Crab Stuffed Flounder Recipe

Get ready to impress everyone at your dinner table with this restaurant-quality dish that’s surprisingly easy to make at home!

This crab stuffed flounder combines sweet, succulent crab meat with delicate flounder fillets in a way that’ll have your guests thinking you hired a professional chef.

The secret is in that creamy imperial sauce that binds everything together – it’s rich, flavorful, and lets that premium crab meat shine without overpowering the mild flounder.

Plus, the presentation is absolutely stunning when you serve it with that gorgeous golden-brown top and visible crab filling peeking through.

Ingredients

For the Fish:

• 16 ounces crab meat (lump or jumbo lump)
• 24 ounces flounder fillets
• 2 tablespoons melted butter

For the Imperial Sauce:

• ½ cup mayonnaise (Hellmann’s, Best Foods, or Duke’s Mayo)
• 1 large egg, lightly whipped
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon Italian parsley, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
• Extra Old Bay for sprinkling on top before baking

Steps

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and prepare a baking sheet or shallow baking dish. In a small bowl, mix all the imperial sauce ingredients together until well blended – the mixture should be smooth and creamy with no streaks of egg visible.
2. Gently fold the imperial sauce into the crab meat, adding it gradually. You want the crab to be well-coated but not swimming in sauce, so you might not need every drop. The mixture should hold together when spooned but not be dry.
3. Place a small piece of flounder on your prepared sheet pan to act as a base for each serving. This creates a stable foundation and prevents the crab mixture from spreading out during baking.
4. Divide the crab imperial mixture evenly, placing 4 ounces or more on top of each flounder base. Gently mound it up – don’t pack it down as this can make the final dish dense.
5. Carefully place additional flounder pieces on each side of the crab stuffing, leaving the top completely visible. This creates that classic “stuffed” look while ensuring the beautiful crab mixture browns properly and stays the star of the show.
6. Add a small amount of water to the bottom of the pan along with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice – this creates steam that keeps the flounder moist during baking. For restaurant-style richness, brush the exposed surfaces with melted butter and sprinkle with Old Bay or paprika.
7. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the flounder flakes easily with a fork and the crab imperial is heated through to at least 165°F (74°C) on an instant-read thermometer. The top should be lightly golden but not dried out.
8. Remove from oven and let rest for 2-3 minutes before serving. This allows the juices to redistribute and makes plating easier. Serve immediately with your favorite sides.

Smart Swaps

• Greek yogurt instead of mayonnaise (use ¾ cup) – reduces calories while maintaining creaminess
• Sole or halibut instead of flounder – similar texture and cooking time

Make It Diabetes-Friendly

Replace the sugar in the imperial sauce with 1 teaspoon of stevia or monk fruit sweetener to eliminate 4 grams of carbs per serving. Use avocado oil mayonnaise for better fat profile. Serve with roasted vegetables instead of rice or potatoes to keep total carbs under 8 grams per serving. The high protein content (about 45 grams per serving) helps stabilize blood sugar when paired with fiber-rich vegetables.

Pro Tips

• Pick through crab meat carefully for shell pieces – even “picked” crab can have hidden fragments
• Don’t overmix the crab imperial or you’ll break up those beautiful lumps
• Test doneness by gently pressing the thickest part of flounder – it should flake easily but not fall apart