Description

An elegant and quick date night dinner featuring wild-caught salmon fillets stuffed with a creamy, savory lump crab mixture. This recipe takes less than 40 minutes to prepare and delivers a restaurant-quality experience at home.

Ingredients

Scale

4 wild-caught salmon fillets (approx. 6 ounces each)
1 cup lump crab meat (fresh or frozen, thawed and drained)
4 oz full-fat cream cheese, softened
1–2 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
2 green onions, finely chopped
1 lemon (zest and juice)
2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or grease lightly.
Pat salmon fillets dry with paper towels.
Using a sharp knife, make a horizontal cut into the side of each fillet to create a pocket, stopping about an inch from the other side.
In a small mixing bowl, combine crab meat, cream cheese, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, garlic, dill, green onions, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Gently fold together.
Season the stuffing with salt and pepper to taste.
Gently press a generous spoonful of the crab mixture into the pocket of each salmon fillet. Do not overstuff.
Place stuffed salmon on the baking sheet, stuffed-side up.
Season the top of the fillets with salt and pepper, then brush with melted butter.
Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until salmon flakes easily with a fork and reaches an internal temperature of 145°F (63°C).
Remove from oven and let rest for 3-5 minutes before serving.

Notes

Ensure crab meat is thoroughly drained to prevent a watery stuffing. Use room temperature cream cheese for easier mixing. Do not overmix the stuffing to keep lump crab meat intact. Salmon continues to cook slightly after removal from the oven, so remove when just barely opaque. Resting the fish for 3-5 minutes helps retain moisture.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Category: Main Course
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 salmon fillet with
Calories: 450
Sugar: 1
Sodium: 600
Fat: 28
Saturated Fat: 12
Carbohydrates: 4
Fiber: 1
Protein: 35

Keywords: baked crab stuffed salmon, date night dinner, seafood recipe, easy salmon, healthy dinner, gluten-free seafood, creamy crab stuffing