Spinach crab stuffed salmon

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This Spinach crab stuffed salmon recipe is a decadent dinner that is surprisingly easy to make, healthy, and utterly delicious. The crab stuffing for fish is made with simple ingredients and lump crab meat as the star. You’re going to love it.

WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS STUFFED SALMON RECIPE:

Fish tastes tender, buttery, and flaky
Just 8 simple, common ingredients
Ready in only 35 minutes
Naturally healthy restaurant-quality meal

WHAT TYPE OF SALMON CAN YOU USE FOR THIS RECIPE?

I used Sockeye my salmon recipe and always try to find Pacific Salmon for my recipes.

You can, of course, use any salmon you have available in your markets. Coho (silvers) and King (chinook) are two of my other favorites.

Atlantic salmon is more plentiful and usually less expensive and can also be used. I prefer wild-caught fish to farmed seafood.

*Farmed salmon is much higher in fat, containing slightly more omega-3s, much more omega-6 and three times the amount of saturated fat. It also has 46% more calories — mostly from fat. Conversely, wild salmon is higher in minerals, including potassium, zinc and iron.

CAN I USE FROZEN SALMON FOR THIS DISH?

You sure can. Fresh salmon is great if you can find it, but if not frozen is the next best thing. Just make sure to let the salmon fully thaw before you stuff it.

What should I season salmon with?

Salmon pairs well with most herbs and seasonings. It’s a very forgiving fish. You can create a Cajun recipe, try out Asian seasonings and sauces, use Italian seasonings like parsley or fennel, and more. Fish takes especially well to ingredients with bright notes like lemon and lime and herbs like cilantro, sage, and basil. You can also never go wrong with garlic! The more garlic the better!

What kind of cheese goes with salmon?

True Italians would probably scoff at the idea of pairing fish with cheese, but there are actually some great combinations out there. Softer cheeses tend to be the best options to use in a recipe for fish.

Cream cheese, goat cheese, blue cheese, and feta are all great options depending on the type of cuisine you’re going for. This recipe calls for cream cheese, fontina, gruyere, and parmesan. All great options, too!

Is it better to fry or bake shrimp stuffed salmon?

Depending on your dish, salmon can be baked or fried. However, it is not recommended to deep fry salmon as it will turn out incredibly dry. A light pan fry produces great results but requires much more care and attention. Pan-frying is also great for recipes that don’t include sauce or stuffing.

For recipes with a sauce or stuffed ingredients as with this shrimp stuffed salmon, it is best to use the oven.

STORAGE INSTRUCTIONS

Store: Keep stuffed fish in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days.

Meal prep: One awesome thing about this stuffed salmon recipe is that it can be prepped in advance. Gotta love an easy, make-ahead weeknight dinner idea! Make the crab stuffing up ahead of time, fold it into the salmon, and then cover it with foil until you’re ready to bake it. You can store the uncooked salmon for 2-3 days. At dinner time, pull out the stuffed salmon with crab meat and bake for 18-20 minutes.

Reheat: Reheat fish in a 350-degree F oven until warm, being careful to not overcook. Microwaving fish is not recommended, as it tends to dry out.

Freeze: The baked stuffed salmon recipe can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 2-3 months.

Ingredients:

4 Salmon Filets

8 oz C Jumbo Lump Crab

1/2 lb Shrimp

8 oz Cream Cheese

3 Tablespoons Butter,

1 bag of frozen Spinach

2 Tablespoons Lemon and Lime Juice, Fresh

1/4 C Parsley, Fresh Chopped

3 Tablespoon Minced Garlic

1 Tablespoon of any Seafood Seasoning

1 Teaspoon Onion Powder

2 Teaspoons Paprika, Separated

1/4 Cup Fontina Cheese, Shredded

1/4 Cup Gruyere Cheese, Shredded

1/2 Cup Parmesan Cheese, Grated

Salt and Pepper to Taste

Directions

PREHEAT your oven to 350 degrees and PREPARE the parsley by chopping.

SEASON the shrimp with salt and pepper and set aside.

ADD 2 tablespoons butter to a saute pan over medium heat. Once the butter has melted, ADD in the minced garlic and 1 teaspoon of paprika. SAUTEE for 30 seconds, ensuring the garlic doesn’t burn. ADD in the shrimp and spinach and cook for about 3 minutes, or until shrimp is browned. REMOVE from the pan and set aside.

ADD your cream cheese, fresh parsley, lemon, and lime juice to a large mixing bowl. Gently MIX to break up and soften the cream cheese. ADD in the lump crab meat, cooked shrimp and spinach, all cheese, and all seasonings (with the exception of your seafood seasoning). Carefully MIX until everything is just combined.

ADD your salmon filets to a greased oven-safe pan. SEASON each with salt, pepper, and Seafood Seasoning. PLACE about 3/4 of the stuffing on top of one of the salmon filets and SPREAD, covering the entire surface. Place the other salmon filet on top.

PLACE a tablespoon of butter on the top filet of salmon and BAKE for 20 minutes. REMOVE the salmon from the oven and ADD the remaining stuffing on top. BROIL for 5 minutes.

TOP with fresh parsley and serve