This easy Crab Stuffed Salmon is great for a fancy event. It’s made with tasty salmon fillets and a homemade cream cheese and crab meat filling. Make it once, and you’ll want to make it every week!.
Don’t leave this page until you’ve tried these simple, healthy salmon recipes or our delicious pesto salmon.
Crab stuffed salmon is a fancy and tasty dish that is surprisingly simple to make at home. This dish looks and tastes like something you would order at a fancy restaurant. It has flaky salmon, creamy crab stuffing, and a crunchy Panko topping. However, it requires minimal effort and ingredients you likely already have on hand.
In this step-by-step guide, I’ll walk you through everything you need to know to make perfect crab stuffed salmon fillets at home From choosing the right salmon and crab meat, to assembling and baking these beautiful fillets, you’ll learn pro tips and tricks along the way After following this tutorial, you’ll be able to impress your family or guests with these restaurant-worthy stuffed salmon fillets.
Ingredients Needed
Crab stuffed salmon requires just a few simple ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need:
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Salmon fillets – Look for thick, skinless fillets about 4-6 ounces each. You’ll need about 24 ounces total for 4 servings. Wild caught varieties like sockeye and king salmon work great.
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Crab meat: Use 6 ounces of lump crab meat from a can that has been drained well of all the liquid. Fresh crab can also be used if preferred.
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Cream cheese – 4 ounces of regular full-fat cream cheese softened to room temperature.
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Egg – 1 large egg.
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Mayonnaise – 1 tablespoon.
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Panko breadcrumbs – 2 tablespoons.
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Parmesan cheese – 1/2 cup freshly grated.
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Fresh parsley and green onions – 1/2 tablespoon each, finely chopped.
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Lemon pepper – 1 teaspoon.
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Paprika – 1 teaspoon, plus extra for garnish.
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Salt and pepper – 1/2 teaspoon each.
Step 1: Make the Crab Filling
The crab filling can be made ahead of time and chilled until ready to stuff the salmon. Here’s how to make it:
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In a medium bowl, beat together the cream cheese, egg, mayonnaise, lemon pepper, paprika, salt and pepper until smooth and combined.
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Fold in the crab meat, panko breadcrumbs, chopped parsley and green onions until evenly distributed throughout the filling.
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Finally, stir in the Parmesan cheese.
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Cover the bowl and refrigerate the crab filling for at least 30 minutes to allow it to chill and firm up.
Step 2: Prepare the Salmon
While the crab filling chills, prepare your salmon fillets:
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Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
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Rinse the salmon fillets under cold water and pat dry thoroughly with paper towels.
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Place the fillets on the prepared baking sheet. Use a sharp knife to slice horizontally down the center of each fillet, cutting about halfway through to create a pocket for the stuffing.
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Season the salmon all over with salt and pepper.
Step 3: Stuff the Salmon
Once chilled and firmed up, the crab filling can be added to the salmon:
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Give the crab filling a quick stir to recombine.
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Use a small spoon to fill the pocket in each salmon fillet with the crab mixture. Smooth it out and top the rest of the filling over the top of each fillet.
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Sprinkle each stuffed salmon with a pinch of paprika for extra color and flavor.
Step 4: Bake the Stuffed Salmon
Bake the crab stuffed salmon until cooked through:
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Bake for 15-18 minutes at 350°F, until the salmon is opaque and flakes easily with a fork.
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For added color and crunch, broil the salmon for 1-2 minutes at the end.
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Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
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Garnish with extra parsley or Parmesan if desired.
And that’s it! With just 20-30 minutes of active cooking time, you’ll have these beautiful, elegant stuffed salmon fillets ready to serve. The interior crab stuffing should be rich, creamy and full of flavor. When paired with the tender, flaky salmon, it’s a match made in seafood heaven.
