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The perfect dish for a fancy occasion, this super easy Crab Stuffed Salmon is 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!
If you love flaky salmon, don’t leave here before grabbing these easy and healthy salmon recipes or our amazing pesto salmon.
A Mouthwatering Stuffed Salmon Recipe
Do you need a super fancy dish for a special occasion? Maybe you want to impress a Valentine or treat someone for an anniversary or birthday? Well, this is a seafood dinner for any event! It’s pretty to look at, easy to make, lavish, and, of course, delicious!
Tender, juicy salmon fillets are the star of the show here, but they are well accomplished with the stuffing mixture. Because, you guys, the stuffing is cream cheese and crab! It’s so delicately sweet, creamy, and savory all at once, and you’ll be hooked!
Plus, crab stuffed salmon is simple to make, with very little cleanup, too! All you have to do is mix the filling in one bowl, and then bake the salmon on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Perfection in every way!
Is Eating Salmon Good for You?
Yes! Salmon is generally considered a very healthy food, thanks to the generous amount of Omega-3 fatty acids (which are powerful anti-inflammatory agents), B-vitamins, potassium, selenium, and protein! Typically, wild-caught salmon from clean waters are the most nutritious, but farmed salmon can be very good as well. (Source: Healthline)
The Ingredients You’ll Need
To make this stuffed salmon recipe, you’ll need salmon fillets, crab meat, and a few pantry basics, as well. 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.
- Salt and Black Pepper: For seasoning the fish to enhance all the flavors.
- Crab Meat: You can use whatever crab meat you like. Drain it well, and finely chop it.
- Cream Cheese: Soften half a block of cream cheese, so that it’s easy to mix with the other stuffing ingredients.
- Bell Pepper: Just a little bit of finely diced bell pepper (red peppers, green, or yellow) will complement the flavor of the crab and cream cheese perfectly.
- Garlic: Mince or press the garlic cloves.
- Egg: Egg helps to bind the stuffing mixture together.
- Parsley: Chopped fresh parsley adds freshness to the dish, and makes a pretty garnish as well.
- Old Bay Seasoning: This classic seasoning blend is perfectly balanced for use with seafood.
- Breadcrumbs: Bread crumbs add a little crunch to the finished dish.
- Cooking Spray: Spritzing cooking spray or oil over the stuffed fish before baking helps create a crispy top.
How to Choose Salmon Like a Pro
When you choose fresh salmon, look for fillets that have a bright, saturated color. Dull or pale fish is past its freshness. Additionally, press gently into the fillet; does the indention gradually spring back up, or does it stay? Salmon that doesn’t spring back is old and should be avoided. (Source: BluGlacier)
Can I Use Frozen Salmon?
Definitely! I recommend that you find a frozen salmon brand that you trust, but in general, frozen seafood is as fresh, if not fresher, than most salmon behind the glass at the fish counter. Keep in mind that properly frozen salmon should be solid and free of any signs of thawing or freezer burn.
How To Make Crab Stuffed Salmon
So, how do you make this impressive main course? It’s easy! Let’s take a look at the process, step-by-step.
- Prep the Salmon Fillets. Before you start, make sure your oven is preheating to 425˚F. Then, place your salmon filets on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle them with salt and pepper, and then cut a ¼-inch-deep pocket into the center of each one.
- Make the Crab Meat Stuffing. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the chopped crab meat, cream cheese, bell peppers, garlic, egg, parsley, and Old Bay seasoning. Stir until thoroughly combined. You could also add a little bit of lemon zest to the cream cheese mixture.
- Stuff the Fillets. Generously stuff the salmon fillets with the crab meat stuffing, sprinkle with breadcrumbs, and lightly spritz the tops of the stuffed fillets with cooking spray.
- Bake. Place the baking sheet in the oven, and bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the salmon is cooked through. You’ll know it’s done when an instant-read thermometer registers at 130°F inside the fish fillets.
- Enjoy! Serve your stuffed salmon garnished with parsley.
Recipe Tips
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!
- Avoid Overcooking: As with all fish, it’s important not to overcook salmon, or the fillets will be tough, dry, and disappointing.
