Stuffed shrimp is one of the all-time great special occasion dinners. For a low-stress version of the classic recipe, make this Baked Stuffed Shrimp Casserole Recipe. Full of tender shrimp, succulent crab meat and buttery cracker filling, this easy casserole will be the highlight of your holiday!
It's hard to beat a well-seasoned shrimp that's perfectly cooked and steaming hot. But if you bake that shrimp in a sea of savory crab cake mixture and top it with a little melted butter? Yes, indeed. Even better!
You're going to love this baked crab-stuffed shrimp casserole because it's ultra-savory, can feed a crowd, and tastes like a fancy, restaurant-quality dish. The recipe can be prepared in advance and baked right before serving, so it can be on the table in 20 minutes!
Like Crispy Panko Shrimp and Lemon Butter Colossal Shrimp, this seafood dish is celebration and holiday-worthy, but simple enough for a casual Sunday supper with friends and family.
What you need to make casserole:
Before I get into the step-by-step instructions, a few notes about the ingredients:
Shrimp: The recipe calls for jumbo shrimp because they make for an impressive presentation and stand up beautifully in the casserole dish. But feel free to use whatever shrimp you have or that fits the budget.
Second, I prefer using shelled, but tail on shrimp, as the tails are reminiscent of a pork crown roast and feel like a fancy touch. But if I've learned anything in my time as a seafood-forward recipe developer, it's that people have very strong opinions about fish bones and shrimp shells. So if the tails are throwing you off your game, by all means, remove them before baking!
Veggies: Shallot and red and green bell peppers add a lot of flavor and texture to the crab filling. I tested the recipe without them and it just didn't sing the same way. That said, use what you like and what your family enjoys. I do recommend keeping a similar amount veggies (1 ½ cups) in whatever combination works for you.
Dry sherry: This ingredient adds a lovely, sweet undertone reminiscent of crab bisque. If you prefer to cook alcohol-free, substitute equal parts apple cider vinegar and water (per The Spruce Eats).
Old Bay Seasoning: a balanced, savory spice blend perfect for seafood. If you're running low, check out my Best Substitutes for Old Bay.
Full ingredient list and measurements included in the printable recipe card below.
How to Make Casserole:
1. Cook stuffing mixture
Preheat the oven to 375℉. Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet. Add shallot, celery, red pepper and garlic. Sauté for 4-5 minutes, until fragrant and tender.
Add sherry to the pan (carefully, if you’re working over an open flame) and cook for another minute. Finally, add crushed cracker crumbs, parmesan, Old Bay, black pepper, lemon zest and chopped parsley. Toss the ingredients together and remove from the heat to let the mixture cool a bit.
2. Prep seafood
In a 2 ½ or 3 quart casserole dish, add your shrimp, cleaned and butterflied. (To butterfly shrimp, cut along the outside of the shrimp to clean the vein, then keep cutting until you've sliced almost through the shrimp. Rinse the shrimp and dry very well.) Drizzle the shrimp in the casserole dish with a little olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place shrimp around the dish with the flat, cut side down and the tails up.
Once the stuffing has cooled a bit, add your crab meat (be sure to sift through your meat to remove any shell pieces first!) and mayonnaise into the room temperature stuffing mixture. Gently fold together without breaking up the crab.
3. Assemble and bake casserole
Spoon the seafood stuffing into the pan of shrimp, keeping the tail side of the shrimp coming up through the stuffing. Cut the remaining tablespoon of butter into small pieces and scatter over the casserole. Sprinkle with a touch of paprika, for additional color and flavor.
Bake in preheated oven for about 15-18 minutes, until the shrimp is cooked through and the casserole is golden brown. Broil for the final 2 minutes.
4. Garnish and serve
Serve with additional parsley for garnish and lemon wedges for a squeeze of fresh lemon juice
FAQ's and Serving Suggestions:
You can! The stuffing can be made up to a day in advance and kept in the refrigerator in an airtight container. I find that adding the cracker crumbs to the veggies ahead of time made the stuffing softer when baked. So if prepping in advance, I prefer to make the sauteed veggies ahead of time, and prep the shrimp, but then mix the stuffing right before baking.