Tips for Making Perfect Crab Stuffed Salmon
Follow these tips and tricks for crab stuffed salmon that looks and tastes incredible:
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Use fresh crab: Canned crab meat works in a pinch, but fresh crab will give you superior texture and flavor. Opt for jumbo lump crab if possible.
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Don’t overmix the filling: Gently fold the ingredients together to keep the texture chunky. Avoid over-blending into a paste.
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Chill the filling: Letting it firm up makes it much easier to stuff into the salmon.
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Cut salmon pockets evenly: Slice all the way down the center of each fillet so the filling stays put.
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Prevent overcooking: Salmon can go from perfect to dried out quickly. Monitor carefully and remove from oven as soon as opaque.
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Broil at the end: Finish under the broiler for 1-2 minutes to add crunch and lovely color to the topping.
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Rest before serving: Letting it sit for 5-10 minutes allows juices to reabsorb so salmon stays moist and filling sets up.
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Add a sauce: Drizzle with lemon garlic butter, hollandaise, or lemon dill sauce for even more flavor.
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Use as a stuffing for more: Try spooning the crab filling into mushrooms, peppers, chicken breasts and more!
Cooking Tips
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For food safety, cook salmon to an internal temperature of at least 145°F.
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Salmon continues to cook slightly after removed from the oven. Avoid overbaking.
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Use a digital meat thermometer to monitor the temperature for perfect doneness.
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The cooking time can vary greatly based on the thickness and shape of your fillets. Monitor closely and remove when opaque throughout.
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Letting the cooked salmon rest for 5-10 minutes before serving allows juices to reabsorb so it stays moist and tender.
Serving Suggestions
Crab stuffed salmon tastes incredible on its own, but also pairs nicely with various side dishes. Consider serving it with:
- Rice pilaf or risotto
- Garlic green beans
- Roasted asparagus or brussels sprouts
- Scalloped potatoes or au gratin potatoes
- A fresh green salad
- Buttery dinner rolls
For an easy complete meal, sauté some asparagus and cherry tomatoes to serve alongside the salmon.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
Like any seafood, crab stuffed salmon is best fresh. However, you can store and reheat leftovers:
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Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container within 2 hours of cooking.
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Use within 2-3 days for best quality and flavor.
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Reheat gently in a 300°F oven until warmed through, about 15 minutes.
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The crab filling tends to firm up when chilled overnight. Loosen it up with a fork before reheating if needed.
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Avoid microwaving which can make the salmon dry and rubbery. Use the oven or a skillet instead.
Crab Stuffing Uses Beyond Salmon
While it pairs perfectly with salmon, this crab stuffing is also delicious stuffed into:
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Halved mushrooms or cremini mushroom caps
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Mini sweet peppers or jalapeños
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Chicken breasts pounded into cutlets
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Shrimp, either butterflied or as crab rangoons
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Hollowed out bread boules or sourdough loaves
Get creative with how you use this flavorful crab filling! It also shines on its own as a dip or spread when blended with a bit of cream.
Frequently Asked Questions
What type of crab meat should I use?
Jumbo lump crab meat will give you the best texture and flavor, but canned claw meat will also work well. Avoid crab meat mixes with fillers.
Can I make the stuffing ahead of time?
Yes! The crab filling can be made up to 2 days in advance. Store chilled until ready to use.
What sides go well with crab stuffed salmon?
Some great options are rice, roasted veggies, green salads and bread. A starch and vegetable make an easy complete meal.
What’s the best way to reheat leftovers?
Use the oven or a skillet to gently reheat crab stuffed salmon. Avoid the microwave which can make the salmon dry.
What else can I stuff with the crab filling?
Try using it to stuff mushrooms, peppers, chicken breasts, shrimp or hollowed bread.
Is fresh or frozen salmon better?
Fresh wild caught salmon is ideal, but frozen also works well. Be sure to thaw frozen fillets overnight in the fridge before using.
