These decadent stuffed shrimp are filled with real lump crab meat and minimal fillers. As a Maryland native and longtime personal chef, I keep the filling simple—no onions, celery, artichokes, bell peppers, or cream cheese—so the crab remains the star.
Over more than a decade as a personal chef I’ve perfected this recipe: juicy, perfectly cooked shrimp topped with a savory crab filling and a generous pat of butter to make the dish truly swoon-worthy. It works as an elegant appetizer or a satisfying main course.
Why You’ll Love This Baked Stuffed Shrimp Recipe
- Crispy edges, tender shrimp, and bright flavor from Dijon, parsley, and a hint of Old Bay
- Versatile—serve as an appetizer or main course
- Can be prepped ahead and finished in the oven before serving
- Beautiful and impressive for holidays or special dinners
Crab Stuffed Shrimp Ingredients
- Shrimp: Large shrimp are easiest to butterfly. For a main course use jumbo (21–25 per lb); for one-bite appetizers choose slightly smaller shrimp.
- Crab meat: Lump crab meat provides good chunks of crab without the cost of jumbo lump. Maryland blue crab is ideal if available.
- Butter: Salted butter works well; unsalted or olive oil can be substituted.
- Mayonnaise: Use your preferred brand.
- Dijon mustard: Adds a bright, tangy punch; reduce if you prefer a milder flavor.
- Worcestershire sauce: Optional, but adds savory depth.
- Old Bay seasoning: A classic seafood seasoning that complements crab.
- Panko breadcrumbs: Provide a light, flaky topping; regular breadcrumbs can be used if needed.
How to Make Crab Stuffed Shrimp
Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
Rinse 1 pound jumbo shrimp, peel and devein them, leaving the tails on. Rinse ½ pound lump crabmeat in a colander and gently squeeze small handfuls with your fingers to remove excess water. Pick out any shell fragments as you go.
Butterfly each shrimp by cutting down the back (where you deveined) without cutting all the way through. Open the shrimp and lay them flat in a 9×13-inch baking dish.
Drizzle the shrimp with 2 tablespoons melted butter and season lightly with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
In a medium bowl whisk together 2 tablespoons mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, 1 teaspoon Old Bay, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Gently fold in ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs and the crab meat, being careful not to break up the lumps.
Place a small scoop of the crab mixture on each butterflied shrimp. Drizzle with the remaining tablespoon of melted butter and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons panko breadcrumbs.
Bake at 425°F for 15–20 minutes, until the shrimp are pink and cooked through and the crab topping is lightly golden. Serve with lemon wedges and enjoy.
How to Make Stuffed Shrimp Ahead of Time
To prep ahead: Clean, devein, and butterfly the shrimp, then refrigerate. Prepare the crab filling and refrigerate separately. When ready to bake, top each shrimp with the filling, add melted butter and breadcrumbs, and roast. A small cookie scoop makes portioning the mixture quick and consistent.
Crab Stuffed Shrimp Recipe FAQs
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
What can you stuff shrimp with?
Crabmeat is a classic choice. If you don’t have crab, a savory breadcrumb mixture with herbs, garlic, Parmesan, and a touch of hot sauce makes a tasty alternative.
👩🍳 Expert Tips
Butterflying shrimp is the trickiest step—larger shrimp are easier to work with. Cut just deep enough to open the shrimp without slicing through the bottom so they lay flat.
Size matters: Use large or jumbo shrimp; very small shrimp are difficult to butterfly and tend to overcook before the topping browns.
Single layer: Arrange shrimp in a single layer in a 9×13 dish. If your shrimp don’t fit, use a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment or foil for easier cleanup.
Serving Suggestions for Crab Stuffed Shrimp
Serve the stuffed shrimp over simple white rice or alongside crusty garlic bread to soak up the buttery pan juices. Add a bright vegetable such as sautéed zucchini and mushrooms, roasted mini peppers, or balsamic-glazed Brussels sprouts. For an indulgent holiday plate, serve with fondant potatoes or a crisp green salad.
If you have extra crab, use it for crab cakes, cream of crab soup, or an easy crab quiche for brunch.
Other Shrimp Recipes
If you love seafood, try other shrimp dishes like easy shrimp pasta with tomatoes and feta, shrimp scampi, Old Bay boiled shrimp, or a refreshing shrimp salad.
Easy Shrimp and Chicken Stir Fry-
Shrimp Scampi (without wine)
-
Old Bay Boiled Shrimp
-
Old Bay Shrimp Salad
More Recipes To Try
- Gluten Free Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
- Breakfast Crepes
- Crème Brûlée
- Mango Pineapple Salsa
- Summer Cocktail
- Cooking White Asparagus
- Compound Butter
- Beet and Feta Salad
- How To Make French Onion Soup
If you try this Crab Stuffed Shrimp recipe, I’d love to hear from you. Please leave a comment and rating if you make it.
Crab Stuffed Shrimp — Recipe
Servings: 4 • Prep time: 20 mins • Cook time: 20 mins • Total time: 40 mins
Ingredients
- 1 pound jumbo shrimp (21–25 per lb)
- ½ pound lump crab meat
- 3 tablespoons salted butter, melted and divided
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 6 tablespoons panko breadcrumbs, divided
- Lemon wedges, to serve
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).
- Rinse shrimp, peel and devein them, leaving tails on.
- Rinse crab meat and gently press out excess water; remove any shell fragments.
- Butterfly shrimp by cutting down the back without cutting through the bottom, then lay flat in a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Drizzle shrimp with 2 tablespoons melted butter and season with salt and pepper.
- In a bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, Dijon, Worcestershire, lemon juice, parsley, Old Bay, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, and black pepper.
- Gently fold in ¼ cup panko and the crab meat.
- Spoon a small portion of the crab mixture onto each shrimp. Drizzle with remaining tablespoon of butter and sprinkle with the remaining panko.
- Bake 15–20 minutes, until shrimp are pink and the crab topping is lightly browned.
- Serve with lemon wedges.
Notes
Storage: Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 2 days.
Make-ahead: Prep and refrigerate butterflied shrimp and the crab filling separately; assemble and bake just before serving.
Equipment tip: A small cookie scoop helps portion the crab mixture evenly onto each shrimp.
Nutrition (per serving, approx.): 360 kcal; 12 g carbs; 38 g protein; 17 g fat; 320 mg cholesterol; 1935 mg sodium.
Cooking healthy-ish, seasonal meals is my passion. Trained as a pastry chef and with years of work as a personal chef, I develop recipes that are tested and family-friendly.