Fish and shrimp are two of the seafood items I love to eat. I have a very short list of what seafood things I like. My husband grew up near Salem, Oregon where he ate and loved a lot of seafood. His mom used to make this stuffed salmon. She got this recipe from a friend at church.
This dish is just special. It feels more important and bigger than other dishes. It can feel overwhelming or more difficult, but it really isn’t too hard once you break it down.
Grab a large Salmon Filet next time you are at the store. Try to get a skinless one, it is preferred, but not absolutely necessary.
- Let’s make the filling! Softened cream cheese, onion & celery minced and thawed salad shrimp! EASY!
2. The hardest part is cutting into the filet and butterfly it open. Use a sharp chef’s knife, go slowly and it down not have to be perfect! It is easier to prep the salmon on the sheet you will be baking it on. It is harder to prep on a cutting board and then transfer to the baking sheet.
We LOVE the Demarle brand Flexipat because it is large, has a ridge to prevent the juices from dripping all over the oven, and it is flexible. The flexibility makes it easier to transfer after baking, to a serving platter. You can get one from our Amazon Baking Must Haves list found HERE!
3. Time to fill it up. Drizzle melted butter and sprinkle on the herbs. then use a large spoon to lay in the shrimp filling. Use the back of the spoon to smoosh it in evenly.
4. Lay the top half of the salmon over the filling. Top with more herbs, lemon juice and lemon slices. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes.
5. Remove from the oven and transfer to a service platter if you wish.
Today we are serving with the Costco Mediterranean salad kit and roasted potatoes and Maple & Balsamic Vinegar Brussel Sprouts.
Overall, this dish is a showstopper. We serve it for birthdays, special guests, events etc.
If you love this dish, then try these others out –
- Salmon in Phyllo with Dill Sauce
- Teriyaki Pineapple Jerk Salmon with Mango Salsa
- Shrimp and Grits
- Fish Tacos
- Creamy Pasta and Shrimp Bake
- Thai Shrimp Coconut Curry
Shrimp Stuffed Salmon
Equipment
- large baking sheet
Ingredients
- 3-4 lbs. Salmon Filet
- ½ lb. salad shrimp
- 8 oz. cream cheese
- ½ cup celery, finely chopped
- ¼ cup sweet onion, finely minced
- ½ cup fresh dill, chopped
- ¼ cup fresh thyme
- 4 lemons
- 2 TBSP butter
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375℉. Remove the salmon from the packaging. Pat dry with paper towels. Set the salmon on a large baking sheet covered with parchment paper or a Silpat.
- Using a sharp chef's knife careful start cutting into the middle of the salmon until you are able to butterfly the filet. Set aside to and make the filling.
- Rinse the shrimp with cold water in a strainer. In a small mixing bowl, whip the cream cheese. Add in the celery, onion, and shrimp. Fold it all together.
- Melt the butter. Drizzle it over the inside of the open filet. Sprinkle 1-2 TBSP of the fresh dill, half of the thyme, salt and pepper. Next spread the shrimp over one side of the filet. Fold the other side of the salmon over the top. Sprinkle more dill, thyme, salt and pepper over the top, to taste. Thinly slice one lemon. Place the lemon slices over the top of the of the salmon.
- Place the salmon in the oven and bake for 30 minutes. While it is baking, cut the other lemons into wedges. Prepare side dishes.
- Remove from oven. You make leave on the baking sheet for serving. Or use large spatulas and maybe a helper to move/slide the salmon onto a platter. You could also cut into pieces and place them on a large platter or plate. Serve with the extra lemon wedges.