- Don’t Cut Through the Skin: These fillets are really more “topped” than “stuffed,” and that’s okay! Don’t try to cut too deep of a pocket into the fillets, or you might cut through the skin, which would cause the juices and stuffing to leak out during cooking.
- Stuffing Consistency: If the stuffing seems too runny, you can add a tablespoon or two of extra breadcrumbs to thicken it up.
- Spice It Up: This recipe can easily be turned into Cajun stuffed salmon by adding Cajun seasoning to the stuffing, instead of Old Bay.
Scrumptious Side Dishes
This is the kind of recipe I like to cook for a special occasion, maybe Valentine’s Day or a birthday. So, to go with it, I usually whip up a special but easy side dish to serve alongside stuffed salmon.
- Roasted Vegetables: While most roasted veggies lean towards root veggies, this easy sheet pan side goes with colorful tender vegetables, gently roasted in olive oil and spices – Roasted Green Beans with Squash and Tomatoes for the win!
- Risotto or Rice: This ultra-creamy, homemade Lemon Parmesan Risotto is the perfect match for salmon! And, since it’s studded with asparagus, it’s a rice and veggie side in one! If you love mushrooms, grab this recipe for Mushroom Rice.
- Potatoes: Everyone knows that roasted potatoes pair beautifully with fish, and these Lemon Garlic Oven-Roasted Potatoes or my Vesuvio Potatoes are no exception! The delicate flavor of lemon contrasts perfectly with creamy, crab stuffed salmon.
How to Store and Reheat Your Leftovers
Store your leftover salmon in the refrigerator, well covered, preferably in airtight containers. While salmon typically lasts a couple of days, crab stuffing will not stay fresh as long. For that reason, this dish should be reheated and served within 24 hours.
To reheat, place the leftover portion in an ovenproof dish, and bake in a low oven (around 300°F) until heated through completely. You can use an instant-read thermometer to make sure that both the fish and stuffing are fully heated through. It should reach at least 130°F.
While it is possible to freeze salmon, I don’t recommend it because thawed cooked salmon tends to have a grainy texture and strong smell.
ENJOY!
More Easy Seafood Recipes
- Crispy Air Fryer Fish Cakes Recipe
- Slow Cooker Shrimp and Grits
- Creamy Lemon Butter Scallops
- Grilled Shrimp Kabobs
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Crab Stuffed Salmon
Ingredients
- 4 salmon fillets,, (each fillet should weigh about 5 to 6 ounces)
- salt and fresh ground black pepper,, to taste
- 8 ounces crab meat,, drained well and finely chopped
- 4 ounces cream cheese,, softened
- ¼ cup diced bell peppers,, (red, green, or yellow peppers)
- 4 cloves garlic,, minced
- 1 whole egg,, lightly beaten
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 1 teaspoon old bay seasoning
- 2 tablespoons panko bread crumbs
- cooking spray,, for topping
- chopped fresh parsley,, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425˚F.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Arrange salmon fillets on top of parchment paper and season with salt and pepper.
- Cut a ¼-inch-deep pocket in the center of each salmon fillet. Set aside.
- In a mixing bowl combine chopped crabmeat, cream cheese, bell peppers, garlic, egg, parsley, and old bay seasoning; mix and stir until thoroughly combined.
- Stuff the salmon fillets with the prepared crabmeat filling.
- Sprinkle breadcrumbs on top of fillets and lightly spray the tops with cooking oil.
- Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until salmon is cooked through, and internal temperature registers at 130˚F.
- Remove from oven.
- Garnish with parsley.
- Serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
Outstanding! I made this for Easter 2024, it was a hit! Absolutely delicious 🙂
Tried it for Valentine’s night. Let’s just say “she liked it” alot!
That’s fantastic to hear it was a hit for Valentine’s night! Glad she enjoyed it so much. Sounds like a success! Thank YOU! 🙂
Absolutely delicious! Easy recipe to follow. Ingredients go well together and final result was so yummy!
Can I pan sear it quickly first, then bake it?
You can sear the fish before adding the filling.
Recipe sounds great … born and raised by Chesapeake Bay … I will have to omit the garlic in the crab meat!
I live in the midwest, landlocked. 😄 I add garlic to everything. 😬
I made this dish last night. Absolutely delicious!!! I used Cajun seasoning in the crab mixture… Da Bomb!!!