Cajun Seafood Stuffed Potatoes with Shrimp and Crab
By Emma Collins
Prep
20 min
Cook
95 min
Total
115 min
Servings
4
Level
Easy
Cajun seafood-filled potatoes take 1 hour 55 minutes to make, including baking time for the potatoes and time to make the skillet topping. I make Cajun seafood-filled potatoes instead of a main dish and side dish on occasion because the potatoes are an edible container for other foods. Shrimp and crab meat are topped with cheese and a creamy Cajun sauce.
Russets are the kind of potato I buy. The tough skins of these potatoes can be used to form a wrapper from potato pieces. I leave about 1/4 inch of potato around the perimeter of each cut half to form a boat for serving seafood sauce, leaving many other pieces of potato for other uses (I find the fallback useful). You may want to mash some of the peeled potato pieces and mix them into the filling, for example.
Cook the sauce in a large skillet. Cook flour with the onion and garlic before adding milk and cream. The shrimp will be cooked and opaque pink in 3 to 4 minutes. I take the pan off the heat to add cooked crab, then add the cheese and green onions. This prevents the crab from breaking apart.
Fill the potato skins with filling and bake until the filling and cheese are hot and the potato skins are browned. I usually broil the potato skins for 1 or 2 minutes toward the end of the bake time to brown the potato skins. I like browned potato skins. Keep an eye on the potato skins as they broil. Broilers work fast.
Why this recipe works
- Dinner has potatoes because the filling is cooked in potato skins, so there is no need for a separate main course.
- Most of the time the pie spends in the oven is hands-free because the filling is cooked in a large skillet.
- The filling includes shrimp and lump crabmeat. Two layers of cheese are used as a topping that is baked until hot.
- No cooking equipment needed beyond a fork, large frying pan, sheet pan, and oven.
- The potato skins do not break up when scooped out, enabling the addition of other ingredients to the potato skins on a baking sheet.
Ingredients
- •4 large Russet potatoes (scrubbed and dried)
- •1 tbsp olive oil
- •1 tsp kosher salt
- •4 tbsp unsalted butter
- •1 cup yellow onion (finely diced)
- •3 cloves garlic (minced)
- •3 tbsp all-purpose flour
- •1 cup heavy cream
- •½ cup whole milk
- •1 ½ tbsp Cajun seasoning (or to taste)
- •8 oz raw shrimp (peeled, deveined, and tails removed)
- •6 oz lump crab meat (picked over for shells)
- •1 cup sharp cheddar cheese (shredded and divided)
- •½ cup Parmesan cheese (grated and divided)
- •¼ cup green onions (sliced)
- •salt (to taste)
- •black pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Scrub and dry the potatoes, pierce them several times with a fork, then rub them with olive oil and kosher salt. Bake them directly on the oven rack for 60-75 minutes, until tender.
- 2
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the onion for 4-5 minutes until soft, then add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute until fragrant.
- 3
Stir the flour into the onion mixture for 1-2 minutes. Slowly whisk in the heavy cream and milk until smooth, then bring the sauce to a simmer and cook until thickened.
- 4
Stir in the Cajun seasoning. Add the shrimp and cook for 3-4 minutes, until pink, then turn off the heat. Fold in the crab meat, half the cheddar, half the Parmesan, and the green onions. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
- 5
When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut them in half lengthwise. Scoop out the flesh, leaving a 1/4-inch border, then place the potato skins on a baking sheet.
- 6
Fill the potato skins with the seafood mixture and top with the remaining cheddar and Parmesan. Bake for 15-20 minutes until hot and bubbly. Broil for 1-2 minutes for a golden top, if desired.
FAQ
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
780
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