Description
This Baked Stuffed Shrimp Casserole is a flavorful and elegant gluten-free dish featuring large shrimp stuffed with a savory crab meat and herb filling, baked to golden perfection. It’s perfect for a special occasion or a delightful dinner that combines tender seafood with zesty lemon and fresh parsley, all topped with buttery cracker crumbs for added texture and richness.
Ingredients
Scale
Shrimp
- 1 lb. large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
Stuffing
- 1 lb. lump crab meat
- 1 cup cracker crumbs (such as Simple Mills or Ritz)
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced (plus lemon wedges for serving)
- 1/2 stick melted unsalted butter
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit to ensure it’s ready for baking the shrimp casserole.
- Prepare Shrimp: Butterfly the cleaned shrimp by slicing down the back of each shrimp almost all the way through, creating a pocket for the stuffing.
- Season Shrimp: Place the shrimp in a bowl and toss with olive oil, kosher salt, and freshly cracked black pepper to evenly coat and enhance flavor. Set aside.
- Make Stuffing: In a mixing bowl, combine the lump crab meat, cracker crumbs, minced garlic, chopped parsley, lemon zest and juice, and melted unsalted butter. Stir gently until fully combined.
- Assemble in Baking Dish: Arrange the seasoned shrimp around an oven-safe baking dish, positioning them with the tails facing up. Don’t worry if some don’t stand perfectly; the stuffing will cover most of the shrimp.
- Add Stuffing: Spoon the crab and cracker stuffing evenly over and around the shrimp in the baking dish.
- Bake: Place the dish in the preheated oven and bake for 12-14 minutes until the shrimp are cooked through and the stuffing turns lightly golden brown on top.
- Broil (Optional): For a more browned top, switch the oven to broil on high and broil the casserole for an additional 1 minute.
- Serve: Remove from oven and serve the casserole warm, accompanied by additional lemon wedges for squeezing over the shrimp.
Notes
- This recipe is naturally gluten free if you use gluten free cracker crumbs.
- Butterflying the shrimp helps the stuffing stay nestled inside and cooks the shrimp evenly.
- If tails do not stand upright, it will not affect the taste; the presentation is just for appearance.
- Broiling is optional but gives a lovely golden brown finish to the top crust.
- Serve with a fresh salad or steamed vegetables to complete the meal.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 14 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
