Crab Cake Stuffed Shrimp (Printable)

Broiled jumbo shrimp stuffed with savory crab cake and drizzled with zesty cowboy butter for a bold surf-and-turf.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Seafood

01 - 16 jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails on, butterflied
02 - 8 oz lump crab meat, picked over for shells

→ Crab Cake Filling

03 - 1/4 cup mayonnaise
04 - 1 large egg, lightly beaten
05 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
06 - 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
07 - 1/2 tsp Old Bay seasoning
08 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
09 - 1/4 cup finely diced celery
10 - 1/4 cup finely diced red bell pepper
11 - 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
12 - 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs

→ Cowboy Butter

13 - 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
14 - 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
15 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
16 - 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
17 - 1 tbsp fresh chives, chopped
18 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
19 - 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
20 - 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
21 - 1/4 tsp kosher salt
22 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# How to Prepare:

01 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease with cooking spray.
02 - Slice each shrimp along the back curve, cutting deep but not all the way through. Arrange them cut side up on the prepared baking sheet.
03 - In a medium mixing bowl, gently fold together the lump crab meat, mayonnaise, beaten egg, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, Old Bay seasoning, black pepper, diced celery, diced red bell pepper, chopped parsley, and panko breadcrumbs. Mix until just combined—do not overwork or the filling will become dense.
04 - Scoop 1 to 2 tablespoons of the crab mixture and shape into a small oval. Press each oval firmly into the opened back of each butterflied shrimp. Secure with toothpicks if needed to hold the filling in place.
05 - Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir in the lemon juice, minced garlic, chopped parsley, chives, smoked paprika, cayenne, red pepper flakes, kosher salt, and black pepper. Keep warm on the lowest heat setting.
06 - Lightly brush each stuffed shrimp with some of the cowboy butter using a pastry brush. Bake for 14 to 16 minutes until the shrimp turn opaque and the crab filling turns golden. Broil for the final 1 to 2 minutes for a deeper golden crust.
07 - Remove from the oven and immediately drizzle the reserved cowboy butter over the hot stuffed shrimp. Serve warm with lemon wedges and extra cowboy butter on the side. Remember to remove any toothpicks before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The combination of sweet crab meat and tender shrimp feels luxurious without requiring restaurant skills
  • That zesty cowboy butter is the kind of sauce you will want to put on everything afterwards
  • It looks absolutely stunning coming out of the oven but comes together faster than you would think
02 -
  • Do not overwork the crab mixture or it will become rubbery and dense instead of light and tender
  • The cowboy butter can be made ahead and kept warm, or even gently reheated right before serving
  • Watch closely during those last minutes under the broiler because things go from golden to burned very fast
03 -
  • Pat the shrimp very dry before butterflying them, otherwise the crab mixture might slide right off
  • Room temperature crab meat mixes more evenly than cold straight from the fridge

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