Panko breadcrumbs or homemade breadcrumbs are a great option. Keep in mind these substitutions will have less salt and seasoning than crackers. So taste your stuffing mixture before baking to determine if you should add a bit more salt or Old Bay to the mix.
My favorite sides to serve with this casserole are my Mediterranean Green Salad, or Fresh Gazpacho Salad. Grilled Asparagus and Garlic Bread Baguette would be other great additions.
The casserole packs plenty of flavor on its own. But if you like serving your crab cakes with sauce, you might add one here, too. Include homemade cocktail sauce, creamy mustard garlic sauce or a spicy aioli on the table for your guests to add, as needed.
This shrimp casserole will last up to 3 days in the refrigerator. To reheat, warm gently in a 350℉ oven until just heated through.
Baked Crab-Stuffed Shrimp Casserole Recipe
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 6-8
Ingredients
4 tablespoons butter, divided
2 shallots, diced (about ½ cup)
½ cup celery, minced
½ cup red bell pepper, minced
5 garlic cloves, grated
3 tablespoons dry sherry
2 cups buttery crackers (Clubhouse-style)
1 ½ teaspoons Old Bay Seasoning
½ teaspoon black pepper
⅓ cup mayonnaise
½ cup Parmesan cheese
⅓ cup fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped, plus more for garnish
Zest of 1 lemon, plus wedges, for serving
1 pound crab meat (substitute chopped shrimp or scallops)
1 pound jumbo shrimp, butterflied (about 16-18)
Olive oil, salt and pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375℉. Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet. Add shallot, celery, red pepper and garlic. Sauté for 4-5 minutes, until fragrant and tender. Add sherry to the pan (carefully, if you’re working over an open flame) and cook for another minute. Finally, add crushed cracker crumbs, parmesan, Old Bay, black pepper, lemon zest and fresh parsley. Toss the ingredients together and remove from the heat to let the mixture cool a bit.
- In a 2 ½ or 3 quart casserole dish, add your large shrimp, cleaned and butterflied. (To butterfly shrimp, cut along the outside of the shrimp to clean the vein, then keep cutting until you've sliced almost through the shrimp. Rinse the shrimp and dry very well.) Drizzle the shrimp in the casserole dish with a little olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Arrange evenly around the dish with the flat, butterfly side down and the tails up. Once the stuffing has cooled a bit, add your crab meat and mayonnaise into the stuffing mixture. (Be sure to gently filter through your crab to remove any shell fragments before adding to the stuffing!) Gently fold together without breaking up the crab.
- Spoon the seafood stuffing into the pan of shrimp, keeping the tail side of the shrimp coming up through the stuffing. Cut the remaining tablespoon of butter into small pieces and scatter over the casserole. Sprinkle with paprika, for additional color and flavor. Bake in preheated oven for about 15-18 minutes, until the shrimp is cooked through and the casserole is golden brown. Broil for the final 2 minutes.
- Serve with additional parsley for garnish and lemon wedges for a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
Notes
The recipe calls for jumbo shrimp, as they make an impressive presentation. But use whatever shrimp you have on hand.
If you prefer to serve your casserole without shrimp tails, simply remove the tails before baking.
- Prep Time: 25
- Cook Time: 20
- Category: Easy Recipes
- Method: Oven and Stove Top
- Cuisine: American
chef mimi
Oh my, I bet this is fabulous! And it’s pretty!
Christina
It's on my holiday menu bingo card already 😉 Hope you love it as much as I do, Mimi!
LaQuana Simmons
Loved it. Only thing the recipe doesn't mention that I forgot to do is make sure you run your fingers thru the crab meat before your use it to make sure the shells are not hiding in there. It was soooo good my S/O didn't even care that he had to spit out shells. And I added a little spice (a little sprinkle of red pepper flakes) to the mixture for some kick and I was liberal with the veggies. Definitely making again!