 days. You can reheat the frozen stuffed shrimp right from the freezer. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and place it in a 400-degree oven. Bake for about 30 minutes or until warmed all the way through.
No, this recipe can be made with frozen shrimp. Thaw the shrimp. If the shell is on, peel, clean, and butterfly the shrimp. If the shrimp are already peeled and deveined, all you'll need to do is thaw, rinse, and butterfly the shrimp. (See the FAQs below for more on thawing and butterflying the shrimp)
Many recipes, including this one, work well when the shrimp are “butterflied”. This is done by slicing down the length of the shrimp’s back about halfway deep with a sharp paring knife and spreading the shrimp open, resembling a butterfly's wings. This is an easy way to clean the shrimp and lets the seasonings and stuffing cover more surface area of the shrimp.
Shrimp size is usually categorized by "count". Count or "Ct" represents the approximate number of shrimp in one pound. 16/20 means there are 16 to 20 shrimp per pound. Compared to 36/40's (36 to 40 shrimp per pound), 16/20's are larger shrimp. We want large shrimp for this recipe, so get the biggest ones available. For a better understanding of shrimp sizes, read my article, What Size Shrimp Do I Need?
Shrimp are highly perishable and should be consumed or frozen within a day or two of purchase. Fresh shrimp purchased at a grocery store has likely been frozen already and should not be re-frozen. It’s best to buy your shrimp from a seafood market or seller that you trust. Ask them if the shrimp have been previously frozen and if not, it’s safe to freeze them. If you have shrimp with heads and shells, pop the heads off and freeze them with the shells on by placing them in a freezer bag filled with water with the air removed. Don't forget to save the heads and shells to make homemade shrimp stock. Store the shells and heads in an airtight container in the freezer until you have enough to make a stock.
Don’t thaw frozen shrimp until you are ready to cook them. Set the frozen shrimp in the refrigerator the evening before you want to cook them and they should be completely (or almost completely) thawed by the time you need them. For a quicker method, place the frozen shrimp in a bowl and place the bowl in the sink under a constant trickle of cold water. As the bowl fills up, the excess water will flow down the drain. Depending on the size and quantity of the shrimp, they should be thawed in about 30 minutes.
“Deveining” a shrimp means removing the black vein that runs down the back of the shrimp, just under the skin. This is the shrimp’s intestine. If you cook the shrimp without removing that, nothing bad will happen to you, but there may be a gritty element in your bite. I prefer to remove this during the butterflying process. Slit the shrimp with the paring knife, then lift the vein out and wipe it on a paper towel to remove it. Rinse the shrimp under cold water and you will have beautiful, clean shrimp, ready to cook and devour.
Here's What You Do
First...you have a beer. This recipe may seem like it should be complicated, but it isn’t. This recipe is simple and no-angst if you prepare yourself and the ingredients. Where do you start? Open a beer and read the recipe all the way through while you sip. Learn what you need and what you will do with each ingredient. When you have that down, gather the ingredients and do your mise en place. Next, the fun begins.
Mise en Place
Prepare the Shrimp
- Start by peeling each shrimp, leaving the tail on (optional).
- Devein and butterfly each shrimp (see below) by using a paring knife to make a slit about ⅓ to ½ way through the back of the shrimp.
- Rinse the shrimp in cold water and remove the black vein along the back.
- Pat dry with a paper towel.
- Sprinkle Creole seasoning on the butterflied shrimp and mix to coat.
- Set the prepared shrimp aside while you prepare the stuffing.
Lagniappe Tip: For a fancier presentation, leave the tail shell on. If you don't want to do that, or you are using shrimp that are already peeled, you can skip this step.
Prepare the Stuffing Ingredients
- Finely chop the yellow onions and celery and place those together in a prep bowl.
- Finely chop the green onions and garlic and set them aside in separate bowls.
- Measure the butter and dry white wine (I use dry vermouth).
- Measure the remaining ingredients and place them in prep bowls: mayonnaise, bread crumbs, Worcestershire Sauce, hot sauce, lemon juice, Kosher Salt, and Black Ground Pepper.
- Scramble the egg in a small bowl.
- Place the crabmeat into a large bowl which you will use to mix all the other ingredients.
