Crab Stuffed Salmon Recipe

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This baked crab stuffed salmon recipe with lemon butter is a decadent dinner that is surprisingly easy to make, healthy, and utterly delicious. The crab stuffing for fish is made with simple ingredients and lump crab meat as the star. You’re going to love it.

My inspiration for this crab stuffed fish came from a special dinner years ago, when my husband and I celebrated becoming boyfriend and girlfriend. We sat across one another over plates of walleye with crab stuffing, looking over the glistening lights of the Minneapolis skyline over the river, and began our love story. It would later become a regular choice for us at every visit to this amazing restaurant for years to come, though unfortunately the place has closed since then. Still, this crab stuffed salmon recipe (I used salmon instead of walleye as it’s easier to stuff) brings me back to that moment every time.

If you don’t have time for stuffing a whole salmon fillet, try air fryer salmon, baked salmon, or pan seared salmon instead.

Ingredients You’ll Need

This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for salmon stuffed with crab, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.

Salmon:

• Salmon – Because we are filling and folding this crab stuffed salmon, you’ll want to look for a wider fillet. Learn more about choosing salmon in my pan seared salmon post. You can also make the same recipe with flounder, snapper, or trout if you prefer, but these fish species are typically smaller, so you’ll need less filling.
• Lemon Zest – Zest it fresh, then save the lemon for the juice for the crab filling below.
• Butter – Use unsalted.
• Sea Salt & Black Pepper
• Toothpicks – To hold the stuffed fish together.

Crab Filling:

• Lump Crab Meat – You can make crab stuffed salmon using canned crab meat (I like this brand but any brand works — just make sure it’s lumb crab and not minced), or leftover crab from making crab legs.
• Onion – I used a white onion, but yellow onion also works well.
• Mayonnaise – Use homemade mayo or store-bought mayonnaise. If you don’t have mayo or can’t have eggs, you can substitute 2 tablespoons of softened cream cheese instead.
• Parsley – I highly recommend using fresh herbs here, but in a pinch, you can substitute 2 teaspoons dried parsley in place of the 2 tablespoons fresh.
• Garlic – Use fresh garlic for best flavor or jarred garlic for convenience.
• Lemon Juice – Use fresh lemon juice since you need the zest anyway for the salmon.
• Old Bay Seasoning – This traditional seafood seasoning adds a delicious flavor to the crab stuffed salmon.

VARIATION: Add parmesan cheese!

If you like a cheesy filling, add 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese before stuffing inside the salmon.

How To Make Crab Stuffed Salmon

This section shows how to make crab stuffed salmon, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.

1. Saute onion. In a large pan, saute the onion over medium heat, until lightly browned. Set aside.
2. Mix crab filling. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk or stir together the mayonnaise, garlic, parsley, lemon juice, Old Bay seasoning, and sauteed onion. Gently fold in crab meat, being careful not to break up all the lumps.

3. Assemble crab stuffed salmon. Place the salmon fillet on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Pat dry with paper towels. Arrange the crab stuffing mixture lengthwise down the middle of salmon, then fold salmon over crab mixture and secure with toothpicks.

4. Season. In a small bowl, whisk melted butter and lemon zest. Brush the butter mixture over the top of the salmon. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Bake. Bake until the fish flakes easily with a fork. Cut crosswise to serve. If desired, garnish with fresh parsley and lemon wedges.

Storage Instructions

• Store: Keep the fish in refrigerator for up to 2-3 days.
• Meal prep: One awesome thing about this recipe is that it can be prepped in advance. Gotta love an easy, make-ahead weeknight dinner idea! Make the crab stuffing up ahead of time, fold it into the salmon, and then cover with foil until you’re ready to bake it. You can store the uncooked salmon for 2-3 days. At dinner time, pull out the stuffed salmon with crab meat and bake for 18-20 minutes.

• Reheat: Reheat the fish in a 350 degree F oven until warm, being careful to not overcook. Microwaving fish is not recommended, as it tends to dry out.
• Freeze: This crab stuffed salmon recipe can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 2-3 months. You can freeze whole, or slice individual portions, which will reheat more evenly.

What To Serve With Crab Stuffed Salmon

All this crab stuffed salmon needs are some healthy side dishes:

Green Beans Almondine

Roasted Zucchini

Cauliflower Rice

Roasted Asparagus

More Easy Seafood Recipes

If you like this salmon stuffed with crab, you might also like some of these other easy seafood recipes:

Lemon Baked Cod

Pan Seared Scallops

Grilled Lobster Tail

Garlic Butter Shrimp

4.98 from 46 votes

Crab Stuffed Salmon (Quick & Easy!)

This crab stuffed salmon recipe looks fancy, but is quick and easy to make, with simple ingredients. Only 10 minute prep time!

Prep: 10 minutes

Cook: 25 minutes

Total: 35 minutes

Author: Maya Krampf from WholesomeYum.com

Servings: 8 (adjust to scale recipe)

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Ingredients

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Crab Filling

• 1 tbsp Olive oil ▢
• 1/2 large Onion (chopped) ▢
• 2 cloves Garlic (minced) ▢
• 2 tbsp Mayonnaise ▢
• 2 tbsp Fresh parsley (chopped) ▢
• 1 tbsp Lemon juice ▢
• 1 tsp Old Bay seasoning ▢
• 8 oz Lump crab meat ▢

Salmon

• 2 lb Salmon (wider filet works best) ▢
• 1 1/2 tsp Sea salt ▢
• 1/2 tsp Black pepper ▢
• 2 tsp Lemon zest ▢
• 2 tbsp Unsalted butter (melted) ▢
• Toothpicks ▢

Instructions

Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (204 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper.

2. In a pan over medium heat, heat the olive oil. Add the onion and saute for 7-10 minutes, until translucent and starting to brown. (or cook longer to caramelize if desired).

3. Add the garlic and saute for about 1 minute, until fragrant.

4. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, fresh parsley, lemon juice, and Old Bay seasoning.

5. Stir in the sauteed onion and garlic mixture. Gently fold in the lump crab meat, without breaking up the lumps.

6. Place the salmon filet on the baking sheet. Season both sides with salt and pepper.

7. Arrange the crab mixture lengthwise down the middle of the salmon. Starting from the thinner edge of the filet, fold over the long way. If the fish doesn’t want to stay folded, secure the edge with toothpicks.

8. In a small bowl, whisk together the melted butter and lemon zest. Brush the lemon butter over the top of the salmon.

9. Bake for 16-18 minutes, until the fish flakes easily with a fork or the fish (not the filling) internal temperature reaches 130-140 degrees F, depending on how done you like your fish.

10. If desired, sprinkle the fish with additional fresh parsley. Cut crosswise to serve.

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  Parmesan Crusted Salmon
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  Baked Salmon With Mayo
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  Hot Crab Dip Recipe

Recipe Notes

Serving size: 4 oz fish + filling, or 1/8 of entire recipe

Nutrition Facts

Amount per serving. Serving size in recipe notes above.

Calories 256

Fat 14.7g

Protein 28g

Total Carbs 1.6g

Net Carbs 1.3g

Fiber 0.3g

Sugar 0.5g

Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see our nutrition policy.

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keywords: baked stuffed salmon, crab stuffed salmon, crab stuffing for fish, stuffed salmon recipe

Calories: 256 kcal

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