Best Baked Seafood Casserole
My Best Baked Seafood Casserole recipe with canned crab is a delicious one-dish meal that combines tasty tuna, canned crab, and tender shrimp with long-grain rice and a creamy base for a comforting dinner that will remind you of warm days at the beach.
Who doesn’t love a one-dish meal? Something that you can put together, stick in a pot or the oven and forget until it’s done? Soups, stews, crock-pot meals, and casseroles all fit the bill and most can be made ahead for cooking whenever you’re ready.
One-pot dinners are great choices for busy cooks and this Baked Seafood Casserole is no exception! It’s great both for a family dinner or for hosting guests on a special occasion. No matter who you serve it to, they will be impressed with the luscious flavor!
Keep in mind that because the casserole is so rich, a small portion will go a long way! I like to pair it with something light, like a salad, on the side. My favorite is field greens with classic vinaigrette. This casserole and that salad with a citrusy dessert make a delightful dinner!
❤ Why You’ll Love this Seafood Casserole
- It’s a one dish meal!
- Makes a large batch, which is a great option for a family dinner or for feeding a larger group.
- It’s a “put it in the pan and forget about it” dinner!
- Very filling and packed with flavor.
🛒 Ingredient Notes
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- Long grain and wild rice mix prepared according to package directions – I highly recommend Ben’s Original brand for this. As an alternate, Zatarain is also good.
- Cream of mushroom soup – Of course, Campbell’s is the standard but others work just as well.
- Mayonnaise – Combined with the canned soup, it holds the casserole mixture together. My preferred brand is always Duke’s.
- Worcestershire sauce – Adds a bit of rich background flavor.
- Medium shrimp – For the most budget-friendly option, purchase whole frozen shrimp. Thaw them and remove the heads and tails yourself. For speed, purchase fresh, cleaned shrimp with the heads and tails removed.
- Canned tuna packed in oil – Tuna packed in oil has so much more flavor than water packed and the difference in calories is quite small.
- Canned crab meat – Purchase a quality brand and make sure to drain it well.
- Bread crumbs – Make your own from day-old bread or buy Progresso brand from your local grocery.
You’ll find detailed measurements for all ingredients in the printable version of the recipe at the bottom of this post.
🔪 How to Make Baked Seafood Casserole
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Cook the rice according to the package directions. Set aside.
- Melt 1 tablespoon each of butter and olive oil in a large skillet.
- Add the celery, onion, and bell pepper and cook until tender.
- Drain the rice mix and add it to the skillet with the vegetables. Stir together until blended.
- Bring 4-5 cups of water to a boil in a large pot. Cook the shrimp briefly just until they turn pink (approximately 2 minutes). Drain the shrimp.
- In a large bowl combine the well-drained shrimp, crab meat, and tuna.
- To the bowl, add the cream of mushroom soup, mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce, and salt. Stir together to mix.
- Add the rice and vegetable mixture to the seafood and mix well.
- Turn the mixture out into a well-greased 9×13 casserole dish.
- Evenly sprinkle the top with bread crumbs.
- Pour melted butter over the bread crumbs.
- Bake for 30-45 minutes or until bubbly.
🍚 How to Store Leftovers
Leftovers may be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. Just make sure that it is in a sealed, air-tight container. Reheat smaller portions in the microwave until warm or a larger amount in the oven at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes or until warmed through.
❓ Questions About Baked Seafood Casserole
I strongly recommend using cream of mushroom soup for this casserole. The mushroom flavor really complements the other ingredients in this tasty casserole.
It’s completely up to you! If you want the toasty bread flavor, choose traditional breadcrumbs. If you want more crunch, use panko crumbs.
There are a few substitutions for reducing the fat content without drastically impacting the taste or texture. Try using light mayo in place of regular mayo, and substitute low-fat cream of mushroom soup.
HAVE YOU TRIED THIS RECIPE?
I’d LOVE to know what you thought!
Leave a rating below in the comments and let me know how you liked it!
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📖 Recipe
Best Baked Seafood Casserole
Ingredients
- 6 ounces long grain and wild rice mix prepared according to package directions (recommended: Ben's brand)
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 1 cup chopped bell pepper
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 10.5 ounces cream of mushroom soup
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 pound medium shrimp
- 6 ounces canned tuna packed in oil well drained
- 6 ounces canned crab meat well drained
- 1 cup bread crumbs
- 3 tablespoons butter melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Cook the rice according to the package directions. Set aside.
- Melt 1 tablespoon each of butter and olive oil in a large skillet. Add the celery, onion, and bell pepper and cook until tender.
- Drain the rice mix and add it to the skillet with the vegetables. Stir together until blended.
- Bring 4-5 cups of water to a boil in a large pot. Cook the shrimp briefly just until they turn pink (approximately 2 minutes). Drain the shrimp.
- In a large bowl combine the well-drained shrimp, crab meat, and tuna.
- To the bowl, add the cream of mushroom soup, mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce, and salt. Stir together to mix.
- Add the rice and vegetable mixture to the seafood and mix well.
- Turn the mixture out into a well-greased 9×13 casserole dish.
- Evenly sprinkle the top with bread crumbs.
- Pour melted butter over the bread crumbs.
- Bake for 30-45 minutes or until bubbly.
Notes
- Leftovers may be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. Just make sure that it is in a sealed, air-tight container. Reheat smaller portions in the microwave until warm or a larger amount in the oven at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes or until warmed through.
- Lower fat options for the mayonnaise and cream of mushroom soup work well in this recipe.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information is calculated by software based on the ingredients in each recipe. It is an estimate only and is provided for informational purposes. You should consult your health care provider or a registered dietitian if precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.
— This post was originally published on September 16, 2009. It has been updated with new photos and additional information.
I was wanting to make this dish the day before I’m going to serve it and was wondering if I should put the bread crumbs on right before I put it in the oven or does it matter? And how much longer do you think I should bake it since it will be cold? Thank you for sharing your recipes.
Let the casserole come back to room temperature and add the bread crumbs right before you put it in the oven to bake.
Thank you!! Will do.
Made this recipe last night and it was awesome!! Tastes a lot like stuffed crab. So affordable and everyone loved it!! Fed three people and everyone had seconds and even thirds and had leftovers. Served it with a salad and that was it!! Thank you so much. This is definitely a keeper especially when feeding guests. This made me look like a chef when I’m far from it!!
Made the seafood casserole last night and it was delicious; definitely a keeper.