Thai Crab Stuffed Shrimp

This flavorful Thai crab stuffed shrimp requires minimal time in the kitchen, making it perfect as an appetizer for a large gathering or as a main dish for a quick weeknight dinner. I can guarantee you, they will be the star of the show!

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Recipe

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Thai Crab Stuffed Shrimp

Total Time30 minutes mins

Course: Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine: Thai

Keyword: seafood

Servings: 12 shrimp

Author: Christine Ma

Ingredients

• 12 raw jumbo shrimp peeled and deveined with tails on
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon lemon zest
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• ¼ cup mayonnaise
• ¼ cup panko
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon red curry paste
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1 teaspoon grated ginger
• ½ teaspoon fish sauce
• 8 ounces lump crabmeat

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Prepare the shrimp. Make a small slit on the inside of each shrimp. Flip the shrimp over and cut a split along the back side, making sure not to cut through the shrimp.
• Combine olive oil, garlic, lemon juice and zest, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Add shrimp, tossing to combine. Set aside.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, panko, cilantro, egg, red curry paste, lime juice, grated ginger, and fish sauce until well combined. Add crabmeat, stirring to combine.
• Add the crab stuffing to the shrimp, about 2 tablespoons per shrimp, to create a "C" shape with the flayed side down and the tail resting on top. Place shrimp on prepared baking sheet and repeat with remaining filling and shrimp.
• Bake stuffed shrimp for 8-10 minutes or until shrimp is firm and pink.

Notes

You can prepare this dish ahead of time and stuff the shrimp with the crab filling. Refrigerate the assembled shrimp until ready to bake.

Step-by-step instructions

Step 1: Prepare the shrimp

Let's begin by preparing the jumbo shrimp. Peel and devein the shrimp, keeping the tails on for presentation.

To butterfly the shrimp, make a small slit on the inside curve of each shrimp. Flip the shrimp over and cut a deeper slit along the back, being careful not to cut all the way through. This will help the shrimp lay flat and provide a pocket for the stuffing.

Then, in a large bowl, combine two tablespoons of olive oil with minced garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, and black pepper. Add the shrimp to this mixture, tossing to coat them evenly.

Set the shrimp aside to marinate while you prepare the stuffing. I don't recommend letting the shrimp marinate overnight because the lemon juice will "cook" the shrimp if left for too long.

I remember making this mistake when I was a private chef. I thought it was a good idea to let the shrimp marinate overnight, but when I cooked them the next day, they were incredibly soft - almost mushy. Needless to say, I learned my lesson.

Step 2: Make crab filling

For the crab stuffing, whisk together mayonnaise, panko breadcrumbs, cilantro, egg, red curry paste, lime juice, grated ginger, and fish sauce in a medium bowl.

If you're not familiar with red curry paste, it's a Thai seasoning made from red chili peppers, garlic, salt, lemongrass, turmeric, and shrimp paste, to name a few ingredients.

Depending on the brand you use, you may need to adjust the amount of fish sauce. I used Mae Ploy red curry paste for this recipe.

Once the mixture is well combined, gently fold in eight ounces of lump crabmeat, being careful not to break up the crab too much to maintain its texture.

If you want to taste the crab filling to make sure the seasoning is correct, heat oil in a small saute pan over medium-high heat. Take a small spoonful of the crab mixture and cook it in the pan. Voila! Now you have a small taste sample so that you can properly season the crab.

Step 3: Stuff shrimp

Now let's get to the fun part, stuffing the shrimp! Take each marinated shrimp and open it up, laying it flat with the flayed side down and the tail resting on top to form a "C" shape. Spoon about two tablespoons of the crab stuffing onto each shrimp.

I like to spoon any of the garlic marinade lingering in the bowl from the shrimp right on top. A little extra garlic never hurt anyone, right?

Place the stuffed shrimp on the prepared baking sheet, making sure they are well-supported, and the stuffing stays in place. Repeat this process with the remaining shrimp and stuffing.

At this point, you can chill the stuffed shrimp in the fridge until you are ready to bake them.

Step 4: Bake

When you're ready, bake the stuffed shrimp in the oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the shrimp are firm and pink and the stuffing is heated through. Plate the Thai crab stuffed shrimp and serve with lime wedges on the side.

As soon as the stuffed shrimp came out of the oven, I knew it was going to be a winner. Not only did they look glamorous, but they also tasted restaurant-worthy. The crab is wonderfully seasoned but not overpowered by the red curry, while the juicy, firm shrimp is the perfect vessel for the savory notes of garlic. I can't believe it took less than 30 minutes to create this beauty!

For another fantastic Asian shrimp recipe, check out these Vietnamese shrimp cake with lime beurre blanc!

Make-ahead and storage tips

• Make-ahead: You can prepare the crab filling and stuff the shrimp ahead of time. Chill the stuffed shrimp on a lined baking sheet in the fridge until ready to bake.
• Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

More Thai recipes

Looking for more Thai dishes? Try these: