Baked Stuffed Shrimp with Crabmeat and Ritz Cracker Topping

Zest up your holiday dinner table with this easy baked stuffed shrimp recipe. It’s simple, efficient, and delicious.

Easy baked stuffed shrimp with crabmeat & Ritz crackers makes an impressive appetizer or light entrée for gatherings. The combination of buttery crab stuffing and meaty jumbo shrimp is comforting and elegant, and guests will be asking for the recipe.

This dish is quick to assemble, and the stuffing can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator so you only need about 10 minutes to finish assembling before baking. That convenience makes it ideal for parties or a relaxed weekend dinner.

What is baked stuffed shrimp?

Baked stuffed shrimp features jumbo shrimp that are butterflied (shell left on to help retain shape) and topped with a flavorful crab-based stuffing made with crushed Ritz crackers, mayonnaise, breadcrumbs and aromatics, then baked until golden.

How to make the crab stuffing

The crab stuffing is straightforward and comes together quickly:

• Finely chop onion and garlic, then sauté them in butter for about 5 minutes.
• Roughly chop crab meat, celery, white fish (optional) and bread; keep ready.
• Crush Ritz crackers (leave some texture), add the sautéed onion and garlic, then mix in mayonnaise and breadcrumbs.
• Add the chopped crab, fish, bread and celery, then a beaten egg to bind the mixture. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

This stuffing takes about 15 minutes from start to finish and produces a moist, savory filling that browns nicely in the oven.

How to prepare and bake the shrimp

Steps to prepare butterflied shrimp and bake:

• Keep the shell on jumbo shrimp and, using a sharp paring knife, make a lengthwise slit along the back toward the tail without cutting all the way through.
• Remove the vein, gently pull the shell back to expose the meat, and press the slit side to form a butterfly shape.
• Place shrimp on a lined baking sheet with shell side down. Scoop about 1 tablespoon of stuffing, roll into a small ball and place it on the butterflied side.
• Brush the stuffing with leftover melted butter and press gently so it adheres to the shrimp.
• Bake at 350°F (177°C) for 15–20 minutes, until the stuffing turns lightly golden and the shrimp are opaque with curled tails.

Baked stuffed shrimp are ready when the stuffing is golden, the shrimp tails turn pink, and the shrimp meat becomes white and opaque. Check after 10 minutes to avoid overcooking, since oven performance varies.

Serving suggestions

Serve baked stuffed shrimp with cocktail sauce and celery sticks as an appetizer. For a light meal, pair with a simple Greek salad or a lettuce, tomato and cucumber salad.

Which crab meat to use?

Packaged or canned crab meat from the supermarket works well and is convenient; fresh crabmeat can also be used if available.

Make-ahead tips

You can prepare the stuffing up to five days in advance and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Jumbo shrimp can be butterflied and frozen for later use—then simply thaw, stuff and bake when ready. This “thaw, stuff, bake” approach saves time on the day of serving.

Step-by-step method

How to butterfly jumbo shrimp

Step 1: Keep the shell on Colossal or Jumbo shrimp (fresh or fully thawed if frozen).

Step 2: Lay a shrimp on your work surface and make a lengthwise slit along the back toward the tail with a paring knife, stopping at the tip of the tail.

Step 3: Gently pull the shell back without removing it completely to expose the meat flaps.

Step 4: Devein and press the slit side gently with your fingers to form a butterfly shape.

How to prepare the stuffing

Step 1: Roughly chop onion and garlic and set aside.

Step 2: Heat butter over medium-high heat and sauté the onion and garlic for about 5 minutes.

Step 3: Roughly chop crab meat, celery, any white fish (pollock works well) and bread; keep aside.

Step 4: Crush 14 Ritz crackers roughly (don’t grind to a powder) and combine with the sautéed onion and garlic.

Step 5: Add mayonnaise and mix. Then fold in the chopped crab, fish, bread and celery.

Step 6: Add one beaten egg to bind the mixture, season with salt and crushed pepper, and mix until it reaches a cohesive, slightly doughy consistency. The stuffing is ready to use.

Stuffing and baking the shrimp

Step 1: Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and brush or spray with oil so shrimp won’t stick. Arrange butterflied shrimp with the shell side down and the butterflied side up.

Step 2: Scoop about 1 tablespoon of stuffing, roll it slightly in your palm, place it on each shrimp and press gently with a spoon to secure it.

Step 3: Brush the top of each stuffing mound with leftover melted butter, then bake at 350°F (177°C) for about 15 minutes or until the stuffing is light golden.

Notes:

• Refer to the step-by-step photos to learn how to butterfly shrimp.
• The prepared stuffing stores in the refrigerator for up to 5 days in an airtight container.
• Butterflied shrimp freeze well; you can freeze them pre-butterflied and assemble when ready to bake.
• Keeping the shell on helps shrimp retain shape during baking; you can remove the shell before eating if you prefer.

Easy Baked Stuffed Shrimp with Crabmeat & Ritz Crackers

Zest up your holiday dinner table with this easy baked stuffed shrimp recipe. It’s simple, efficient and delicious.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Calories: 160 kcal

Author: Meghna

Ingredients

• 1 dozen (or 12) colossal prawns, shell on, deveined (fresh or frozen)
• ⅓ cup finely chopped white onion
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
• 5 tablespoons butter
• ¼ cup roughly chopped crab meat (packaged or fresh)
• ¼ cup roughly chopped white fish (pollock or similar)
• ¼ cup roughly chopped white bread (ciabatta or similar)
• 2 tablespoons roughly chopped celery
• 14 Ritz crackers, roughly crushed
• 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon crushed pepper
• 3 tablespoons breadcrumbs
• 1 large egg
• Salt to taste

Instructions

Make the stuffing:

1. Melt butter over medium-high heat, add chopped onion and garlic and sauté for 5 minutes.
2. Combine crushed Ritz crackers with the sautéed onion and garlic in a bowl.
3. Add mayonnaise and mix, then fold in the chopped fish, bread, celery and crab meat.
4. Add the beaten egg and mix to bind. Season with crushed pepper and salt until the mixture holds together.

Stuff and bake the shrimp:

1. Line a baking sheet with foil and brush with oil. Place butterflied shrimp shell-side down.
2. Scoop about 1 tablespoon of stuffing, form a small mound and place it on each shrimp. Press gently to secure.
3. Brush the stuffing tops with melted butter, preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C).
4. Bake for 15–20 minutes or until the stuffing turns light golden and shrimp are opaque.

Nutrition

Calories: 160 kcal | Carbohydrates: 4 g | Protein: 21 g | Fat: 6 g | Saturated Fat: 1 g | Cholesterol: 180 mg | Sodium: 310 mg

Notes

• Refer to the photos for guidance on butterflying shrimp.
• The stuffing keeps up to 5 days refrigerated in an airtight container.
• Butterflied shrimp can be frozen ahead of time for convenience.
• Keeping the shell on helps shrimp hold shape while baking.

PIN IT FOR LATER!