Description
This delectable Baked Crab-Stuffed Shrimp Casserole combines succulent jumbo shrimp with a rich crab and cracker stuffing, baked to golden perfection. Perfect for a festive seafood feast, it offers a blend of tender shrimp, flavorful stuffing, and a touch of lemon and parsley for a vibrant finish.
Ingredients
Units
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For the Stuffing
- 4 tablespoons butter, divided
- 2 shallots, diced (about 1/2 cup)
- 1/2 cup celery, minced
- 1/2 cup red bell pepper, minced
- 5 garlic cloves, grated
- 3 tablespoons dry sherry
- 2 cups buttery crackers (Clubhouse-style)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Old Bay Seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
- 1/3 cup fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped, plus more for garnish
- Zest of 1 lemon, plus wedges, for serving
For the Shrimp
- 1 pound crab meat, thoroughly filtered and shells removed
- 1 pound jumbo shrimp, butterflied (about 16-18)
- Olive oil, salt and pepper
Additional
- 1 tablespoon butter, cut into small pieces
- Paprika, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven: Set your oven to 375°F (190°C) and prepare a 2 1/2 or 3-quart casserole dish.
- Sauté vegetables: Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced shallots, minced celery, red bell pepper, and grated garlic. Sauté for 4-5 minutes until fragrant and tender.
- Add sherry and crackers: Pour in the dry sherry carefully and cook for another minute. Stir in the crushed buttery crackers, Parmesan cheese, Old Bay Seasoning, black pepper, lemon zest, and chopped parsley. Mix well, then remove from heat to let cool slightly.
- Prepare shrimp: In the casserole dish, clean and butterfly the jumbo shrimp by cutting along the outside to devein, then slicing almost through the shrimp. Rinse and dry thoroughly. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Arrange the shrimp evenly around the dish with the tails up and flat side down.
- Combine crab and stuffing: Once the stuffing mixture cools a bit, fold in the crab meat and mayonnaise gently to maintain texture and prevent shell fragments. Carefully fold to combine without breaking up the crab.
- Stuff the shrimp: Spoon the crab-stuffing mixture into the cavity of each shrimp, ensuring the tail remains above the stuffing. Top the casserole with small pieces of butter and sprinkle paprika over for color.
- Bake: Place the casserole in the oven and bake for 15-18 minutes until shrimp are cooked through and the topping is golden brown. Broil for an additional 2 minutes to enhance color and crispness.
- Serve: Garnish with chopped parsley and serve with lemon wedges for squeezing over the casserole.
Notes
- The recipe uses jumbo shrimp for presentation, but you can substitute smaller shrimp if necessary.
- To serve without shrimp tails, remove the tails before baking.
- Ensure crab meat is thoroughly filtered to avoid shell fragments in the stuffing.
- This dish pairs well with a crisp white wine or chilled sparkling water.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 380 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 900 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 210 mg
