Crab Stuffed Shrimp with juicy jumbo shrimp, rich and creamy crab stuffing, and crispy golden ritz cracker crumbs can easily pass as an elegant party appetizer or cozy midweek comfort food – especially when paired with your choice of these 40+ best side dishes for shrimp!
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Whether you want to impress dinner guests or just treat yourself to something a little special, this seafood combo always delivers. The succulent shrimp are butterflied to form the perfect edible base for a flavorful crab stuffing made with soft lump crab meat, tangy mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, Dijon mustard, Old Bay seasoning, and buttery crushed Ritz crackers.
What I love most about this recipe is how easy it is to customize. No lump crab meat? Imitation crab works just fine. Want more heat? Add an extra dash of hot sauce or swap in Cajun seasoning. Even the butter drizzle can be jazzed up with garlic, lemon, or a spicy twist – check out how to make all 3 flavor variations in just 5 minutes!
Serve your crab stuffed shrimp as a crowd-pleasing appetizer with Easy Lemon Dill Sauce, Green Goddess Dip, or Remoulade Sauce. Or enjoy it as a stunning main course alongside a Simple Kale Salad, roasted veggies, buttery corn on the cob, and a chilled glass of crisp white wine.
Ingredient notes
- Shrimp – Jumbo shrimp is large enough to hold the crab stuffing without disappearing on the plate. Leaving the tails on adds a touch of flare, but you could take them off.
- Butter – I prefer to use unsalted butter to drizzle over the butterflied shrimp for better control over the seasoning of this dish. You could use salted butter if you prefer.
- Mayonnaise – Sour cream or yogurt can be used instead. It adds creaminess and tangy flavor to the stuffing.
- Dijon mustard – You only need a small amount of this mustard to achieve a sweet and tangy kick to the stuffing mixture.
- Worcestershire sauce – Another savory, tangy, and slightly sweet ingredient that pairs beautifully with the rest of the stuffing mixture.
- Hot sauce – For a lovely kick of heat without overpowering the crab meat and shrimp.
- Lemon juice – Fresh lemon juice adds a delicious zing and helps to cut through the richness of the other ingredients. Freshly squeezed lime juice is a great substitute.
- Old Bay seasoning – This is a classic seasoning for crab. Cajun Seasoning would also add incredible flavor to this seafood dish.
- Fresh parsley – Fresh parsley is always best! Use flat leaf or curly parsley for this recipe. Read about the differences between Italian parsley and curly parsley here.
- Garlic and onion powder – Both add depth of flavor to the crab stuffing. You could omit this and use kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to keep things simple.
- Ritz crackers – These buttery crackers are crushed to add a delicate crunch to this crab stuffed shrimp. Feel free to use panko breadcrumbs instead.
- Lump crab meat – You can use either jumbo lump crab meat or lump crab meat, depending on your budget and preference. Make sure that you’ve checked for any small pieces of crab shell when using lump crab meat.
- Lemon wedges – I love serving lemon wedges with seafood dishes. It adds a lovely extra zing and also looks great on the plate!
How to make it
Step 1
Butterfly and season the shrimp
- Preheat your oven.
- Butterfly the shrimp by cutting through the deveining side with a paring knife until almost through the shrimp. Be careful not to cut completely through the shrimp.
- Arrange the shrimp on a baking sheet.
- Drizzle 2 tablespoons of melted butter over the shrimp, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Step 2
Make the crab stuffing
- Combine mayonnaise, mustard, Worcestershire, hot sauce, lemon juice, Old Bay, parsley, garlic powder & onion powder.
- Gently stir in the crushed crackers and the crab meat.
- Spoon the crab meat stuffing evenly into each shrimp.
- Drizzle with the remaining melted butter and sprinkle with the remaining cracker crumbs.
Step 3
Bake and serve
- Bake the assembled crab stuffed shrimp for 15-20 minutes, until the crab meat filling begins to turn golden brown and the shrimp is cooked.
- Serve your crab stuffed shrimp with lemon wedges!
