Baked Jumbo Stuffed Shrimp with Crabmeat
Buttery jumbo prawns stuffed with sweet lump crabmeat and golden breadcrumbs, baked until tender and bubbly. A restaurant-quality seafood dinner you can make at home in under 40 minutes.
A Seafood Dinner Worth Skipping the Restaurant For
There is a reason stuffed jumbo shrimp shows up on the menu at almost every good seafood restaurant near you. It looks impressive, it tastes like a special occasion, and somehow it still comes together with very little fuss. This baked jumbo stuffed shrimp with crabmeat recipe brings that same experience home, no reservation required. Sweet, briny lump crab is folded into a buttery, herby filling and piled onto butterflied jumbo prawns before everything gets baked until golden and tender.
If you have been searching for new restaurants near me just to satisfy a craving for seafood stuffed jumbo shrimp, save yourself the trip. This crab stuffed jumbo shrimp recipe is genuinely easier than it looks, and it comes together in well under an hour from start to finish.
Before we get cooking, the right tools and ingredients make a real difference here. A sharp paring knife makes butterflying the shrimp painless, and good quality panko plus real lump crabmeat (not imitation) will make or break the final texture. These are the products that genuinely help this recipe shine:
Why This Crab Stuffed Shrimp Recipe Works
The magic of a great large crab stuffed shrimp recipe comes down to balance. You want a filling that is rich and cohesive enough to hold its shape, but not so heavy on breadcrumbs that it drowns out the sweetness of the crab. This version leans on:
- Lump crabmeat for big, tender chunks in every bite
- Panko breadcrumbs for light, crisp texture instead of a dense, soggy filling
- Mayonnaise and egg to bind everything together without masking the seafood flavor
- Old Bay, garlic, and lemon zest for that classic East Coast seafood shack flavor
Chef's Tip: Resist the urge to overmix the crab filling. Folding gently keeps those beautiful lumps of crab intact instead of shredding them into mush, which makes a real difference in both texture and presentation.
Choosing the Right Shrimp
For the best stuffed jumbo shrimp, size really does matter. Look for shrimp labeled 16/20 count or larger, sometimes sold as colossal or jumbo prawns. These sizes give you enough surface area to hold a generous scoop of crab filling without it sliding off during baking. Smaller shrimp will work in a pinch, but you may need to reduce the amount of filling per piece and shorten the bake time slightly.
When butterflying, cut along the curved back of the shrimp where you would normally devein it, slicing about three quarters of the way through so the shrimp opens up like a little boat. This also happens to be the same cut used for classic baked stuffed shrimp at seafood restaurants, so you are already using a professional technique.
Assembling and Baking
Once your shrimp are butterflied and your crab filling is mixed, assembly takes just a few minutes. Mound the filling generously onto each shrimp, letting it sit proudly on top rather than trying to tuck it in. A drizzle of melted butter and a light dusting of extra panko and Old Bay on top helps everything turn a beautiful golden brown in the oven.
Ready to make it? Here is the full step-by-step recipe:
Baked Jumbo Stuffed Shrimp with Crabmeat
Buttery jumbo prawns stuffed with sweet lump crabmeat and golden breadcrumbs, baked until tender and bubbly. A restaurant-quality seafood dinner you can make at home in under 40 minutes.
Ingredients
- 12 jumbo shrimp, 16/20 count, peeled and deveined, tails on, butterflied
- 8 oz lump crabmeat, picked over for shells
- 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs, plus extra for topping
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted, divided
- 3 tbsp mayonnaise
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1 tsp Old Bay seasoning, plus more for sprinkling
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped, plus more for garnish
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 lemon, zested and cut into wedges for serving
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt, to taste
- 1/4 tsp black pepper, freshly cracked
Instruction
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) and lightly grease a baking dish large enough to hold the shrimp in a single layer.
Butterfly each jumbo shrimp by slicing along the back, cutting almost all the way through so it opens like a book, and lay them cut side up in the prepared dish.
In a mixing bowl, gently combine the lump crabmeat, panko breadcrumbs, 2 tablespoons of the melted butter, mayonnaise, beaten egg, Old Bay seasoning, Dijon mustard, parsley, minced garlic, and lemon zest. Season with salt and pepper, folding carefully so the crab lumps stay intact.
Mound a generous spoonful of the crab filling onto each butterflied shrimp, pressing gently so it holds together.
Drizzle the remaining melted butter over the stuffed shrimp and sprinkle the tops with a little extra panko and a dusting of Old Bay.
Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until the shrimp are pink and opaque and the crab topping is golden at the edges.
For extra color, broil for the final 1 to 2 minutes, watching closely so the topping doesn't burn.
Garnish with fresh parsley and serve immediately with lemon wedges.
Equipment
- Baking dish
- Mixing bowl
- Paring knife
- Basting brush
Notes
Serving Suggestions and Storage
This baked stuffed jumbo shrimp pairs beautifully with something simple on the side, since the shrimp itself is the star of the plate. A crisp green salad, garlicky sauteed spinach, or a side of rice pilaf all work well. For a heartier spread, serve alongside roasted asparagus or a warm loaf of crusty bread to soak up any buttery juices left in the baking dish.
Leftovers, if you have any, keep well in the refrigerator for up to two days in an airtight container. Reheat gently in a low oven rather than the microwave, which can make the shrimp rubbery.
A Quick Warning: Do not overbake. Jumbo shrimp cook fast, and the difference between tender and rubbery can be just a couple of minutes. Pull them from the oven as soon as they turn pink and opaque.
Whether you are hosting a dinner party or just craving something a little fancier on a weeknight, this crab stuffed shrimp recipe delivers restaurant quality results with very little effort. Once you taste how good homemade stuffed jumbo shrimp can be, you may find yourself making it far more often than you expected.
