This Crab Stuffed Salmon dish is one of our all-time favorite ways to enjoy an easy, impressive seafood dinner at home! Sweet lump crab meat is mixed with cream cheese and tangy creme fraiche, fresh herbs, and Old Bay seasoning (truly a must have with the crab filling!), then piled high on top of fresh salmon fillets. They bake until the salmon is just cooked through and the crab filling is warm.
It’s a luxurious meal, and tastes every bit as good — if not better! — than what you’d order at a restaurant.
Be sure to serve crab stuffed salmon with your favorite side dishes (we recommend this Israeli Couscous Recipe and a big plate of blistered green beans) and fresh lemon wedges.
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Ingredient Notes
- Fresh salmon: You’ll need 5 (6 oz) salmon fillets, skin removed. This is Norwegian salmon, though you can check out our salmon guide for more information on the different species.
- Lump crab meat: For this recipe you can use lump crab meat or jumbo lump.
- Cream cheese: This gives the crab mixture its creamy texture.
- An egg: A binding ingredient for the filling.
- Creme fraiche or mayonnaise: Adds a tangy flavor to the crab.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic helps to balance the sweet flavor of the crabmeat.
- Fresh parsley: Chopped fresh parsley is added to the filling, as well as used for garnish.
- Old Bay: A must when it comes to crab recipes!
- Ritz crackers or Panko breadcrumbs: We love the buttery taste of Ritz crackers, but panko works fine as a binder as well. Use gluten-free panko to make this gf friendly.
- Lemon wedges: A fresh squeeze of lemon juice pairs beautifully with seafood and helps to bring out the sweet flavor in the crab stuffing!
You can cook the stuffed salmon fillets on a rimmed baking sheet or place them in a large roasting dish.
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Make The Crab Filling
This is incredibly easy to make! You’ll need a large bowl and a spatula. Combine room temperature cream cheese, creme fraiche, an egg, chopped garlic, parsley, and Old Bay, then stir until very well mixed.
Add the crab meat and crushed cracker crumbs (or bread crumbs), then stir gently, until mixed.
You do not need to spend the extra money to use jumbo lump crab meat. Lump crab meat is absolutely fine in this recipe!
Looking for more crab recipes? Be sure to try our Hot Crab Dip, Spicy Crab Pasta, or this Crab Cake Sandwich next!
How To Stuff Salmon Fillets
First, make sure to pat each salmon filet lightly with a paper towel to dry on both sides. Using a sharp knife, cut a horizontal slit down the center of each filet, being careful not to cut all the way through. Season the salmon liberally with Kosher salt and black pepper, then stuff the salmon and pile remaining crab filling on top.
That’s it! It’s more piling the crab mixture on top than stuffing, but the end result is both beautiful and tastes amazing.
Transfer to a preheated oven, then bake until the salmon is medium-rare (about 120F) and the crab topping is warm and bubbling. You can pop the whole thing under a broiler for a few minutes if you want it to be more golden brown. Can be enjoyed plain or served with our silky smooth lemon beurre blanc!
We recommend the Thermapen MK4 to check for doneness on all meats!
FAQs
Yes! You can make the crab filling up to 1 day in advance. Store in an airtight container in a fridge until ready to stuff salmon.
When stored properly in a refrigerator, leftovers will keep for 3-4 days. Remember, seafood generally has a shorter shelf life than other proteins and needs to be consumed a little quicker.
Yes! Just make sure the salmon is completely thawed before stuffing and baking.
This would be perfect with trout, but because trout fillets are typically thinner than salmon, you should expect them to cook more quickly. Flounder or snapper are other great choices.
How To Serve
Crab stuffed salmon has a fresh, sweet seafood taste. You’ll want to serve it with simple side dishes that don’t overpower the delicate nature of the dish. Here are some suggestions for side dishes:
- Risotto, orzo, or rice — our Farro Risotto is an extremely hearty, filling side for winter!
- Potatoes: baked potatoes, Red Skin Mashed Potatoes, Duck Fat Potatoes, even a potato gratin would be great!
- Roasted vegetables, such as: Crispy Roasted Brussel Sprouts, Oven Roasted Broccoli, or Roasted Root Vegetables. In the spring, grilled asparagus would be fantastic!
- A big green salad: Kale and Brussels Sprout Salad or the easiest ever Arugula Salad
If you make this Crab Stuffed Salmon recipe, please let us know by leaving a review and rating below!
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30-Minute Crab Stuffed Salmon (Luxurious!)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 5 6 oz salmon fillets skin removed
- 8 oz fresh lump crab meat see note below
- 4 oz cream cheese room temperature
- 1 large egg lightly beaten
- 1 Tbsp creme fraiche or mayonnaise
- 2 small cloves of garlic minced, about 1 Tbsp
- 2 Tbsp chopped parsley plus more for serving
- 1 tsp Old Bay seasoning
- 3 Tbsp crushed Ritz crackers about 8 crackers (or 3 Tbsp Panko breadcrumbs)
- Thinly sliced chives for serving
- Lemon wedges for serving
Instructions
- Make the crab mixture. Preheat an oven to 350F, then line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine 4 oz cream cheese, 1 egg, 1 Tbsp creme fraiche (or mayonnaise), 2 finely chopped garlic cloves, 2 Tbsp chopped parsley, and 1 tsp Old Bay in a medium bowl, then stir until very well mixed. Add 8 oz lump crab meat and 3 Tbsp Ritz cracker crumbs (or Panko), then use a spatula to fold until just combined. Set aside.
- Prepare the salmon. Pat each salmon filet lightly with a paper towel to dry on both sides. Use a paring knife to cut a horizontal slit down the center of each salmon filet, being careful not to cut all the way through. You should leave about ½-¾” on either side of the cut. Season salmon filets liberally with 1 tsp Kosher salt and ¼ tsp black pepper.
- Stuff the salmon. Divide the mixture evenly between salmon filets, then stuff the crab mixture into each salmon pocket. You should get about ⅓-½ cup of filling per salmon filet. Place each crab stuffed salmon filet onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake the salmon. Place in a preheated oven and cook until salmon reaches an internal temperature of 120F (medium-rare), about 15-18 minutes. You can broil at the end to get golden brown, if desired.
- Garnish, then serve. Sprinkle with remaining tablespoon of chopped parsley or chives, then serve immediately with lemon wedges! Enjoy as is or serve with lemon beurre blanc.
Notes
- Crab filling can be made 1 day in advance. Store in an airtight container in a fridge until needed.
- Leftovers should be enjoyed within 3-4 days.
- Frozen salmon can be used, just be sure to thaw completely before stuffing and cooking.
Holy cow! Top notch recipe. Made Lemon Beurre Blanc as well. Amazing. Received rave reviews. Thank you for sharing!
Those two recipes together are simply incredible. So luxurious. Thanks for the feedback, Glenda! xo, Ari
This looks wonderful. But I have a question. Your photos look like the filling is on top of the salmon rather than stuffed inside the fillets.
Hi Jill! Definitely read through the instructions for step-by-step, but we’re cutting a horizontal opening into each salmon fillet so that the crab-filling is both stuffed into the salmon, but also rests on top. Hope this helps! Enjoy, this is one of my all-time favorite seafood recipes. xo, Ari