Seafood Dressing is the ultimate twist on a Classic Thanksgiving stuffing side dish. Rich tender cornbread mixes with fresh shrimp, lump crab, fresh herbs, spices and a homemade seafood stock to create the ultimate decadent side. If you love this dressing, you will love this Classic Southern Cornbread Dressing along with Cranberry Sauce. Serve along with Candied Yams for the holidays.
Thank you Carita of Seasoned To Taste Blog for guest posting this amazing holiday recipe!
Put a twist on the classic dish with this Seafood Dressing. Filled with shrimp, lump crab, fresh herbs, and a homemade seafood stock; this dish transforms into a rich decadent main, enjoyed by your family and friends. Serve with gravy or without and watch this recipe become a staple for years to come!
Every year, stuffing and dressing has a designated place at the dinner table. It’s like peanut butter and jelly; can’t have the turkey without stuffing or dressing! The trend in hybrid recipes are here to stay, have fun with this spin on your old school favorite.
Stuffing or Dressing?
Depending on the region you’re from, stuffing and dressing will have different meanings! As a true southerner who prefers dressing ,the base of this recipe stays close to traditional.
My aunt and uncle have always taken the lead with assigning dishes out and preparing their staple dishes. I counseled with the biggest culinary expert in my family to build the layers and flavors of this dish. From what I’ve gathered through the years, the foundation of this dish truly begins with the cornbread.
Important Tips to Keep in Mind
- Cornbread dressing, seafood stock and dressing are the three separate parts to this recipe.
Prepare the cornbread ahead of time. For best results a day ahead or completely cooled, left out on the counter. - Save the crab and shrimp shells for the seafood stock. If you can find store bought, even better!
- The seafood stock gives a rich flavor if you can spare the five minutes of prep. But if not, substitute with vegetable or chicken stock.
- Use fresh crab! Splurge and by the good stuff, the holidays are here!
- Oven time and temp will vary, gauge your dish as it bakes.
- Taste test each step of the recipe.
Starting With the Cornbread
First, preheat the oven and place the cast iron skillet oven lightly oiled.
Combine dry ingredients and beat the egg and add to the dry mix.
The oven will be close to temp, remove the baking dish and add softened butter allowing it to bubble and melt. Slowly pour in the butter into the batter one tablespoon at a time, temping the batter.
Shrimp Stock Instructions
Begin by adding the shrimp and crab shells to a medium sized stock pot and add celery, carrot half of a roughly chopped onion, garlic bouillon and enough water to fill above the ingredients.
Bring stock to a slow bowl and simmer, draining liquid from the pot and set aside.
To Create the Seafood Dressing
Prep the ingredients by small dicing the onion, celery, tarragon and parsley. Roughly chop the shrimp reserving 4-6 pieces whole for topping.
Prepare crab by removing meat from the shell and setting aside.
Next, in a medium sized pan on medium heat, saute veggie mixture adding a 1/2 teaspoon of butter if needed. Season with salt and pepper and add fresh herbs sauteeing an additional minute. Set aside and let cool.
Next, the cornbread will be broken down by hand into smaller pieces. Add in cooled vegetables and herbs and one cup of dried stuffing mix and lightly stir.
Next, add mayo, cream of mushroom and celery and seasonings. Finally, pour in shrimp stock until batter becomes slightly mushy, adjusting for flavor folding in crab and shrimp. Sprinkle with paprika and bake for 30-40 minutes at 375 degrees.
