Melt-In-Your-Mouth Crab-Stuffed Salmon in 30 Minutes

This crab-stuffed salmon with cream cheese is an easy yet luxurious dinner that feels straight out of a restaurant kitchen. The rich crab filling comes together in one bowl, then gets generously layered over fresh salmon fillets before baking until tender, flaky, and golden on top. Serve with crispy potatoes and seasonal vegetables for a foolproof, elegant meal at home.

Prep time: PT12M

Cook time: PT18M

Total time: PT30M

Rating

5 stars (5 reviews)

Keywords

chef-tested dinner, elevated salmon recipe, jumbo lump crab meat, restaurant-worthy salmon dish, stuffed salmon recipe, stuffed seafood recipe

Ingredients

5 6 oz salmon fillets, (skin removed)
8 oz fresh lump crab meat, (see note below)
4 oz cream cheese, (room temperature)
1 large egg, (lightly beaten)
1 Tbsp creme fraiche (or mayonnaise)
2 small cloves of garlic, (minced, about 1 Tbsp)
2 Tbsp chopped parsley, (plus more for serving)
1 tsp Old Bay seasoning
1 medium lemon, (zested, about 1-2 tsp, plus lemon wedges for serving)
3 Tbsp crushed Ritz crackers, (about 8 crackers (or 3 Tbsp Panko breadcrumbs))
1 tsp Kosher salt
¼ tsp Freshly ground black pepper
Thinly sliced chives, (for serving)

Cuisine

American

Steps

Make the crab mixture. Preheat an oven to 350°F / 175°C, then line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine 4oz cream cheese, 1 egg, 1 Tbsp creme fraiche (or mayonnaise), 2 finely chopped garlic cloves, 2 Tbsp chopped parsley, 1 tsp Old Bay in a medium bowl, and 1 tsp fresh lemon zest, then stir until very well mixed. Add 8 oz lump crab meat and 3 Tbsp Ritz cracker crumbs (or Panko), then use a spatula to fold until just combined. Set aside.
Prepare the salmon. Pat each salmon filet lightly with a paper towel to dry on both sides. Use a paring knife to cut a long slit down the middle (top) of each salmon filet, being careful not to cut all the way through. You should leave about ½-¾-inch on either side of the cut. Season salmon filets liberally with 1 tsp Kosher salt and ¼ tsp black pepper.
Stuff the salmon. Divide the mixture evenly between salmon filets, then stuff the crab mixture into each salmon pocket. You should get about ⅓-½ cup of filling per salmon filet. Place each crab stuffed salmon filet onto the prepared baking sheet.
Bake the salmon. Place in a preheated oven and cook until salmon reaches an internal temperature of 120°F / 49°C (medium-rare), about 15-18 minutes. You can broil at the end to get golden brown, if desired.
Garnish, then serve. Sprinkle with remaining tablespoon of chopped parsley or chives, then serve immediately with lemon wedges! Enjoy as is or serve with lemon beurre blanc.

Nutitrion

Serving Size: 1 piece of salmon
Calories: 425 kcal
Carbohydrates: 8 g
Protein: 46 g
Fat: 22 g
Saturated Fat: 7 g
Trans Fat: 0.1 g
Cholesterol: 173 mg
Sodium: 622 mg
Sugar: 2 g
Unsaturated Fat: 13 g

Reviews

Joseph B. Johnson on 2025-03-19 (5 stars):
That is a vertical opening that you cut on the video. amazing recipe. Glad I watched your video or I would have cut a horizontal openingg on the side of the filet.
Tracey Friedman on 2024-12-15 (5 stars):
Made this and it was easy and fantastic! My salmon piece happened to have skin on the bottom, but that didn’t matter at all. I have one of those probe thermometers that go in the food, but the reader sits outside the oven and that really helped cook the salmon to perfection. I did run it under the broiler for a few minutes so the top would be golden. It is a showstopper and so so simple. Delicious.
Candace on 2023-12-28 (5 stars):
Made tonight for dinner and it was so delicious. The husband raved over it! Thanks Ari!
Glenda on 2023-01-02 (5 stars):
Holy cow! Top notch recipe. Made Lemon Beurre Blanc as well. Amazing. Received rave reviews. Thank you for sharing!