Ways to use leftover crab stuffing
Crab stuffing isn’t just for shrimp! Make an extra batch or put any leftovers to good use with these delicious recipes:
- Crab Dip: Easily turn this crab stuffing into a dip by adding softened cream cheese, yogurt or sour cream, shredded cheese, extra lemon juice, and finely chopped green onions or chives as an optional extra.
- Seafood-Inspired Deviled Eggs: Use it as a delicious filling for deviled egg appetizers.
- Crab Spaghetti: Toss your leftover crab stuffing to freshly boiled pasta for an easy midweek family dinner!
Tips and tricks
- Make sure to peel and devein the shrimp as the vein (AKA the shrimp’s digestive track) will leave a gritty texture and ruin the flavor of the dish. Watch this video to learn how to properly peel and devein shrimp.
- Omit the hot sauce and serve it on the side if you aren’t sure whether your guests will enjoy any level of heat in this dish.
- Leaving the tails on the shrimp adds to the pretty presentation and makes it easier to pick up the crab stuffed shrimp and eat with your hands as a party appetizer.
- Check and clean the lump crab meat before stirring it into the other stuffing ingredients as it can sometimes still contain small pieces of shell.
- “Butterfly” is a culinary term to describe cutting something almost in half to allow it to lie flat, much like this Spatchcock Roasted Chicken. Start by peeling the shrimp but leaving the tail on. Cut along the back of the shrimp with a small paring knife, about two-thirds deep, from the head of the shrimp to the end to the tail. You can now remove the exposed vein and then gently press it open so it lies flat.
- You can tell that your shrimp is cooked through once it has turned a vibrant pink and the flesh is opaque. Check out these 5 Easy Methods To Tell When Shrimp Is Done.
- A heaped tablespoon of the crab stuffing is enough to load onto each butterflied shrimp. \
Variations
Add your own twist to crab stuffed shrimp with easy flavorful add-ins and simple ingredient swaps. Here are some effortless yet effective ways to switch things up:
- Experiment with flavor-infused butter – Drizzle lemon, garlic, or spicy butter over the shrimp and crab stuffing for extra flavor infusion! Here are 3 flavor variations you can easily try!
- Use imitation crab – If you’re on a budget, imitation crab meat is a great alternative to lump crab meat. While imitation crab meat has a similar appearance to real crab meat, the texture and flavor does differ which is good to keep in mind. Check out these 35+ Imitation Crab Recipes for more inspiration!
- Include other add-ins – Finely diced onion, bell peppers, or celery can be added to the crab stuffing mixture for extra flavor and texture.
- Make gluten-free stuffed shrimp – Swap the crushed Ritz crackers with gluten-free panko crumbs when catering to gluten allergies.
Serving suggestions
These are some of my favorite tasty side dish recipes to serve with crab stuffed shrimp:
Don’t forget the sauces! Here are 20+ BEST Dipping Sauces for Shrimp that’ll also complement the crab stuffing.
Storing
Store leftover crab stuffed shrimp in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. While I don’t recommend it due to texture change, this crab stuffed shrimp could be stored in the freezer for up to 2 months, wrapped in plastic wrap and placed in an airtight container. You can then thaw the frozen crab stuffed shrimp overnight in the fridge and gently reheat it in the oven.
Never freeze seafood twice. If you have used previously frozen shrimp or crab meat to make this crab stuffed shrimp, don’t freeze any leftovers.
Erin’s wine pairings for crab stuffed shrimp
Crab stuffed shrimp pairs the best with wines that enhance its sweet, delicate seafood flavors while balancing out the richness of the stuffing. Get your glass ready – these are my top picks:
- The delicate hints of butter and citrus in Chardonnay pair amazingly well with the sweetness of crab meat and the tender texture of shrimp.
- Sauvignon Blanc offers bright citrus and herbal notes that enhance the seafood flavor as well as the fresh lemon and herbs in this dish.
- The crisp minerality and citrus notes of Pinot Grigio and Pinot Blanc make these wines a great match for both crab and shrimp.