Seafood Dressing
Ingredients
For the Cornbread
- 1 tsp vegetable oil or canola oil
- 1 cup cornmeal
- 1/2 cup self rising flour
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 large egg beaten, room temperature
- 1 cup milk
- 1/4 cup salted butter room temperature
For the Dressing
- 1 cup onion will mince later
- 2 tbsp fresh chopped green onion
- 1 cup celery will mince later
- 1 tbsp fresh tarragon will mince later
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley will mince later
- l lb medium sized raw shrimp peeled and deveined
- 6-8 oz crab meat Dungeness used in this recipe
- 1 tbsp garlic paste
- 1 tsp butter
- 1 1/2 tsp seasoning salt I used Season All
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 cup herbed seasoned stuffing
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup cream of mushroom
- 1/4 cup cream of celery
- 1 tsp Old Bay
- 1 cup seafood stock find recipe below if using homemade or you can substitute with veggie or chicken broth
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
Instructions
For the Cornbread
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
- Coat the baking dish with 1 tsp of oil and place in the oven while it preheats.
- In a medium sized bowl, combine cornmeal, flour, and sugar. Add beaten egg to dry ingredients.
- Add milk and whisk until thoroughly combined.
- Once the oven comes to temp, remove the baking dish, add the butter allowing it to bubble and melt.
- Once the butter is melted, slowly pour in the wet batter 1 tbsp at a time (simultaneously whisking and pouring). Continue to temp the batter by adding small amounts of butter until thoroughly combined and the batter is smooth. Reserve one tablespoon of butter in the baking dish.
- Pour batter into the baking dish and bake for 25 minutes until cornbread is cooked through to the center.
- Allow cornbread to cool while preparing the stuffing mixture.
For the Dressing Ingredients
- Mince onion, celery, tarragon and parsley. Set aside.
- Peel shrimp and deshell crab (or drain juice if using canned). Set aside.
- In a medium sauté pan on medium/high heat, sauté garlic, onion and celery in 1 tsp butter for 3-5 minutes.
- Season with salt and pepper and add fresh herbs sautéing an additional minute. Set aside and let cool.
- Once cornbread has cooled, begin breaking it apart into smaller pieces into a large mixing bowl. This will make about four cups of cornbread.
- Add in vegetables, herbs and one cup of dried stuffing mix and lightly stir.
- Add in mayo, cream of mushroom and celery and seasonings. Stir until combined.
- Slowly pour in the seafood stock 1/4 cup at a time, stirring until batter becomes slightly mushy. (Batter should need the entire cup of stock)
- Taste batter for flavor and adjust seasonings to your liking.
- Fold in crab and shrimp carefully and place in the baking dish, spreading out evenly.
- Sprinkle with paprika on top and bake at 375 degrees for 30-40 minutes uncovered.
- Remove from the oven and let stuffing rest for 15-20 minutes before serving.
Notes
- 1 cup celery (roughly chopped)
- 1 cup carrot (roughly chopped)
- 1/2 onion (shallot)
- 1 tbsp Roasted Garlic Base Bouillon
- ½-2 Cups Water
Bringing to a boil and then simmering for 20-30 minutes Tips
Cornbread dressing, seafood stock and dressing are the three separate parts to this recipe.
Prepare the cornbread ahead of time. For best results a day ahead or completely cooled, left out on the counter.
Save the crab and shrimp shells for the seafood stock. If you can find store bought, even better!
The seafood stock gives a rich flavor if you can spare the five minutes of prep.
Substitute with vegetable or chicken stock.
Use fresh crab! Splurge and by the good stuff, the holidays are here!
Oven time and temp will vary, gauge your dish as it bakes.
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My grandson makes the dressing for Thanksgiving. He’s 15; he was 3 when he became the dressing master. He loves seafood and found this recipe. But he doesn’t like corn bread. He wants to make it with just cubes of dressing bread (no preservatives bread). How to make it work? Or should he be looking for another recipe?
I would look for another recipe instead of adapting this.
I have made this twice!! Bay-bee let me say it is a favorite. This is now one of my “signature” dishes. It is so worth the time and effort. Thanks baby-cakes.
If anyone sees this question post before Christmas morning…please tell what do you think would be a great side for this. I thought about greens, or maybe fresh snap beans with potatoes. Suggestions, please! Thanks and Happy Holidays!!!
Greens would be amazing! I love the idea of the beans and potatoes too!