This creamy crab stuffed salmon is show-stoppingly gorgeous and is an easy way to turn everyone into a salmon lover. Moist oven baked salmon flavored with garlic, crab, and cream cheese, this dish comes together in an easy 15-minute!
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Ingredients for Stuffed Salmon
No salmon marinade or sauce necessary! This creamy crab filling is jam-packed with so much flavor, it’s all the salmon needs. Here are a few ingredients you may have questions on…
- Skinless vs skin on – When baking salmon I prefer skinless, as the skin won’t crisp in the pan, and doesn’t add much. (I always use skinless for pan seared salmon and broiled salmon) That said, salmon skin is full of nutrients, so if you want to sneak it in, feel free.
- Lump vs. claw vs. backfin crabmeat – You can use whatever type of crab you want here (lump, claw, etc.) as the color and flavor aren’t as important as when crab is the star of the dish (like keto crab cakes).
- “Handpicked” crabmeat – Just be sure to grab hand-picked or freshly picked crab meat, this minimizes the amount of cartilage found in the meat, giving your crab stuffed salmon optimal texture.
Customize Your Salmon
We love this salmon and filling as is, but it’s easy to add your twist. Here are some ways to mix things up:
- Dairy free – feel free to use your favorite dairy free swap for cream cheese and mozzarella.
- No topping – the panko/pork rinds are optional, however, we love the crunch they add to this dish. If you’d like to skip them go ahead!
- Different seasonings – Old Bay, Cajun, celery salt, whatever you love with your salmon can be mixed into the filling. Just know that some spice mixes (Old Bay, Cajun, etc.) are full of salt, so adjust the filling as necessary.
- Chicken? Now that you’ve got the base down, feel free to use this filling inside your favorite proteins. We love stuffed chicken breasts.
- Or veggies… This filling would be amazing in my stuffed mushrooms, stuffed mini peppers, or stuffed spaghetti squash too.
How to Make Crab Stuffed Salmon
1. Pat salmon dry and season with salt and pepper.
2. Combine cream cheese, seasoning, and egg together in a bowl.
3. Add the crab and cheese.
4. Top salmon with filling and bake in preheated oven until cooked through.
Storage Tips
This crab stuffed salmon makes great leftovers or meal prep. Just know reheating salmon will dry it out a little, so if you plan to reheat this dish, I typically cook it a little under. Here’s how:
- Store leftover crab stuffed salmon in the fridge in an airtight container. Leave any fresh herbs off, and sprinkle over your salmon after you’ve reheated it.
- Reheat your salmon in the oven set to 350 F, just until the salmon has heated through.
- Serve leftovers as you did initially. Or for a fresh take on the dish, place over greens for a salmon salad, or divide the crab topping (serve it with crackers) and flake the salmon for these incredible keto salmon patties.
More Salmon Recipes You’ll Love
Crab Stuffed Salmon
Print Recipe Pin RecipeIngredients
- 4 4-6 ounce salmon fillets skinless
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt divded
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 egg
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ cup mozzarella cheese shredded
- 8 ounces lump crabmeat drained and flaked
- 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs or crushed pork rinds optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 F. Option to line a baking sheet with parchment paper for easy clean up.
- Dab salmon completely dry with paper towels, and season with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and pepper. Place or rimmed baking sheet, or in an oven safe skillet.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, egg, garlic, paprika, and remaining 1 teaspoon of salt until smooth. Add the mozzarella and crabmeat and toss to coat.
- Spoon filling over the seasoned salmon, then sprinkle with panko or pork rinds (if using). Place a little water in the baking dish, then bake in preheated oven for 16-18 minutes, until the salmon is fully cooked through but not overcooked. Enjoy!
This sounds super delicious, but I am a bit confused by the name; is it a misnomer? I was expecting to roll the salmon around the crab or cut a pocket to scoop the crab into. Does the crab mix simply rest on top of the salmon pieces? Thank you for the clarification.
Hi Laura, and touche! Yes, the crab mixture just rests on top. Enjoy!
This is a seafood lovers dream, and I am so here for it! I love everything about this. I can’t wait to try it.
Can’t wait to hear what you think, Beth!
So flavorful. Thank you for helping me cook this restaurant-quality meal.
You’re welcome, Krystle! So glad you liked it!
Everything about these sounds delicious! Definitely a must try!
Right?! So glad you loved it, Sandra!
Wow, this recipe was so decadent, we loved every bite!
Yay! So glad you all loved it, Allyson!
This sounds absolutely amazing!! I am in love with the flavors!! Can’t wait to try it!
Hi, Katerina! Can’t wait to hear what you think!!
Wow!! This looks incredibly delicious! My family would love, LOVE this! Thanks for sharing!
That sounds awesome, Beti! Hope you enjoy!
Such a satisfying dish! I would love to make this!
Right?! Can’t wait to hear what you think, Erin!