If you’re looking for a show stopper to serve your guests or family this year look no further than my Stuffed Lobster, Stuffed Shrimp or Stuffed Mushrooms. The great part about these delicious creations is just how easy they are to make, and that’s something to celebrate!
The crab imperial I use for those delicious creations is really the star of the show and although it’s a little more expensive than most dishes you’ll make, it’s well worth the cost. So if you want to turn your next gathering into an event or just want to spoil the family, think about using one or all of these taste sensations.
Most supermarkets carry 4 -5 oz lobster tails and that’s the perfect size for stuffing. Look for Maine or Canadian lobster, cold water lobster is always preferred.
When it comes to shrimp look for wild caught (Gulf or Pacific) shrimp for your stuffed shrimp. Shrimp from questionable waters and farm-raised are not a good choice.
Stuffing with my crab imperial is a delicious way to celebrate holiday get-togethers with friends and family. They bake up to a nice golden brown and the presentation makes these dishes show stoppers
WHAT TYPE OF CRABMEAT CAN I USE?
The source of the crabmeat can be from any part of the world that has crabs and includes varieties such as Blue Swimming, Dungeness, Snow, King and of course my favorite Blue Claw.
- Jumbo Lump
- Lump
- Backfin
- Claw
- Imitation Crabmeat
Don’t forget to add a little water to the pan when baking the shrimp and lobster. My Crab stuffing has other delicious uses as too. Think about using it as a stuffing for your favorite fish, add some breadcrumbs for crab cakes or on its own as Crab Imperial.
If you’d like to follow along and see step by step how I created each dish, check out the video from this weeks Around the Kitchen Table!
If you enjoyed this recipe you’ll love these!
- My Famous Crabcakes
- Lobster Stuffed with Crab Imperial
- Shrimp and Mushrooms Stuffed with Crab Imperial
- Salmon Stuffed with Crabmeat and Cream Cheese
- Crab Imperial
Stuffed Lobster, Stuffed Shrimp and Stuffed Mushrooms
Ingredients
Crab Imperial for stuffing
- 1 lb lump crabmeat
- ½ cup Hellman’s Mayonnaise
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp old bay
- 1 tsp finely chopped Italian parsley
- 1 large egg lightly beaten
- squeeze of lemon juice
- 4 oz lobster tails
- ½ pound 26-30 cnt shrimp peeled and deveined with tail on
- 12 Mushroom caps
- 24 ounces lobster tails 6- 4 ounce tails
- 1 tbsp roasted red pepper or red bell pepper optional – fine dice
Instructions
Crab Imperial Mix for stuffing
- Mix mayonnaise, egg, sugar, old bay, lemon juice, roasted red pepper and parsley together and blend well, this is your imperial sauce.
- Gently fold crabmeat into the imperial sauce, being careful not to break up crab meat.
Stuffed Lobster Tail
- Spit the tail down the middle and pull the meat out without detaching it
- Fold the shell together and lay the meat back on top of the shell. Easy Peasy!
- You can fan the tail out to make it look pretty and then add 2-3 ounces of the crab imperial to the top of the tail depending upon the size of the tail.
- Sprinkle with a little old bay and if you're really feeling decadent drizzle a little melted butter over the top of the crabmeat, then bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.
Stuffed Shrimp
- Peel and devein shrimp leaving the tail on
- split shrimp almost all the way through, then flatten out fanning the tail to the side
- top each shrimp with a tablespoon of crabmeat mix.
- one pound of crabmeat should stuff 15-18 shrimp depending upon how much stuffing you use for each shrimp.
- bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.*add a little water to the bottom of the baking dish or pan to keep the seafood from drying out
Stuffed Mushrooms
- use white mushroom caps or baby bellas
- pull out stem carefully so as not to break the mushroom cap.
- cut a little bit off the bottom of the cap so its will sit flat
- place a teaspoon of crabmeat mixture into the mushroom and arrange mushrooms in a large enough baking dish to accommodate all of the mushrooms.
