Introduction

Hey there, friend! Ever wanted to whip up something that looks totally fancy and impressive, but is secretly super simple? Something that makes a weeknight feel like a special occasion, or wows your guests without spending hours in the kitchen? Well, you are in the right place! This Crab & Shrimp Stuffed Salmon recipe is exactly that. It’s rich, flavorful, and feels incredibly gourmet, yet it comes together with surprising ease. It’s the kind of dish that creates memories around the dinner table, making everyone feel a little bit spoiled. Get ready to fall in love with how simple it is to create something so utterly delicious!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Fast: Seriously, the prep is quicker than you think!
Easy: No complicated steps, just simple assembly and baking.
Giftable: While you can’t gift the cooked dish easily, preparing the stuffing ahead makes hosting a breeze.
Crowd-pleasing: Who doesn’t love perfectly cooked salmon filled with creamy, savory seafood goodness?
Impressive: This dish looks like you fussed all day, but we both know the secret!

Ingredients

Gather your goodies! Here’s what you’ll need to create this seafood magic:

1 large salmon fillet: Aim for about 1.5 to 2 pounds. You’ll want it butterflied (cut horizontally almost all the way through so you can open it like a book). Your fishmonger can usually do this for you, or you can tackle it carefully at home!
1/2 lb cooked shrimp, chopped: Using pre-cooked makes this even faster! Give them a good chop so they mix nicely into the filling.
1/2 lb lump crab meat: The star! Try to get good quality lump crab for those lovely big pieces.
4 oz cream cheese, softened: Let this sit out for a bit so it’s nice and easy to mix. It’s the creamy binder for our stuffing.
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese: Adds a salty, nutty depth to the filling.
2 tbsp mayonnaise: Adds moisture and richness to the stuffing. Trust me on this!
1 tbsp lemon juice: A little brightness to cut through the richness and complement the seafood.
1 clove garlic, minced: Just one little clove adds a punch of flavor without overpowering the seafood.
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley: Adds a pop of color and fresh, herbaceous flavor.
Salt, pepper, and paprika, to taste: For seasoning the stuffing and the salmon itself. Paprika adds a lovely color and subtle flavor to the fish.
Optional: whole shrimp for topping: If you want to make it extra gorgeous and shrimp-tastic on top!

How to Make It

Ready? Let’s get this beautiful stuffed salmon baking!

Prep Your Salmon: If your salmon fillet isn’t already butterflied, carefully slice it horizontally from the thicker side almost all the way through, leaving about an inch connected along the other side. Open it up like a book. Pat it dry with paper towels. Season the inside lightly with salt and pepper.
Make the Stuffing: In a medium bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, grated Parmesan, mayonnaise, lemon juice, minced garlic, chopped fresh parsley, salt, pepper, and a pinch of paprika. Mix until everything is well combined and creamy.
Add the Seafood to the Stuffing: Gently fold in the chopped cooked shrimp and lump crab meat. Try not to break up the crab too much if you have nice lump pieces!
Stuff the Salmon: Lay the butterflied salmon fillet open on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (makes cleanup a breeze!). Spoon the seafood stuffing onto one half of the salmon fillet in an even layer. Don’t overstuff it right to the edges – leave a little border.
Close and Season: Carefully fold the other half of the salmon fillet over the stuffing. It should look like a nice, plump package. Lightly brush the top and sides of the stuffed salmon with a little olive oil or melted butter (optional, but adds nice color) and season generously with salt, pepper, and paprika. If using, arrange whole shrimp on top.
Bake It: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Carefully transfer the baking sheet to the preheated oven. Bake for 20-30 minutes, depending on the thickness of your fillet, until the salmon is cooked through and flakes easily with a fork, and the stuffing is hot and bubbly. The internal temperature of the thickest part of the salmon should reach 145°F (63°C).
Rest and Serve: Let the salmon rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing. This helps the juices redistribute. Slice into portions and serve immediately. Enjoy the oohs and aahs!

Substitutions & Additions

Cheese Swap: No Parmesan? Try grated Gruyère or even a sharp white cheddar in the stuffing.
Spice It Up: Add a pinch of cayenne pepper or a dash of hot sauce to the stuffing for a little kick. Old Bay seasoning would also be fantastic!
Veggies: Sautéed finely diced bell pepper, onion, or spinach could be folded into the stuffing mixture for extra flavor and texture.
Breadcrumbs: If your stuffing feels a little wet, you could add a tablespoon or two of breadcrumbs (like Panko) to help bind it, but usually the cream cheese and mayo do the trick.
Other Fish: While salmon is perfect here, you could potentially try this stuffing with other thick fillets like cod or halibut, though cooking times might vary.