- Gently separate the crabmeat by hand and remove any shell pieces.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
Make the stuffing
What Happens in This Step? In this step, all the stuffing ingredients will be combined into a homogenous "stuffing".
- Melt the butter in a large saute pan or cast-iron skillet over medium heat. When the butter is foaming, add the yellow onions and celery. Saute them until just starting to soften, about 5 to 8 minutes.
- Toss in the garlic and green onions and continue to saute until aromatic, which should only take 1 or 2 minutes.
Lagniappe Tip: Don't let the veggies start to caramelize, we are not trying to brown them.
- Increase the heat, add the dry white wine, and bring it to a heavy simmer.
- Lower the heat and simmer until the wine has completely reduced. Remove the skillet from the heat and set it aside until the onion mixture cools.
- Once the onion mixture has cooled, add it to the bowl with the crab meat. Gently mix it with your hands or a rubber spatula. Make sure not to break up the crab meat.
- Next, add the mayonnaise, lemon juice, Worcestershire, Creole seasoning, hot sauce, and the scrambled egg. Add a pinch of kosher salt and black pepper. Carefully blend the ingredients.
- Gently incorporate ½ to ¾ cups of the bread crumbs with the crabmeat mixture. At this point, the stuffing should stick together and form a ball when pressed with your hands.
- Let the stuffing mixture sit for about 15 minutes while the flavors meld and the breadcrumbs soak up the liquid.
Lagniappe Tip: To get the consistency you want, add more breadcrumbs or a tablespoon of water, if needed, to get the right consistency. You can always add more, but you can't take it out!
“Stuff” the shrimp
What Happens in this Step? The stuffing mixture will now be added to the butterflied shrimp to make not only a delicious but an attractive offering.
- Place about 1 cup of seasoned breadcrumbs in a different shallow pan and set it aside. To "stuff" the shrimp, take a seasoned shrimp in one hand while you mold about 2 tablespoons of the stuffing around the shrimp with the other hand. The stuffing goes from the head towards the tail, starting with the butterflied split in the back of the shrimp.
- Form a football around the shrimp by gently pressing it together. You'll want the stuffing to be about ¾" to 1" in width, but use more or less stuffing depending on the size of the shrimp.
Prepare a shallow baking dish with non-stick spray or a light coating of vegetable oil.
- Roll each stuffed shrimp in the bread crumbs. Coat thoroughly and shake off any excess.
- Place the stuffed shrimp in the prepared baking dish. This should make about 18 stuffed shrimp.
Bake the Stuffed Shrimp
Place the shrimp in a 375-degree oven. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the stuffed shrimp starts to brown. Remove the baking dish from the oven and let it sit for about 5 minutes.
Serving Suggestions
To serve, place a few Stuffed Shrimp on a dish with a squeeze of lemon and Creole Tartar Sauce.
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Here are a few recipes from Sweet Daddy D that will go great with Stuffed Shrimp with Crabmeat:
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Yeah You Right!
Recipe
Stuffed Shrimp with Crabmeat
Here's What You Need
- 1 ½ pounds 16-20 Ct Shrimp
- 1 -2 tablespoons Creole seasoning For the shrimp
For the Stuffing
- 4 tablespoons Butter
- ½ cup Yellow Onions chopped fine
- ¼ cup green onions chopped fine
- ¼ cup Celery chopped fine
- 3 cloves garlic chopped fine
- 1 pound backfin crabmeat
- ½ cup Dry White Wine
- 3 tablespoons mayonaise
- 1 tablespoon Creole Seasoning For the stuffing
- 1 egg scrambled
- 3 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
- 2 tablespoons hot sauce
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 cups seasoned bread crumbs in all
- Kosher Salt and Black Ground Pepper to Taste
Here's What You Do
- Prep the shrimp by peeling and rinsing each one. You can leave the tail shell on if you want but it's not necessary. Take a paring knife and butterfly the shrimp by slicing ½ to ¾ deep into the shrimp starting at the head end to almost all the way to the tail. Clean out the vein and rinse again. Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels. Place butterflied shrimp in a bowl and mix with 1 to 2 Tbs of creole seasoning. Set aside while you prepare the stuffing.
- Finely chop onions, green onions, garlic and celery and set aside.
- Place the crabmeat into a bowl and measure all the other ingredients into prep bowls and set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees
To Make the Stuffing
- Melt the butter in a sauté pan over medium heat until foaming, then add the yellow onions and celery. Saute until just starting to soften, about 8 minutes.
