Crab Stuffed Salmon

This crab stuffed salmon is straight up slamming. Fresh salmon fillets get stuffed with an irresistible cajun spiced crab cake filling then topped with a delish lemon butter wine sauce. If you need to impress some folks with a meal that is not only elegant but beyond easy, make this crab stuffed salmon recipe boos.

They’re Lovin’ It! Here’s what They’re Sayin’:

“Absolutely thrilled with this crab-stuffed salmon recipe! As a novice chef, I was hesitant, but the step-by-step instructions made it foolproof. My husband, a tough critic, gave it a solid 5 stars, declaring it better than store-bought alternatives. Highly recommend!”

—CYNTHIA

Y’all this crab stuffed salmon recipe is the one I pull out when I’m entertaining. It impresses like nobody’s business. The salmon is tender while the crab meat stuffing is flavorful with cajun spice notes throughout. You might think crab stuffed fish is a “restaurant-only” dinner, but this stuffed salmon recipe is ready in just about 30 minutes and simple to pull off.

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The Lowdown of This Crab Stuffed Salmon

Cuisine Inspiration: Cajun Seafood Fusion

Primary Cooking Method: Baking

Dietary Info: Can be made gluten-free with easy swaps

Key Flavor: Rich, succulent, perfectly cajun spiced seafood

Skill Level: Intermediate (Fear not boos!)

Impress the Guests

This crab stuffed fish is an absolute showstopper. Whether you serve it up for dinner parties or holidays, you won’t be able to stop the applause.

Gourmet Vibes without Reservations

Save the time, reservations and fancy schmancy vibes and make this restaurant quality dish right at the crib.

Prep Ahead

You can easily make this ahead of time if you have a busy schedule. Prep and store in the fridge then pop in the oven when you get home and serve it up.

Ingredients you’ll need to make crab stuffed salmon recipe

• Salmon: We go with quality fillets with skin on as the canvas for our recipe.
• Butter and Olive Oil: That butter adds that creamy richness while the olive oil makes sure nothing burns with even heating temperature.
• Jumbo Lump Crab: Tender and high quality, this is gonna upgrade your stuffing.
• Crackers: Ritz give that buttery crunchy texture.
• Shallot and Garlic: Both add a wonderful aromatic depth.
• Mayo: This creamy ingredient creates the perfect binder for the crab cake stuffing.
• Hot Sauce and Lemon Juice: This kicks up the heat while also adding that zesty brightness.
• Fresh Parsley: We gotta add a little earthy freshness to the mix with this.
• Spices: Cajun seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, Old Bay and cumin make sure those flavors are all the way poppin. Ain’t nothing bland over here.
• White Wine: This adds depth and nuance to our sauce base.

How to make crab stuffed salmon

Step 1-4: Mix, Assemble, Bake and Drizzle

1

Heat butter and oil then saute crab, crackers, shallot and garlic. Next add mayo, hot sauce, parsley, spices and lemon juice and mix together then fold in crab cracker mixture and combine.

2

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper then slit salmon fillets and fill with crab filling. Sprinkle with remaining cajun seasoning and add butter.

3

Bake for 20 minutes. The stuffing should be nice and golden.

4

In a saucepan over medium heat, add butter then shallots and garlic then add wine, lemon juice and spices and boil until combined then add butter and drizzle on top of salmon and serve.

What to serve with stuffed salmon with crab meat

• Surf and Turf: This stuffed fish is the ultimate pairing with seared steak.
• Restaurant Vibes: Go super elegant by serving this on a bed of garlic mashed potatoes with glazed brussels sprouts. End with a light scoop of mango sorbet.
• Dinner Party: Dish this stuffed salmon up along with creamed spinach, a whole pot of dirty rice, squash casserole and some strawberry punch bowl cake. Now that’s good eatin!
• Cajun Sunday Supper: Start with a bowl of seafood gumbo then serve this up with red beans and rice and don’t forget to end the meal with beignets.

Recipe Substitutions

• Salmon: This crab stuffed fish recipe can also be made with Chilean sea bass, red snapper, halibut, rainbow trout, or even flounder. 
• Crab: While I prefer jump lump crab meat, lump crab or even canned will work in a pinch.
• Mayo: Plain greek yogurt is definitely the move when mayo ain’t around.
• Crackers: Replace the Ritz crackers with breadcrumbs or Panko.
• Wine: If you want to keep the alcohol out, just replace with broth or stock.

Recipe Variations and Additions

• Cheese it Up: Add a little freshly grated parmesan to the stuffing for that nutty cheesy note.
• Herb it Up: Add a little chopped dill, chives or tarragon to the stuffing to upgrade the flavors.
• Go Gluten-Free: Replace the crackers with gluten-free crackers or breadcrumbs. The texture might change slightly but still be delish.
• Add Veggies: Tossing in some chopped up mushrooms and spinach can add some texture and healthy notes to the stuffing.

