Description
Delicious crab and shrimp stuffed bell peppers with a creamy, flavorful filling. Perfect for dinner parties, weeknight meals, or special occasions. A coastal-inspired twist on a classic comfort dish.
Ingredients
For the Bell Peppers:
4 large bell peppers (any color, tops removed, seeds removed)
1 tablespoon olive oil (for brushing)
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
For the Seafood Filling:
1 tablespoon butter
½ pound (225 g) raw shrimp, peeled, deveined, finely chopped
½ pound (225 g) lump crab meat, picked over for shells
1 small yellow onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup celery, finely chopped
1 small red bell pepper, finely diced
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
½ teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
½ cup mayonnaise
½ cup cream cheese, softened
1 cup cooked white rice (or breadcrumbs)
½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella (for topping)
Instructions
Prepare the Bell Peppers: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Slice tops off, remove seeds, brush with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and roast 10–12 minutes.
Sauté the Aromatics: Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Cook onion, celery, and red bell pepper 4–5 minutes, add garlic, cook 30 seconds.
Cook the Shrimp: Add chopped shrimp, cook 2–3 minutes until pink. Remove from heat.
Combine the Filling: Mix shrimp and veggies with crab, parsley, lemon juice, Old Bay, paprika, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Fold in mayonnaise, cream cheese, rice, and Parmesan.
Stuff the Bell Peppers: Fill peppers with seafood mixture, top with mozzarella.
Bake: Bake 25–30 minutes until golden and bubbly. Optional: broil 1–2 minutes for deeper browning.
Rest and Serve: Let rest 5 minutes, serve warm with lemon wedges.
Notes
Swap crab with imitation crab or scallops for variations.
Use quinoa, couscous, or cauliflower rice instead of white rice.
Try different bell pepper colors or poblano peppers for unique flavors.
Freezing before or after baking is possible (see storage section).
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Coastal / American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 stuffed pepper
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 720 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 140 mg
Keywords: Crab and Shrimp Stuffed Bell Peppers, Seafood Stuffed Peppers, Coastal Stuffed Peppers