Tips for Success

Butterfly Carefully: If doing it yourself, use a sharp knife and take your time. Keep your hand flat on top of the fillet. Or, seriously, just ask the fishmonger!
Don’t Overstuff: Piling too much stuffing in can make it hard to close and cause it to leak out while baking. A generous but not overflowing amount is perfect.
Pat Dry: Drying the salmon fillet helps the seasoning stick and allows the outside to crisp up slightly.
Parchment Paper is Your Friend: Seriously, it makes cleanup ridiculously easy. Salmon skin can stick!
Don’t Overcook: Salmon cooks relatively quickly. Keep an eye on it. Overcooked salmon is dry salmon, and we don’t want that! Flaking easily with a fork is a good visual cue.
Prep Ahead: You can make the crab and shrimp stuffing mixture a day ahead of time and keep it covered in the fridge. This saves even more time when you’re ready to bake!

How to Store It

If by some miracle you have leftovers (it’s rare with this dish!), here’s how to keep them:

Refrigerator: Store any leftover stuffed salmon in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days.
Reheating: Gently reheat leftovers in the oven at a lower temperature (around 325°F or 160°C) until warmed through. Reheating in a microwave might make the salmon dry, but it works in a pinch.

FAQs

Got questions? I’ve got answers!

Can I use imitation crab? You could, but for the best flavor and texture, I really recommend using real lump crab meat. It makes a world of difference!
Can I use raw shrimp instead of cooked? I recommend using cooked shrimp here because they are chopped and mixed into the stuffing which bakes inside the salmon. Using raw shrimp might result in uneven cooking.
What if my salmon fillet isn’t very thick? If your fillet is thin, you might not be able to butterfly and stuff it. In that case, you could cut pockets into thicker portions of the fillet and stuff those, or even spread the stuffing over a flat fillet and roll it up jelly-roll style (though that’s a bit trickier!). Baking time will also be shorter for a thinner fillet.
Can I prepare the whole dish ahead of time and bake later? You can assemble the stuffed salmon about 1-2 hours ahead of time and keep it covered in the refrigerator. Let it sit at room temperature for about 15-20 minutes before baking, and you might need to add a few extra minutes to the baking time.

Easy & Impressive Crab & Shrimp Stuffed Salmon

Ever wanted to whip up something that looks totally fancy and impressive, but is secretly super simple? Something that makes a weeknight feel like a special occasion, or wows your guests without spending hours in the kitchen? Well, you are in the right place! This Crab & Shrimp Stuffed Salmon recipe is exactly that. It’s rich, flavorful, and feels incredibly gourmet, yet it comes together with surprising ease. It’s the kind of dish that creates memories around the dinner table, making everyone feel a little bit spoiled. Get ready to fall in love with how simple it is to create something so utterly delicious!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Cook Time 25

Equipment

Baking Sheet
Parchment paper for lining baking sheet
Medium bowl for making stuffing
Knife for butterflying salmon (if not pre-cut) and chopping

Ingredients

Stuffing & Salmon Components

1 large fillet salmon fillet about 1.5 to 2 pounds, butterflied
0.5 lb cooked shrimp chopped
0.5 lb lump crab meat
4 oz cream cheese softened
0.25 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 clove garlic minced
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
to taste salt
to taste pepper
to taste paprika
whole shrimp optional, for topping
olive oil or melted butter optional, for brushing

Instructions

Prep Your Salmon: If your salmon fillet isn’t already butterflied, carefully slice it horizontally from the thicker side almost all the way through, leaving about an inch connected along the other side. Open it up like a book. Pat it dry with paper towels. Season the inside lightly with salt and pepper.
Make the Stuffing: In a medium bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, grated Parmesan, mayonnaise, lemon juice, minced garlic, chopped fresh parsley, salt, pepper, and a pinch of paprika. Mix until everything is well combined and creamy.
Add the Seafood to the Stuffing: Gently fold in the chopped cooked shrimp and lump crab meat. Try not to break up the crab too much if you have nice lump pieces!
Stuff the Salmon: Lay the butterflied salmon fillet open on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (makes cleanup a breeze!). Spoon the seafood stuffing onto one half of the salmon fillet in an even layer. Don’t overstuff it right to the edges – leave a little border.
Close and Season: Carefully fold the other half of the salmon fillet over the stuffing. It should look like a nice, plump package. Lightly brush the top and sides of the stuffed salmon with a little olive oil or melted butter (optional, but adds nice color) and season generously with salt, pepper, and paprika. If using, arrange whole shrimp on top.
Bake It: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Carefully transfer the baking sheet to the preheated oven. Bake for 20-30 minutes, depending on the thickness of your fillet, until the salmon is cooked through and flakes easily with a fork, and the stuffing is hot and bubbly. The internal temperature of the thickest part of the salmon should reach 145°F (63°C).
Rest and Serve: Let the salmon rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing. This helps the juices redistribute. Slice into portions and serve immediately. Enjoy the oohs and aahs!

Notes

If butterflying the salmon yourself, use a sharp knife and take your time, keeping your hand flat on top. Alternatively, ask your fishmonger. Don’t overstuff the salmon, leave a small border to prevent leaking during baking. Pat the salmon dry to help seasoning stick and skin crisp slightly. Using parchment paper makes cleanup much easier. Avoid overcooking; salmon cooks quickly and overcooked fish is dry. You can make the stuffing mixture a day ahead and keep it refrigerated. Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for 2-3 days and gently reheated in the oven.