Final Thoughts
Crab stuffed salmon is an elegant, restaurant-quality meal you can feel proud to serve, even though it requires minimal effort. The key is packing flaky, moist salmon with the creamy, savory crab filling. Follow the steps to
The Ingredients You’ll Need
There are a few things you’ll need in the pantry along with salmon fillets and crab meat to make this stuffed salmon recipe. Here’s the list! (Note: you can find the full recipe card at the bottom of this post. ).
- Salmon: You’ll need four salmon fillets. Skin-on is fine. At times, I like to use sockeye salmon, too.
- Black pepper and salt are used to season the fish and bring out all of its flavors.
- Crab Meat: You can use whatever crab meat you like. Drain it well, and finely chop it.
- Cottage Cheese: Melt half a block of cream cheese so it’s easy to mix with the rest of the stuffing ingredients.
- Bell Pepper: A small amount of finely diced red, green, or yellow bell pepper will go amazingly well with the crab and cream cheese.
- Garlic: Mince or press the garlic cloves.
- Egg: Egg helps to bind the stuffing mixture together.
- Parsley: Chopped fresh parsley makes the dish taste fresh and looks nice on top.
- Old Bay Seasoning: This recipe for a classic seasoning blend is just right for seafood.
- Bread crumbs: Bread crumbs give the dish a little crunch.
- Cooking Spray: Putting cooking spray or oil on top of the stuffed fish before baking makes the top crispy.
How To Make Crab Stuffed Salmon
That sounds great! How do you make it? It’s simple! Let’s look at the steps one by one.
- Prep the Salmon Fillets. Make sure your oven is heated up to 425˺F before you begin. Then, place your salmon filets on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Add salt and pepper to them, and then make a pocket about ¼ of an inch deep in the middle of each one.
- Make the Crab Meat Stuffing. Chopped crab meat, cream cheese, bell peppers, garlic, egg, parsley, and Old Bay seasoning should all be mixed together in a medium-sized bowl. Stir until thoroughly combined. Perhaps some lemon zest could be added to the cream cheese mix as well.
- Stuff the Fillets. Fill the salmon fillets with a lot of the crab meat stuffing. Sprinkle breadcrumbs on top of the fillets, and lightly spray cooking spray on top of them.
- Bake. In a baking sheet, put the salmon. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the salmon is fully cooked. Instant-read thermometers inside the fish fillets should read 130°F to let you know it’s done.
- Enjoy! Serve your stuffed salmon garnished with parsley.
I have a few extra tips for cooking this crab-stuffed salmon that I would like to share here. Bon appetit and I hope you love this recipe as much as I do!.
- As with any fish, don’t cook salmon for too long. If you do, the fillets will be tough, dry, and disappointing.
- Don’t Cut Through the Skin: These fillets are more “topped” than “stuffed,” which is fine. If you try to make a pocket too deep in the fillets, you might cut through the skin, letting the juices and stuffing escape while they’re cooking.
- When making stuffing, if it seems too thin, you can add a tablespoon or two of extra breadcrumbs to make it thicker.
- Spice It Up: If you want to make Cajun stuffed salmon, just replace the Old Bay seasoning with Cajun seasoning in the stuffing.
I like making this kind of recipe for important events like Valentine’s Day or my birthday. Which is why I usually make a special but easy side dish to go with stuffed salmon.
- When it comes to roasted vegetables, most people think of root vegetables. But for this easy side dish, roasted green beans with squash and tomatoes are the best! They are roasted in olive oil and spices and are soft and colorful.
- Risotto or Rice: This homemade Lemon Parmesan Risotto is very creamy and goes well with salmon. It also has asparagus in it, so it’s a rice and vegetable side dish in one! If you like mushrooms, get this recipe for Mushroom Rice.
- Potatoes: Everyone knows that roasted potatoes go well with fish, and these Lemon Garlic Oven-Roasted Potatoes or my Vesuvio Potatoes are no different! The mild lemon flavor goes well with the creamy crab-stuffed salmon.
