Shrimp and Crab Seafood Casserole Recipe

Why This Recipe is a Keeper!

This Southern seafood casserole recipe was given to me many years ago by a personal chef client who wanted me to make it for them. She got it from her mother-in-law so this seafood casserole recipe has deep roots.

I added it to my recipe repertoire and began making it for personal chef clients. It became one of my go-to and most often requested recipes for seafood lovers.

Over time, the inability to find some of the ingredients like cream of shrimp soup called for in the original seafood casserole recipe (and many southern-style casseroles) required me to make some changes. I’m not a fan of canned cream soup anyway because of the processed taste so replaced it with easily obtainable ingredients.

This lovely creamy Shrimp and Crab Seafood Casserole is:

• Perfect for holidays and special occasions.
• Easy to make.
• Can be made ahead of time.
• Elegant!

How to Make a Shrimp and Crab Seafood Casserole:

Recipe Ingredients:

Here’s everything you’ll need to make this Southern seafood casserole recipe. See the recipe card below for the exact quantities.

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions:

• Butter: I always use unsalted butter in cooking, which allows me to set the salt level to taste.
• White Rice: I highly recommend using converted rice (also known as parboiled rice) because it will be firmer and less sticky than conventional white rice in the finished casserole. To make converted/parboiled rice, it’s steamed before the husks are removed which causes the grains to absorb the nutrients from the husk. It is then dried. Because of that process, converted rice is more nutritious than regular white rice and so much easier to cook. Brands include Ben’s and Zatarain’s.
• Half and Half: Half and half is a combination of whole milk and heavy cream. You can use just heavy cream but I don’t recommend using all milk; the casserole will be thin.
• Mayonnaise: A southern seafood casserole just needs mayonnaise! Our favorite brand of mayonnaise is Duke’s which is a Southern staple. Use your favorite brand of mayonnaise. I don’t recommend using reduced-fat or fat-free mayonnaise.
• Shrimp: I only use WILD-CAUGHT shrimp for my personal chef clients and at home.  Wild-caught shrimp has a superior texture to farmed shrimp which may be produced under questionable circumstances. I highly recommend using uncooked shrimp and cooking it yourself because the texture will be superior. Wild-caught shrimp holds up better to being reheated.
• Tomato Puree: Tomato puree is made by cooking and straining tomatoes. The difference between tomato paste, sauce and crushed tomatoes is consistency. Tomato puree has a thicker consistency and deeper flavor than tomato sauce but is not as thick as paste.
• Water Chestnuts: Although called chestnuts, water chestnuts are not nuts at all. They’re aquatic tuber vegetables that are surprisingly high in nutrition, fiber and antioxidants according to Healthline. Water chestnuts add crunch and texture without competing with the seafood flavor of this shrimp and crab casserole.
• Crab: Use jumbo lump crab if possible. Although all the crab sold worldwide is wild-caught, I prefer to stick with crab from U. S. waters.  In some parts of the world, crab is caught in ways that are illegal, not environmentally friendly or use unfair labor practices.
• Breadcrumbs: I used fresh coarse breadcrumbs, but panko (also known as Japanese breadcrumbs which are dried) may be substituted. You want something with some texture for the topping.

Step-By-Step Instructions:

• Gather and prep all the ingredients for the seafood casserole.
• Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Butter, oil or spray a baking dish such as a 13 x 9-inch or large gratin dish with cooking spray.
• Cook the shrimp: Bring a saucepan full of water to a boil. Generously salt the water and add some black pepper to help season the shrimp. Drop the shrimp into the water and cook briefly–no more than 30 seconds to 1 minute or until it just turns pink–BE CAREFUL TO NOT OVERCOOK IT. Drain in a colander and run cold tap water over the shrimp to cool them quickly so they don’t continue to cook.

• Cook the vegetables and rice: Heat 4 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat in a large high-sided saucepan. Add the onion, celery and red bell pepper. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 5-6 minutes or until the vegetables begin to soften. (Do not brown the vegetables.)

• Add the water and 1 teaspoon of salt, along with a pinch or two of black pepper and bring to a boil.
• Add the rice. Bring back up to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 10 to 12 minutes. Turn the heat off and let stand covered for 10 minutes.

• Transfer the rice/vegetables to a large mixing bowl and let it cool slightly, approximately 5 to 6 minutes or until it’s not steaming as much.

• Add the water chestnuts, half and half, mayonnaise, tomato puree, lemon juice, paprika, cayenne, nutmeg and 3 tablespoons chopped parsley to the rice. Taste for seasoning and adjust if needed.

• Assemble the seafood casserole: Transfer approximately 1/3 of the rice combination to the prepared baking dish.
• Top with half the shrimp and gently press it into the rice, then scatter with half the crab. Spread another 1/3 of the rice combination over the shrimp and crab, followed by the remaining shrimp (again pressing that layer of shrimp into the rice) and crab, followed by the remaining rice.

• Combine the coarse breadcrumbs with the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, then scatter the breadcrumbs over the top of the casserole.
• MAKE AHEAD: Can be assembled 1 day ahead of time to this point. Cover and refrigerate.

• Cover loosely with aluminum foil.
• Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until heated through. Remove the foil during the last 10 minutes of baking to crisp up the breadcrumbs. Serve immediately.

Chef Tips and Tricks:

• You want a high-sided saucepan when cooking the vegetables because the vegetables will have a harder time burning or browning. Butter has a very low smoke point, but the steam created when cooking the vegetables won’t evaporate as quickly as in a shallow pan.
• Layering the seafood casserole rather than mixing everything and pouring it into the prepared baking dish allows you to evenly distribute the shrimp within the rice. Cooked crab shreds and comes part easily, so scattering it over the layers will keep the lump crab intact.
• To bump up the seafood flavor, substitute one 8-ounce bottle of clam juice for 1 cup of water.

Storage:

• Refrigerate any leftovers. Consume within 3 to 4 days. Reheat any leftovers in the oven at 350 degrees until heated through to 165 degrees in the center.

Serve with:

• Cream Cheese Corn Casserole with Green Chiles
• Easy Braised Southern Greens Recipe
• Roasted Green Beans with Tomato Caper Relish
• Braised Greens with Olives and Lemon
• Roasted Artichokes with Garlic Butter
• Arugula Egg and Asparagus Salad with Creamy Lemon Vinaigrette
• Tunisian Salad Platter {Assiette Tunisienne}
• Tossed green salad
• Simple soup

More great seafood recipes you’ll love!

• Brown Rice Shrimp Paella with Chorizo
• Shrimp Scallop and Artichoke Lasagna
• Baked Shrimp with Tomatoes and Feta Cheese
• Spicy Shrimp and Grits Casserole with Gouda Cheese

Get all my fish and seafood recipes at: Fish and Seafood Recipes – From A Chef’s Kitchen