Crab Stuffed Salmon

This crab-stuffed salmon dinner features tasty crab meat in a creamy filling, all stuffed into tender baked salmon fillets! The salmon turns out beautifully with a crunchy Panko topping and rich, flavorful stuffing, as you'd expect at a fine seafood restaurant! This easy-to-make salmon recipe is what seafood lovers dream of having for dinner!

Add an appetizer like steamed clams, hot lobster artichoke dip, or breaded stuffed scallops in shells, and you have a seafood EXTRAVAGANZA!

Jump to:

• 🥘 Ingredients
• 🔪 How To Make Crab Stuffed Salmon
• 💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Recipe Notes
• 🥡 Storing & Reheating
• ❓ What Goes With Crab Stuffed Salmon?
• ❓ Is Crab Stuffed Salmon Healthy?
• ❓ What Can I Use Crab Stuffing For?
• 🐟 More Amazing Fish Dinners
• 📖 Recipe Card
• 💬 Comments & Reviews

This easy salmon recipe looks and tastes like it’s straight out of a fancy seafood restaurant! Your family and friends will think you’re spoiling them with this flaky salmon with delicious and creamy crab filling.

Fish lovers will truly appreciate this double dose of seafood, prepared with delightfully savory ingredients that are likely already in your cupboards.

If you prep the crab stuffing in advance, you can have this super healthy meal on the table in 20 minutes!

🥘 Ingredients

Easy-to-find fresh ingredients help make this light and elegant crab-stuffed salmon both quick and beautiful!

• Salmon Fillets – 24 ounces of salmon fillets (6 salmon fillets, 4 ounces each).
• Crab meat – 6 ounces of canned crab meat (drained).
• Cream Cheese – 4 ounces of cream cheese (softened to room temperature).
• Egg – 1 large egg.
• Mayonnaise - 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise.
• Parmesan Cheese – ½ cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese (plus a little extra to put on top).
• Panko Breadcrumbs – 2 tablespoons of Panko breadcrumbs.
• Parsley - ½ tablespoon of finely chopped fresh parsley.
• Green Onion – ½ tablespoon of finely chopped green onion.
• Lemon Pepper – 1 teaspoon of lemon pepper.
• Paprika – 1 teaspoon of paprika (plus a pinch for the topping).
• Salt & Pepper – ½ teaspoon of both salt and pepper.

*Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!*

🔪 How To Make Crab Stuffed Salmon

If you decide to make the crab stuffing in advance, this fancy, family-favorite salmon dinner will be ready to eat in 15-20 minutes! Get your mixing bowl, whisk, knife, and baking sheet ready to get started!

This recipe will make 6 salmon fillets, so you have enough for your entire family!

Make Crab Stuffing

1. Combine wet ingredients and seasoning. Into a mixing bowl, add 1 egg, 4 ounces of cream cheese, 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise, 1 teaspoon of lemon pepper, 1 teaspoon of paprika, ½ teaspoon of salt, and ½ teaspoon of pepper. Stir or whisk until well combined.
2. Fold in the crab meat. Next, add 6 ounces of crab meat, ½ tablespoon of chopped green onion, 2 tablespoons of Panko breadcrumbs, and ½ tablespoon of parsley. Fold these in gently until well distributed throughout the stuffing mixture.
3. Stir in Parmesan and chill. Lastly, add ½ cup of Parmesan cheese and stir. Cover the bowl with cling film and refrigerate to chill for about 30 minutes.

Make Salmon

1. Preheat. Before prepping your salmon, preheat the oven to 350°F (175 °C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Lightly coat it with oil or with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Prepare the salmon. Rinse 24 ounces of salmon fillets, pat them dry using paper towels, and then place them onto the prepared baking sheet.
3. Slice the center of each fillet. To make room for the stuffing, use a sharp knife to make an opening down the center of each fillet only halfway through.
4. Stuff the fillets. Give the stuffing a quick stir, then spoon the crab filling into each fillet, adding extra over the top of each piece. Sprinkle a bit more paprika for color, if desired.
5. Bake and broil. Bake the salmon in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for 15-18 minutes. You can place them under the broiler for a few minutes at the end to create a crunchy finish and add a bit more color to the crisped topping.
6. Garnish and serve immediately. Remove from the oven and garnish with parsley or a bit more Parmesan before serving.

Pair it with sauteed asparagus & cherry tomatoes or garlic green beans and vermicelli rice for a complete, fresh meal that looks like it took hours to create. And remember, this crab stuffing is delicious with ANY fish!

💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Recipe Notes

• When choosing the best thick cuts of salmon, look for pieces that have a deep red color and only a very mild fish smell. I'm using skinless salmon fillets for my crab-stuffed salmon, simply for the ease of eating them. However, in general, skin-on salmon will stay moist, and the skin is full of nutritional benefits.
• Frozen salmon fillets are great for any cooking purpose! If using frozen fillets, simply be sure to allow your package of salmon to thaw in the refrigerator overnight. The salmon should be fully thawed before stuffing and baking.
• I like to use lump crab meat, but the less expensive claw meat works just as well.

🥡 Storing & Reheating

Any leftover salmon should be placed into an airtight container and refrigerated within one hour of cooking. Your cooked salmon can be refrigerated for up to 1-2 days.

Because of the stuffing, this salmon entree is best reheated and enjoyed within 1 day after cooking it.

Reheating

Reheating this dish is very easy and best done in the oven in the same way as you first prepared it. Preheat the oven to 275°F (135°C) and use a prepared baking sheet.

Heat the salmon for about 15 minutes or until the internal temp is at least 130°F (55°C). Serve and enjoy the last bit, but discard anything remaining (do not re-refrigerate).

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❓ What Goes With Crab Stuffed Salmon?

This crab-stuffed salmon would be delicious with a fresh veggie side like roasted brussel sprouts or roasted green beans! I would also add on a more starch-based side like Parmesan risotto or lemon asparagus orzo!

❓ Is Crab Stuffed Salmon Healthy?

This healthy yet decadent-tasting seafood delight is beautiful on the plate and super good for you. It is rich in antioxidants, protein, and omega-3 fatty acids!

❓ What Can I Use Crab Stuffing For?

This crab stuffing tastes great with any fish! Even better, you can use this crab stuffing for non-fish dishes such as crab-stuffed mushrooms, crab rangoons, crab-stuffed shrimp, crab-stuffed jalapenos, or crab-stuffed chicken breast!

🐟 More Amazing Fish Dinners

Here are a few of my favorite fish recipes. If you are looking for more salmon recipes, click here to see all my salmon recipes!

• Pan Seared Swordfish
• Baked Tuna Steaks
• Baked Steelhead Trout
• Seared Ahi Tuna Steaks
• Grilled Grouper
• Air Fryer Salmon

📖 Recipe Card