Stuffed Shrimp may seem like a dine-out-only kind of dish, but rest assured, this recipe can be easily conquered by the home cook.
In fact, thanks to the easiest-ever crab stuffing, clear-cut directions for butterflying shrimp, and some seriously phenomenal flavor, your Stuffed Shrimp will not only turn out perfectly cooked, but it'll outshine any restaurant's rendition. Winning, much?
Looking for more awesome seafood recipes to try? Bookmark our easy Caesar Shrimp Sandwich in your internet browser for next time!
THE EASIEST (AND BEST) CRAB STUFFED SHRIMP
Baked Stuffed Shrimp is just as perfect served as an hors d'oeuvre on special occasions and holiday parties as it is for family dinner dinners which makes this an excellent recipe to get under your belt.
But let's be real, the problem with most Stuffed Shrimp recipes is the prep time, especially when you'll be butterflying the shrimp on top of peeling and deveining them.
So what does this mean for this particular Stuffed Shrimp? It means we're going to simplify the rest of the recipe in order to keep that prep time at a reasonable rate.
Most stuffed shrimp recipes call for extra steps like crushing up Ritz crackers into cracker crumbs, melting butter over medium-high heat, adding onions, celery, and bell peppers, cooking until softened, and the list goes on.
In our humble opinion, having to peel, devein, and butterfly shrimp is enough in and of itself. Let's take the easy way out, shall we?
With this crab stuffing, we're bypassing the extra chopping, the added cook time, and crushed crackers altogether. And, we're doing it without sacrificing a single bit of flavor thanks to a few smart swaps within the ingredient list.
SHRIMP SIZE MATTERS FOR STUFFED SHRIMP
Because Stuffed Shrimp must become butterflied shrimp before stuffing, it is very important to make sure you have the right-sized shrimp before you begin!
This is absolutely no time for small shrimp. You'll need shrimp that fall into the 15/20 count range. Labels like extra large and jumbo are very misleading when it comes to determining your shrimp size. This is why the count is the way to go!
The shrimp count indicates how many shrimp there are per pound. So, if you are using 15/20 count shrimp, that means there will be 15 to 20 shrimp per pound.
For this recipe, in particular, you will end up with about 25 stuffed shrimp, which will feed about four people for a dinner-sized portion or 8 for an appetizer-sized portion.
HOW TO BUTTERFLY SHRIMP
Once you've got the right shrimp, peel and devein it, leaving the tails on if at all possible!
Then, it's onto the butterflying. Butterflying shrimp may at first appear to be one of those tasks that seems overwhelmingly intimidating, but rest assured with a good, sharp paring knife and moderate kitchen skills, you can get the job done!
On a work surface, lay the peeled shrimp down on its backside, with the leg-side facing up. Use the tip of a sharp, small knife (such as a paring knife), and gently run it from the start of the tail toward the head end of the shrimp.
Use the tip of the paring knife to make very small incisions, repeating in the same direction until the shrimp appears to have flattened out. Do your best not to cut all the way through the shrimp. But, if you accidentally do, no need to toss it; you can still add stuffing on top and it's likely no one will ever know.
HOW TO MAKE STUFFED SHRIMP
- Season the Shrimp
- Mix the Crab Stuffing
- Top Shrimp With Stuffing
- Bake
1. SEASON THE SHRIMP
Add the butterflied shrimp to a large bowl and drizzle with oil. Then, season with salt and pepper and very gently toss until the shrimp are evenly coated with the oil and seasoning.
Transfer the shrimp to a large rimmed baking sheet lined with aluminum foil or a large, greased baking dish.
2. MIX THE CRAB STUFFING
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, add crab meat, grated Parmesan, bread crumbs, mayonnaise, green onions, diced pimento peppers, chopped parsley, Old Bay seasoning, slightly beaten egg, and lemon juice and zest.
Mix together, stirring gently until all of the ingredients are evenly combined.
3. TOP THE SHRIMP WITH STUFFING
Time to turn butterflied shrimp into Stuffed Shrimp! Use a spoon to add tablespoon-sized mounds to the shrimp. Shape up the stuffing with your fingers, bring the tail up, and wedge it gently into the top of the stuffing.
4. BAKE STUFFED SHRIMP
Bake the shrimp at 400°F for about 16 to 20 minutes. Check your shrimp at the 16-minute mark, to ensure they do not overbake!
Once the Stuffed Shrimp are completely opaque and pink in color, and the crab stuffing has browned slightly on the top, remove the shrimp from the oven and allow them to cool slightly, about 10 minutes. Then, serve and enjoy!
6 MORE SEAFOOD RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE
- Crab Cake Sandwich
- Crab Stuffed Salmon
- Lemon Garlic Salmon
- Cajun Shrimp Pasta
- Garlic Butter Shrimp
- Tacos de Camaron
Crab Cake Sandwich
Crab Stuffed Salmon
Lemon Garlic Salmon
Cajun Shrimp Pasta
Garlic Butter Shrimp
Tacos de Camaron | Shrimp Tacos
Baked Crab Stuffed Shrimp with perfectly cooked shrimp on the bottom and a savory crab cake stuffing on top!
- 1 ½ pounds 15/20 count shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails on
- 2 tablespoons avocado or canola oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 8 ounces lump crab meat
- ⅓ cup grated parmesan, separated
- ⅓ cup plain breadcrumbs
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise
- ⅓ cup green onions, sliced
- 1 large egg, slightly beaten
- 2 tablespoons diced pimientos, drained
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
- 1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
- Zest and juice of a lemon
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Preheat the oven to 400°F and have ready a rimmed baking sheet lined with either parchment paper or aluminum foil.
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Pat the shrimp dry with a paper towel. Then, working with one shrimp at a time, lay it back-side down (a.k.a. leg-side up). Use a paring knife to make a small incision down the shrimp, from the start of the tail, cutting toward the head of the shrimp. Continue doing this until the shrimp is butterflied and can lay flat. Do your best not to cut all the way through the body of the shrimp.
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Transfer the shrimp to a large bowl, drizzle with oil, sprinkle evenly with the salt and pepper, and very gently toss to coat. Transfer to the baking sheet and set aside.
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In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the crab, parmesan cheese, plain breadcrumbs, mayonnaise, green onions, beaten egg, pimiento peppers, chopped parsley, Old Bay seasoning, lemon zest, and juice. Gently, fold the mixture together until well combined.
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Add tablespoon-sized spoonfuls of the crab mixture on top of each shrimp, and bring up the tail, tucking it gently into the stuffing.
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Bake for about 16-20 minutes, or until the shrimp are completely opaque and pink in color. Allow to cool slightly, serve and enjoy!
Recipe Video