Expert Tips and Tricks for making the best crab stuffed fish

1. Thicker Even Salmon: Make sure you select salmon fillets that are the same size or cut them yourself so they end up the same size for even baking.
2. Drain: Make sure you drain your crab meat so your stuffing isn’t too watery.
3. Create a Deep Pocket: Use a sharp knife to create a deep pocket in the center of the fillet so you can get more delish filling inside.
4. Secure The Salmon: If the filling seems to be spilling over, you can secure the stuffing with toothpicks so it all stays in.
5. Don’t Overcook: Nobody wants tough and dry salmon y’all. About 17-20 minutes of cooking at 400 degrees should be perfect.

How to store & reheat crab stuffed salmon

Make sure you tuck the leftovers into an airtight container within 2 hours of being baked.

When you want to reheat the salmon, preheat that oven boos. Set it at 275 degrees and place the fish on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Heat for 15 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 130 degrees then serve it back up.  Don’t use the microwave boos. That salmon will overcook and get too tough if you do.

How long will crab stuffed salmon last in the fridge?

It will keep for up to 3 days.

Can I freeze stuffed salmon ?

Yep for sure boos but just know that the texture might be a bit different. Just wrap each stuffed salmon fillet individually with plastic wrap then cover again with foil. I then like to add the fillets to freezer bags and label with the date. It should keep up to 3 months. Thaw individually overnight in the fridge when you want to serve it up again.

Frequently asked questions

Crab stuffed salmon is legit the best dish you can serve up when you wanna impress some folks. I whip out this recipe any chance I get, and my peeps go crazy! It’s that good. Plus it is so easy too! Prep ahead and get ready to eat good y’all.

Best Salmon Recipes

• Blackened Salmon
• Maple Glazed Salmon
• Jerk Salmon
• Mango Jerk Salmon Burgers
• Sheet Pan Salmon
• Mexican Crab Cakes
• Crab Cakes
• Salmon Croquettes 

Cajun Crab Stuffed Salmon

This Cajun Crab Stuffed Salmon is stuffed with an irresistible creole-spiced crab bread crumb filling then topped with a delicious decadent lemon butter sauce.

4.94 from 16 votes

Print Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

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Author: Jocelyn Delk Adams

Course: Main Course

Servings: 4

Ingredients

For the Salmon

• ▢ 3 tbsp salted butter divided
• ▢ 1 tbsp olive oil
• ▢ 8 oz jumbo lump crab drained
• ▢ 10 ritz crackers crushed (a little over 1/2 cup)
• ▢ 1 shallot finely chopped
• ▢ 2 garlic cloves minced
• ▢ 1/3 cup mayo or greek yogurt
• ▢ 2 tbsp hot sauce
• ▢ 1 tbsp freshly chopped parsley
• ▢ 2 tsp cajun seasoning divided
• ▢ 1 tsp garlic powder
• ▢ 1 tsp onion powder
• ▢ 1 tsp Old Bay
• ▢ 1/2 tsp cumin
• ▢ Juice of 1/2 lemon
• ▢ 4 (8 oz) salmon fillets

For the Lemon Butter (optional)

• ▢ 6 tbsp cold unsalted butter sliced and divided
• ▢ 1 tbsp finely chopped shallots
• ▢ 1 garlic clove minced
• ▢ 3 tbsp dry white wine
• ▢ 1 1/2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• ▢ 1/2 tsp cajun seasoning

Instructions

For the Salmon

• Preheat the oven to 425. 
• Heat 1 tbsp of butter along with olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium high heat then saute crab, crushed crackers, shallot and minced garlic until there is some color then set aside.
• Add mayo, hot sauce, parsley, 1 tsp of cajun seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, Old Bay, cumin and lemon juice to a medium bowl and whisk until completely combined.
• Next fold in crab cracker mixture until combined.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper then using a paring knife, slit a pocket into the center of each salmon fillet and fill with crab filling.
• Sprinkle the remaining cajun seasoning on top of the fillets then divide 2 tbsp remaining butter and add to the top (1/2 tbsp each fillet).
• Bake for 18-20 minutes or until stuffing is golden brown.

For the Lemon Butter

• In a saucepan over medium heat, add 1 tbsp of butter then add shallots and minced garlic clove and saute until tender and fragrant.
• Next add wine, lemon juice along with cajun seasoning and bring to a boil for a few minutes then turn off the heat and add the rest of the butter and whisk together and serve with salmon.

Notes

Leftover salmon should be refrigerated within 2 hours of having been cooked. Tuck your leftovers in an airtight container where it will keep for up to 3 days. 

Tip: It’s best to reheat salmon in the oven! To do so, preheat the oven to 275 degrees and place the fish on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Heat for 15 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 130 degrees. 

Nutrition

Calories: 822kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 57g | Fat: 60g | Saturated Fat: 22g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 16g | Monounsaturated Fat: 18g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 224mg | Sodium: 1005mg | Potassium: 1364mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1631IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 97mg | Iron: 3mg

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