This gluten-free Baked Stuffed Crab is a variation of a dish from a New Orleans restaurant and it is a special dish! Easy to make, packed with real crab and so flavorful! Perfect for holidays, anniversaries or any special occasion!
Finally sharing this Gluten-Free Baked Stuffed Crab recipe here on the website!
This is a dish my family has been making for years for special occasions like birthdays, anniversaries and holidays, and each time I share it on Instagram Stories, I get so many requests for the recipe.
So with 4 days to Valentine’s Day, finally sharing it here!
What is it?
It’s simply lots of real crab meat sauteed with onions, butter, gluten-free bread and simple spices, then topped with some gluten-free bread crumbs and baked to perfection!
It tastes just like a Baked Stuffed Crab you find at a restaurant but it’s homemade and gluten-free! Seriously, when was the last time you found a gluten-free stuffed crab on the menu?
And best part, it is EASY to make!
A little background before we look more closely at the recipe.
The recipe was created by a friend of my mother’s. (In the cooking video on this page, I incorrectly state my mother created it). This friend and her husband had grown up in New Orleans and she created this recipe based on a dish she use to enjoy at a New Orleans restaurant.
My mother has been making this recipe for years and passed it on to us. It is simple and timeless.
And it is a special occasion recipe because it is made with real crab and crab is expensive. So it is not a cheap dish, but when I look at the price of crab, I remind myself 3 things:
Even though it is pricey, the recipe serves 6 people with generous portions and the same dish at a restaurant would cost significantly more!
I’ve never seen a dish like this offered gluten-free at a restaurant, so we have to make it!
And we don’t make it often. So it is a treat for all of us!
So let’s make it!
Before we get to the ingredients and each step, I want to point out that there is a cooking video on this page so you can see how easy it is to make this Gluten-Free Baked Stuffed Crab.
And as with all our recipes, there is a printable recipe with exact measurements and directions at the bottom of the page.
And like I said, it feels like a fancy recipe because of the crab but it is easy to make and comes together quickly!
It comes together in 4 simple steps:
First you saute the onion, garlic and green onions in butter.
Next you add in the gluten-free bread and cook for 3-5 minutes.
Then you add in the crab and seasonings and heat well.
When ready to serve you bake the crab in a baking pan or ceramic “shells” as I have here, topped with some gluten-free breadcrumbs and butter and that’s it!
You can see by the last photo above, that before it’s even baked, it’s essentially “done” and tastes so delicious!
A few notes/ tips regarding ingredients:
First, let’s talk about the bread….
The bread is what gives the dish its stuffing feel. But whereas in our traditional holiday Gluten-Free Stuffing Recipe, the type of bread matters… Here any gluten-free sandwich bread will work!
Over the years we’ve used a variety of brands. So really whatever you have or love.
The key is to dampen the bread so that it is soft and moist but not dripping in water. If you don’t dampen the bread, the dish will be too dry.
Then we cut the bread into tiny cubes.
And next let’s talk about the crab meat…
Since this dish is all about the crab, we’ve always used real crab meat.
We purchase it in pre-packaged containers, in the refrigerator section of the seafood section, of our local grocery store.
And depending on whether the crab meat is in bigger chunks or smaller, sometimes we will chop it into smaller pieces.
Since I anticipate the question of whether you can use imitation crab meat… the answer is yes BUT beware of gluten! Many imitation crab meat is made with wheat.
So the last thing to do is bake our crab dish!
Simply spoon the sauteed crab mixture into ceramic shells (we picked up at Williams Sonoma years ago) or any baking dish you love (approximately 9×11 or 8×8 or an 8 inch round).
Top with gluten-free bread crumbs, drizzle with olive oil or a dollop of butter to get crisp on top and bake!
Of note, since the crab is sauteed first, this is a great make ahead dish as well!
They only bake for 15-20 minutes and then you have an amazing and special baked stuffed crab meal!
The flavor is unreal and each bite tastes like dream!
Since the dish is so flavorful and special, we usually serve it simple side dishes. Dishes such as:
This Baked Stuffed Crab is a variation of a dish from a New Orleans restaurant and it is a special dish! Easy to make, packed with real crab and so flavorful! Perfect for holidays, anniversaries or any special occasion!
3-4slicesgluten-free breaddamped and cut into small cubes (I give a range because gluten-free bread comes in different sizes and you could use more or less according to tastes.)
1 poundcrab meatrinsed and chopped if in big chunks (If you opt to use imitation crabmeat, make sure it is gluten-free! Many brands of imitation crab are made with wheat)
2-3bay leaves
½teaspoonsalt
½teaspoonpepper
1½tablespoonsparsleyfinely chopped + extra for topping if desired.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and set aside either 6 ceramic baking shells or a baking dish of choice (9x11, 8x8 or 8 inch round)
In a large saute pan, over medium heat, melt butter and saute onion, green onions and garlic, approximately 5-7 minutes or until tender.
Meanwhile, if you haven't already, dampen your bread with water so that it is moist but not dripping in water, and cut into small cubes. Add damped bread cubes to the onion mix, combine well and cook about 5 minutes such that bread softens and warms.
Add crab meat, bay leaves, salt, pepper, cayenne if using and parsley. Stir to combine well and heat through, approximately 7-10 minutes.
Remove bay leaves. Spoon sauteed crab mix into the ceramic shells or baking dish.
Top with bread crumbs and either drizzle with olive oil or top with a dollop of butter. This will give the top that golden crisp color when it bakes.
Bake 15-20 minutes or until the tops are golden and the crab heated through.
Hi! My name is Karen, and I’m the mom in our Healthy Gluten-Free Family. My posts and pictures here and on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook and Twitter are labors of love that allow me to share a very personal journey with you, one our family has taken together — learning, experimenting and sharing how to raise a healthy happy gluten-free family. Read more ...
