This is the kind of elegant seafood dinner that feels more special than the effort it takes. Tender flounder wrapped around rich crab stuffing, topped with a white wine cream sauce that makes everyone pause mid-bite. And, this was the dish served every single Christmas Eve in our house growing up, so you’re getting a recipe that’s been tested, retested, and trusted for years.
Over the years, we’ve figured out exactly where most people mess up, just like when you’re learning how to get perfect browning in our Pan-Seared Halibut recipe: overcooking the fish by even a few minutes, rolling it too tightly (it splits), and cranking the heat too high on the sauce (it breaks). Get those three things right, and you end up with the same elegant result every single time.
🔪 Ingredients & Tools You’ll Need
For the Crab Stuffing
- Lump crabmeat: lump or claw meat works; pick through for shells
- Panko breadcrumbs: keeps the stuffing light, not dense. Finely crushed saltines work too, but reduce the salt if using.
- Parmesan cheese: adds salt and umami to balance the crab
- Mayonnaise: binds the mixture and adds moisture
- Egg: helps the stuffing hold its shape
- Fresh parsley: brightness to cut the richness
- Green onion: mild onion flavor without overpowering the crab
- Lemon juice: acidity to lift the whole mixture
- Dijon mustard: a little heat and backbone
- Old Bay seasoning: classic seafood seasoning for depth
- Salt & black pepper: season to taste, not to overwhelm
- Cayenne pepper: gentle heat that doesn’t read as “spicy”
For the Flounder
- Fresh flounder fillets: thin, mild, and perfect for rolling
- Salt & pepper: season both sides for balanced flavor
- Paprika: adds color as the fish bakes
- Cold butter: melts over the top for moisture and browning
For the Creamy White Wine Sauce
- Butter: base for sautéing the garlic
- Garlic: aromatic foundation for the sauce
- Dry white wine: Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio gives clean acidity, the same wines we use when building the pan sauce in our Steak with Mushroom Cream Sauce
- Heavy cream: gives the sauce body and silkiness
- Parmesan cheese: thickens the sauce naturally and adds savory flavor
- Fresh parsley: finishes the sauce with color and freshness
- Salt & white pepper: subtle seasoning that doesn’t muddy the sauce
Equipment
- Baking dish: large enough to hold the fillets without crowding
- Mixing bowl: for the crab stuffing
- Small saucepan: for the white wine cream sauce
- Sheet pan + paper towels: to dry the flounder well before stuffing
- Fish spatula: helpful for lifting delicate fillets
- Instant-read thermometer: for checking doneness if your fillets are thick
- Microplane or grater: for fresh Parmesan
- Sharp knife + cutting board: for herbs, green onions, and garlic
📝 Step-by-Step Instructions: How to Make this Stuffed Flounder Recipe
1. Make the Crab Stuffing
Stir the breadcrumbs, Parmesan, mayo, egg, parsley, green onions, lemon juice, Dijon, Old Bay, salt, pepper, and cayenne together until smooth. Fold in the crab gently so it stays in big, luxurious pieces.
2. Prep the Fish
Pat the flounder dry and season both sides with salt and pepper. Add a mound of crabmeat stuffing to the center of each fillet and fold the fish over so the seam sits underneath.
3. Bake
Set the stuffed fillets into a buttered baking dish, sprinkle with paprika, dot with cold butter, and bake at 375°F for 20–25 minutes. The fish should flake easily when pressed — similar to the visual cue we call out in our Pan-Seared Cod.
4. Make the White Wine Sauce
Melt butter in a small saucepan. Add the garlic for 30 seconds, then the wine. Let it reduce by half.
Stir in the cream and simmer until it thickens enough to coat a spoon. Off heat, add Parmesan until smooth, then parsley, salt, and white pepper.
5. Serve
Spoon warm sauce generously over each stuffed fillet. Add more parsley or chives for a bright hit of color.
🔄 Substitutions & Variations
- Fish swaps: Sole, haddock, or tilapia work if flounder isn’t available.
- Seafood swaps: We always used canned crab meat, but imitation crab or chopped cooked shrimp in a pinch. If it’s in the budget, Phillips, an East Coast staple, has lump crab meat in the refrigerator section at Costco.
- Cheese: Pecorino pairs beautifully with the wine for a sharper finish.
💡 Meat Nerd Tips
- Dry white wines with higher acidity reduce better. Cheap, very oaky Chardonnay can turn the sauce muddy.