- Vinho Verde is a light, slightly fizzy white wine that’s refreshing, budget-friendly, and perhaps unexpectedly well-suited to delicate seafood, such as crab stuffed shrimp.
- Consider a Riesling (dry or off-dry) for this crab stuffed shrimp recipe. It adds a touch of fruity notes and zingy acidity that works well with the subtle sweetness of crab and shrimp, especially when spice is added to the dish.
More seafood-inspired recipes
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Full Recipe
Crab Stuffed Shrimp
Equipment
- Paring Knife
Ingredients
- 1 pound jumbo shrimp (16- 22 count per pound, peeled and deveined, tails on)
- 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter (melted and divided)
- 2 Tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce (optional)
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon old bay seasoning
- 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 3/4 cup crushed Ritz crackers (divided)
- ½ pound lump crab meat (1 cup)
- Lemon wedges (to serve)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400-degrees F.
- Butterfly the shrimp by cutting through the deveining side with a pairing knife until almost through the shrimp. Be careful not to cut completely through the shrimp.
- Arrange the shrimp on a baking sheet. Drizzle with 2 TBSP melted butter, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- In a medium bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, lemon juice, old bay, parsley, garlic powder and onion powderl. Gently stir in ½ cup of the crushed crackers and the crabmeat.
- Spoon the crabmeat stuffing evenly into each shrimp. Drizzle with the remaining melted butter and sprinkle with the remaining cracker crumbs.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes, until the crab meat filling begins to get golden brown and the shrimp is cooked.
- Serve with lemon wedges and enjoy!
Notes
- Store leftover crab stuffed shrimp in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. While I don’t recommend it due to texture change, this crab stuffed shrimp could be stored in the freezer for up to 2 months, wrapped in plastic wrap and placed in an airtight container. You can then thaw the frozen crab stuffed shrimp overnight in the fridge and gently reheat it in the oven.
- Never freeze seafood twice. If you have used previously frozen shrimp or crab meat to make this crab stuffed shrimp, don’t freeze any leftovers.
- Make sure to peel and devein the shrimp as the vein (AKA the shrimp’s digestive track) will leave a gritty texture and ruin the flavor of the dish. Watch this video to learn how to properly peel and devein shrimp.
- Omit the hot sauce and serve it on the side if you aren’t sure whether your guests will enjoy any level of heat in this dish.
- Leaving the tails on the shrimp adds to the pretty presentation and makes it easier to pick up the crab stuffed shrimp and eat with your hands as a party appetizer.
- Check and clean the lump crab meat before stirring it into the other stuffing ingredients as it can sometimes still contain small pieces of shell.
- “Butterfly” is a culinary term to describe cutting something almost in half to allow it to lie flat, much like this Spatchcock Roasted Chicken. Start by peeling the shrimp but leaving the tail on. Cut along the back of the shrimp with a small paring knife, about two-thirds deep, from the head of the shrimp to the end to the tail. You can now remove the exposed vein and then gently press it open so it lies flat.
- You can tell that your shrimp is cooked through once it has turned a vibrant pink and the flesh is opaque. Check out these 5 Easy Methods To Tell When Shrimp Is Done.
- A heaped tablespoon of the crab stuffing is enough to load onto each butterflied shrimp.
- Experiment with flavor-infused butter – Drizzle lemon, garlic, or spicy butter over the shrimp and crab stuffing for extra flavor infusion! Here are 3 flavor variations you can easily try!
- Use imitation crab – If you’re on a budget, imitation crab meat is a great alternative to lump crab meat. While imitation crab meat has a similar appearance to real crab meat, the texture and flavor does differ which is good to keep in mind. Check out these 35+ Imitation Crab Recipes for more inspiration!
- Include other add-ins – Finely diced onion, bell peppers, or celery can be added to the crab stuffing mixture for extra flavor and texture.
- Make gluten-free stuffed shrimp – Swap the crushed Ritz crackers with gluten-free panko crumbs when catering to gluten allergies.
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