Crab Cake Stuffed Shrimp make an elegant holiday appetizer. The crab and the shrimp are the main attraction in this dish. There’s only a little filler and just enough other ingredients to add flavor.

Crab Cake Stuffed Shrimp on serving plate.

This baked stuffed shrimp recipe is a little bit of a splurge. Large shrimp and fresh crab can be pricey. But for seafood lovers, it is well worth the cost. Shrimp and crab are such an awesome combination.

Buttery Cracker Crumb Filling

The filling contains both Panko crumbs and crushed Ritz crackers. I love the buttery flavor that Ritz crackers add. The filling also contains sauteed onion and bell pepper. I like to use both green and red bell pepper but you can use one or the other.

How To Serve Crab Stuffed Shrimp

Add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice just before serving if you wish. Tastes great as is but also goes great with a remoulade sauce or tartar sauce.

Type Of Crab To Use

It’s best to use fresh lump crabmeat for this recipe.

Tips For Making Crab Cake Stuffed Shrimp

  • This recipe really only works with extra-large or jumbo shrimp. Not only is it too time-consuming to prep smaller shrimp, they will not hold enough stuffing and they will likely get overcooked.
Crab Cake Stuffed Shrimp
  • Leave the tails on the shrimp for the best presentation.
  • Be sure to pick through the crab for any pieces of shell.
  • When you place a ball of stuffing on the butterflied shrimp, press the tail into the top of the stuffing. This will help the shrimp hold its shape around the crab as it bakes.
Place a ball of stuffing on each shrimp
  • Can be assembled ahead of time and baked just as your guests arrive.

Make It Spicy

Double the amount of cayenne pepper if you want this recipe to be spicy.

How To Store

Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. To reheat, place in a baking pan and loosely tent with foil. Bake at 350 F for 10 to 15 minutes.

Crab Cake Stuffed Shrimp

More Shrimp Recipes

Crab Cake Stuffed Shrimp

4.88 from 16 votes
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Servings: 12
Crab Cake Stuffed Shrimp make an elegant holiday appetizer. The crab and the shrimp are the main attraction in this dish. There's only a little filler and just enough other ingredients to add flavor.

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Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1/2 cup finely diced onion
  • 1/4 cup finely diced red bell pepper
  • 1/4 cup finely diced green bell pepper
  • 1 pound lump crabmeat
  • 1/2 cup panko crumbs
  • 12 Ritz crackers,, crushed
  • 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
  • 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 large egg
  • salt and pepper
  • 24 jumbo or large shrimp
  • 2 tablepsoons melted butter

Instructions 

  • Melt butter in a nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Add onion, red bell pepper, and green bell pepper. Cook for 3 minutes or until soft. Let cool.
  • Pick through crabmeat and remove any shell. Place crab in a medium bowl along with Panko crumbs, Ritz crackers, Old Bay seasoning, lemon zest, cayenne pepper, mayonnaise, and egg. Stir gently to mix.
    Season to taste with salt and pepper and refrigerate until needed.
  • Peel shrimp, leaving the tail on. Cut through the backside of each shrimp, like you would to devein it, but cut more deeply, almost all the way through. Remove and discard the veins.
  • On a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, place shrimp butterflied side down, pressing to flatten.
  • Shape about 1 heaping tablespoon of crab mixture into a ball and place on top of a shrimp, pressing the tail into the top to secure. Repeat.
  • Drizzle melted butter over shrimp.
  • Bake in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes, or until cooked through.

Notes

To make this dish spicy, double the amount of cayenne pepper.
Nutritional info is provided as an estimate only and will vary based on brands of products used.

Nutrition

Calories: 166kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 466mg | Potassium: 170mg | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 231IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 47mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Did you make this?Leave a comment below and tag us @spicysouthernkitchen on social media!

Originally published December 9, 2019.

Crab Cake Stuffed Shrimp

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24 Comments

  1. Sheila Woodson says:

    The best!!!! Just not enough

  2. Nancy says:

    This recipe is delicious ๐Ÿ˜‹ I have made several times and it’s super easy and I have used canned bumble bee lumped crab meat and it was still delicious

  3. Rosalene Green says:

    my family loved this recipe. very delicious. I will be making it again.

  4. Kimberly Hill says:

    I am hoping to try this recipe soon. Any recommendations on a lite main dish to serve with it or along side?

  5. Sophie says:

    How far in advance can this be made?

  6. Jessica says:

    We loved it!

  7. Dana thibodeaux says:

    ๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿ˜Ž

  8. Betty says:

    Awesome.

  9. John E. Baker III says:

    Uh… What happens to the onion/peppers? Was a step left out?

    1. Angela says:

      The peppers and onion after being softly cooked and cooled go in the crab mixture.

    2. Lynette Snurr says:

      refer to step 1