- This should stuff between 25-35 mushrooms depending upon their size.
- add marsala or your favorite wine to the bottom of the baking dish so the mushrooms have a liquid to soak up while their cooking. You can also use vegetable stock.
- bake at 350 for 20 minutes.
Nutrition
Stacy
I have a question…can I make this sauce and pour it over raw shrimp and cooked crab in individual ramekin dishes, then bake? If so, how long to bake and what temperature, making 14 individual ramekins.
Chef Dennis Littley
I would not suggest that. You can mix everything together (shrimp and crab) with the sauce and bake it in a ramekin, but I wouldn’t pour the sauce over. It won’t come out as well.
Stacy
I understand….so what temperature and how long? Will it take longer to cook, with that many ramekins in the oven at one time?
Jen
This recipe looks great! Do you have any make ahead tips? I’m doing the stuffed mushrooms. Can I prepare, stuff mushrooms and refrigerate for a couple hours? Or can I cook and reheat prior to serving? What’s my best bet?
Chef Dennis Littley
you can make the stuffed mushrooms ahead of time, 4-6 hours refrigerated is ok. I wouldn’t cook and reheat them
DeAnna
I’ve made your Lobster Stuffed with Crab Imperial before. It was a huge hit! I can’t eat lobster any other way after making that. But that recipe calls for 1 tsp of finely chopped red pepper or roasted red pepper (that recipe is a half recipe of the above recipe). In the pictures for this recipe I can see the red pepper. Did you inadvertently miss the red pepper in this recipe? I’m sure I would miss it after making your Lobster Stuffed with Crab Imperial. It would also be helpful if you mention what “pan” you use. I used a baking sheet when I made the Lobster Stuffed with Crab Imperial.
Chef Dennis Littley
Thanks for the heads up, the red pepper was inadvertently left out, it’s more for color than anything else. Any pan that you have on hand that is large enough for you’re making is fine.
Elaine Friedman
Complaints are not enough praise for the stuff mushrooms 🍄 my daughter is gluten intolerant so I am always on the hunt for a great recipe 👏🏻She and her husband before covit have had the good fortune to traveled the world 🌎 and eat at some great five star ⭐️ restaurants, I think I have found my new chef
Too make this unusual And “tuublant” times we are in : if we can’t go to our favorite upscale restaurants
Please give CHEFF DENNIS RECIPES a try you won’t be disappointed 👏🏻 I’ll certainly be in the kitchen a lot more but I know my Husband and my daughter and so lax will have happy faces and full tummies 🍾🍾🥰
Chef Dennis Littley
thank you Elaine, you made my day with your comment!
Kelly
Chef Dennis,
Can’t wait to try this recipe this weekend. What size shrimp work best?
Thank you!
Chef Dennis Littley
If you’re stuffing shrimp, the larger the better. Look for 21-25 or 16-20 if you can find them.
DIANE T MERCHANT
I made the stuffed shrimp tonight for dinner…they were fabulous!!! Will definitely make these again and again!
claire cohen
I’ve made stuffed mushrooms on many occasions and were loved by everyone. It had been awhile since I made them and so I depended upon my failing memory in making them lately. I don’t know if it was the wine I used or too much wine (1/2 cu) mixed with progresso bread crumbs, stick of butter,garlic 2 cloves and chopped mushroom stems…but there was a bitter taste after I let them cool. What happened? Bad memory? oh yes, I used canned lump crabmeat
Thanks for the great recipe….Claire
Chef Dennis Littley
I would say that was too much wine. Seafood is too delicate to take on the flavor of that much wine. I would add just an ounce to the mixture. I usually don’t add wine to the mixture but use it in the pan the mushrooms are baking in instead.
Hope this helps
Christine
stuffed large bella mushrooms with this crab recipe, cooked with a light red wine on bottom of the pan and everyone raved – delicious and easy!