- Add the garlic and green onions, saute until aromatic, about 2 minutes
- Add the dry white wine, increase the heat so that it begins a heavy simmer. Continue to simmer until the wine has evaporated, about 5 minutes.
- Take the frying pan off the heat and set aside until the onion mixture cools. About 10 minutes,
- Place the crabmeat in a bowl and gently separate to make sure there are no shell pieces.
- Gently mix in the cooled onion mixture with the crabmeat. Use your hands or a rubber spatula so you don't break up the crabmeat.
- Add the mayonnaise, lemon juice, Worcestershire, hot sauce, egg and blend together gently.
- Add ½ to ¾ cup of bread crumbs and gently incorporate with the crabmeat until well combined. At this point the stuffing should stick tighter and form into a ball when pressed with your hands. Add a little more breadcrumbs if needed to get the right consistency. You can always add more, but you can't take it out!
- Let the stuffing mixture sit for about 15 minutes while the flavors blend together.
Stuffing the Shrimp
- Prepare a shallow baking dish with non-stick spray or a light coating of vegetable oil.
- Place about 1 C of seasoned breadcrumbs in a different shallow pan and set aside.
- Take a shrimp in one hand; in the other hand take about 2 tablespoons of the stuffing and with your hands mold the stuffing around the shrimp starting in the butterflied split in the back of the shrimp. Use more or less stuffing depending on the size of the shrimp. Form a ball around the shrimp and press together. Roll the stuffed shrimp in the bread crumbs coating thoroughly and place it in the prepared baking dish. This should make about 18 stuffed shrimp.
- Place the shrimp in a 375-degree Fahrenheit oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes until starting to brown.
- Remove the baking dish from the oven and set aside for about 5 minutes. Serve with a squeeze of lemon and some Creole Tartar Sauce or the sauce of choosing.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition Estimate
It's Me!
Louisiana is a wonderful place where the rich cultural heritage enriches and entertains. I'm Dave Howson, aka Sweet Daddy D. I'm glad you found my website and I look forward to exploring the cultural mosaic of Louisiana with you…
read the "It's Me" page to find out more about me and this website…
Luke
Can this be made ahead then frozen then fried?
Sweet Daddy D
Sure, Luke, these can be fried. I'd suggest about 350 degrees Fahrenheit for the oil. Experiment with the coating by using AP flour instead of breadcrumbs. Let me know how they come out.
Beth
Can these be frozen first then fried?
Sweet Daddy D
Beth, thanks for the question. Yes you can freeze these before cooking (either baked or fried). The best result would be from using fresh shrimp and crabmeat if you can. Sometimes refreezing seafood will diminish the quality, but if you don't have them frozen too long it should be fine. Make sure to use an air tight container of a vacuum sealed bag.
Sharon
Can you Fry instead of baking
Sweet Daddy D
That should be fine, Sharon. You may want to experiment a bit with the coating. Think about trying flour instead of breadcrumbs, maybe do one of each, then decide what to do going forward.
M
Great recipe. I followed it closely, but made a change with celery. I used curly parsley instead. My Mom's trinity was onions, garlic, and parsley, so that is what I used. Sautéed vidalia onions with parsley, and then green onions and garlic.
My husband loved this dish. I live in New York so I can't find Gulf shrimp, but my hubby had some shipped to me...that inspired my taste for home (N. O.)
Thanks for the recipe❣️❣️❣️
Sweet Daddy D
I appreciate you giving my recipe a try and am so glad you liked it, M. I like the way you adjusted it to make it your own, that's what it's all about! Thanks for the kind comments.
Holly
Could you assemble the day before and pull out and bake?
Sweet Daddy D
Hey, Holly. Yes, that should be fine. I would probably wait to do that final dusting with breadcrumbs right before I put them in the oven so the breadcrumbs don't soak up any moisture. If that doesn't work, I doubt it would be a problem to dust them before you refrigerate. Let me know how they turn out. Thanks for the question.
YtheWait
Perfect!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sweet Daddy D
Thanks! How about 5 stars?
Carla Harvey Moore
simple recipe and I can't wait to try it.
Sweet Daddy D
Great, Carla. Thanks for the comment. Enjoy!