- If the fillets are too thick to fold, butterfly them or treat this like an open-faced bake.
- Pat the fish dry. Moisture makes it harder to roll and affects browning.
- Use claw meat for better value. It’s sweeter and works beautifully in stuffing.
- Don’t overmix the crab. Big flakes of crab meat make the stuffing feel luxurious.
- If the stuffing looks loose, add more panko a tablespoon at a time.
- Reduce the wine fully. If you rush this, the sauce tastes thin.
- Add the Parmesan off heat. Keeps the sauce silky, not grainy.
🍽️ What to serve with crab-stuffed flounder
- Over rice pilaf or buttered orzo
- Alongside roasted asparagus or crisp green beans
- With crusty bread to handle every drop of sauce
- Pair with a bright Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, or a dry sparkling wine
🧊 Leftovers & Storage
- Refrigerate leftovers up to 2 days.
- Reheat gently in a low oven (300°F) with foil so the fish stays tender.
- Rewarm the sauce over very low heat; add a splash of cream if it got too thick.
Have you tried this recipe? Do us a favor and rate the recipe card with the ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ and drop a comment to help out the next reader.
Crab Stuffed Flounder with Creamy White Wine Sauce
Recommended Equipment
- Small saucepan
- sheet pan
- Paper towels
- Microplane or grater
- cutting board
Ingredients
For the Crab Stuffing:
- 8 ounces lump crabmeat or crab claw meat picked over for shells
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 egg lightly beaten
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 2 green onion stalks finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
For the Flounder:
- 4 flounder fillets about 6 ounces each, patted dry
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- 2 tablespoons cold butter cut into small pats
For the Creamy White Wine Sauce:
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ½ cup dry white wine like Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- Salt and white pepper to taste
Instructions
Prep the Crab Stuffing:
- Preheat your oven to 375°F.
- In a medium bowl, combine the panko breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, mayo, egg, parsley, green onions, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, Old Bay seasoning, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper.
- Stir until they form a smooth mixture. Gently fold in the crabmeat, being careful not to break it up.
Stuff the Fish:
- Lay the fish flat on a clean work surface.
- Season both sides with salt and black pepper.
- Divide the crab stuffing mixture evenly among the four fillets, mounding it in the center of each one.
- Roll or fold the fillets over the stuffing to enclose it. Use a toothpick if needed to secure the roll.
Bake the Crab Stuffed Flounder:
- Arrange the stuffed flounder seam side down in a baking dish that has been lightly greased with butter or nonstick cooking spray.
- Sprinkle with paprika. Dot the tops of the fish with the pats of cold butter.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily with a fork. If you used toothpicks, remove them before serving.
Make the White Wine Sauce:
- While the fish bakes, make the sauce. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.
- Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds.
- Pour in the white wine and let it simmer for 3-4 minutes to reduce by about half.
- Reduce the heat to low, stir in the heavy cream, and simmer for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it has thickened slightly and can coat the back of a spoon.
- Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the Parmesan cheese until it’s melted.
- Stir in the parsley and season to taste with salt and white pepper.
Serve:
- To serve, place a stuffed flounder fillet on each plate and generously spoon the sauce over the top.
Notes
• Keep flounder very dry so it bakes instead of steaming.
• If the stuffing feels loose, add a little extra panko until it holds a soft mound.
• Don’t overmix the crab — big flakes make the filling feel luxurious.
• Reduce the white wine fully before adding cream for the best flavor.
• Add Parmesan off heat so the sauce stays smooth, not grainy.
• Sole or haddock work as stand-ins for flounder.
Nutrition
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❓ FAQs for amazing Crab Stuffed Flounder
Yes—just thaw completely and press between paper towels to remove excess moisture.
You can stuff the fish earlier in the day. Keep it chilled and bake just before serving. Make the sauce fresh for the best texture.
A dry white like Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio. Avoid sweet wines—they tip the sauce off balance.
Yes. Use a larger baking dish, or two baking dishes, so the fish isn’t crowded; overcrowding steams instead of bakes.
That means the heat was too high. Whisk in a splash of cream off the heat to bring it back.
Whoa dude, new level with that one!
This looks very tasty!! The portions look perfect!!
Wow, wow, wow. I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not one to linger at the seafood counter unless Dudette wants to watch the lobsters for a while, but I’ll definitely have to stop by next time I’m at the store so I can pick up a few flounder fillets. This looks amazing.