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A close-up of a creamy baked crab stuffed flounder garnished with chopped herbs, served with a lemon wedge on a white plate.
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Crab Stuffed Flounder with Creamy White Wine Sauce

Crab stuffed flounder that tastes like you trained under a French chef but takes 45 minutes. The technique is real—cold butter keeps the fish from drying out, the wine reduces to actual flavor—but nothing here is complicated. This is the dinner you make when you want impressive without the performance anxiety.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 1159kcal
Author: Dee Broughton

Equipment

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.
    A glass bowl filled with prepared crab meat stuffing sits on a dark surface, surrounded by parsley, garlic cloves, lemon halves, seasonings, and a gray cloth.

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.
    A metal tray with four raw flounder fillets and four uncooked crab stuffing arranged side by side.
  • Roll or fold the fillets over the stuffing to enclose it. Use a toothpick if needed to secure the roll.
    A metal baking tray with four uncooked, seasoned fish fillets rolled and spaced evenly apart. Garlic cloves and a lemon slice are partially visible in the corners of the image.

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.
    Four pieces of raw seasoned white fish fillets in a baking dish, each topped with a pat of butter. Fresh parsley, garlic, and lemon are on the side.
  • Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily with a fork. If you used toothpicks, remove them before serving.
    Four baked stuffed flounder filets in a white ceramic baking dish, surrounded by garlic, lemon halves, and parsley on a dark surface.

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.
    A saucepan with melted butter sits on a dark counter next to lemon slices, garlic cloves, fresh herbs, spices, and a gray cloth.
  • 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.
    A saucepan with cream and grated cheese, next to parsley, garlic cloves, lemon halves, and small bowls of spices on a dark surface.
  • Stir in the parsley and season to taste with salt and white pepper.
    A saucepan filled with creamy white wine sauce, surrounded by fresh parsley, garlic cloves, lemon slices, black pepper, and a gray napkin on a dark surface.

Serve:

  • To serve, place a stuffed flounder fillet on each plate and generously spoon the sauce over the top.

Notes

• Tinned crab works perfectly here — it’s what we used growing up when fresh wasn’t in season or in the budget. Drain it well and pick out any shells.
• 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

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 1159kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 130g | Fat: 61g | Saturated Fat: 27g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 575mg | Sodium: 2235mg | Potassium: 1754mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 2117IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 410mg | Iron: 3mg