12+ Shrimp and Crab Recipes for Double-Seafood Flavor

Start with a warm, real-life introduction. The first time I cooked a combined shrimp and crab dinner I remember juggling shells, a crying toddler at my knee, and the smell of garlic filling the kitchen. It wasn’t perfect, but everyone hovered around the table and went back for seconds, and that memory is why I keep a few reliable surf-and-surf recipes in rotation. If you want easy ways to layer both sweet crab and tender shrimp into one meal, these 12+ Shrimp and Crab Recipes for Double-Seafood Flavor are the kinds of dishes that bring a little celebration to weeknight dinners and a lot of comfort on lazy weekends.

1. Shrimp and Crab Cakes with Lemon Aioli

Why You’ll Love It:

These cakes are golden and crisp on the outside, tender inside, and perfect for busy nights or casual gatherings. They hold together well for pan-frying or broiling, and picky eaters tend to like the familiar cake texture. Make a batch and keep extras for sandwiches the next day.

Serving size: Serves 4

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients Needed:

• 8 ounces lump crab meat, picked over for shells
• 8 ounces raw shrimp, peeled, deveined and roughly chopped
• 1 large egg
• 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 green onion, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil for frying
• 1 lemon for wedges

How to Make It:

1. Pat crab and chopped shrimp dry with paper towels and place in a bowl.
2. Add egg, mayonnaise, Dijon, green onion, parsley, Old Bay, and panko. Gently fold until just combined. If too wet add a tablespoon more panko.
3. Form into 8 small cakes, pressing gently so they hold together. Chill 10 minutes to firm up.
4. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add cakes and cook 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden and cooked through.
5. Serve hot with lemon wedges and lemon aioli or tartar sauce.

Optional Enhancers (include 1–2 per recipe):

Serving Idea: Serve on toasted brioche buns with crisp lettuce for mini crab and shrimp sliders or alongside a simple green salad.

Common Mistake to Avoid: Overworking the mixture makes the cakes dense. Fold gently and chill briefly so they hold their shape.

2. Creamy Shrimp and Crab Linguine

Why You’ll Love It:

This pasta feels like a restaurant dish but comes together fast enough for date night at home. The cream sauce clings to each strand of linguine and the mix of bite-sized shrimp and flaky crab makes every forkful interesting.

Serving size: Serves 4

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients Needed:

• 12 ounces linguine
• 8 ounces shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 6 ounces crab meat
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1/2 cup dry white wine or seafood stock
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley

How to Make It:

1. Cook linguine according to package directions until al dente, reserve 1/2 cup pasta water.
2. Melt butter in a large pan over medium heat, add garlic and cook 30 seconds.
3. Add shrimp and cook 2 minutes per side until pink, remove and set aside.
4. Pour in wine and simmer 2 minutes to reduce, then stir in cream and Parmesan until slightly thickened.
5. Add crab meat, cooked shrimp, lemon zest, and a splash of pasta water to loosen sauce. Toss with linguine.
6. Season to taste and sprinkle parsley before serving.

Optional Enhancers (include 1–2 per recipe):

Flavor Boost: Stir in a pinch of red pepper flakes while cooking garlic for a gentle heat lift.

3. Cajun Shrimp and Crab Boil

Why You’ll Love It:

This is comfort food for a crowd with minimal plating fuss. Spread newspaper on the table and let everyone dig in. It’s ideal for summer gatherings or cold-weather feasts because it’s hearty, spicy, and social.

Serving size: Serves 6

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients Needed:

• 2 pounds large shrimp, shell on
• 2 pounds crab legs
• 6 small red potatoes halved
• 3 ears corn cut into thirds
• 1/2 cup Cajun seasoning
• 4 tablespoons butter melted for serving
• 1 lemon cut into wedges

How to Make It:

1. Fill a very large pot with water and bring to a boil. Add Cajun seasoning.
2. Add potatoes and cook 8 minutes, then add corn and cook 5 minutes.
3. Add crab legs and cook 4 minutes, then add shrimp and cook 2 to 3 minutes until shrimp turn pink.
4. Drain and spread on a large tray. Drizzle with melted butter and serve with lemon wedges.

Optional Enhancers (include 1–2 per recipe):

Meal Prep Tip: Cook components separately and keep warm; reheat gently in a steam pot to retain texture before serving.

4. Shrimp and Crab Stuffed Mushrooms

Why You’ll Love It:

These are elegant bite-sized appetizers that feel fancier than they are. The mixture of seafood with cream cheese and herbs is rich but balanced, and they are perfect for holiday gatherings or small dinner parties.

Serving size: Serves 4

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients Needed:

• 16 large cremini mushrooms stems removed
• 4 ounces crab meat
• 4 ounces shrimp finely chopped
• 4 ounces cream cheese softened
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 2 tablespoons chopped chives
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

How to Make It:

1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Brush mushroom caps with olive oil and place on a baking sheet.
2. In a bowl combine crab, chopped shrimp, cream cheese, Parmesan, garlic, and chives. Season lightly.
3. Fill each mushroom cap with the mixture and press gently.
4. Bake 18 to 20 minutes until mushrooms are tender and tops are golden. Serve warm.

Optional Enhancers (include 1–2 per recipe):

Serving Idea: Serve alongside a crisp citrusy salad to cut through the richness.

5. Spicy Shrimp and Crab Tacos with Mango Slaw

Why You’ll Love It:

Tacos offer an easy way to showcase both shrimp and crab with bright contrasting flavors. The mango slaw adds sweetness and crunch, making these a fun weeknight meal or party finger food.

Serving size: Serves 4

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 8 minutes

Total Time: 28 minutes

Ingredients Needed:

• 12 small corn tortillas warmed
• 8 ounces shrimp peeled and deveined
• 6 ounces crab meat
• 1 cup shredded mango slaw (mango cabbage mix)
• 1 tablespoon taco seasoning
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup crema or sour cream
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• Cilantro for garnish

How to Make It:

1. Toss shrimp with taco seasoning and olive oil. Sear in a hot skillet 2 to 3 minutes per side until just cooked.
2. Warm tortillas and layer with mango slaw.
3. Add shrimp and scatter crab meat on top. Mix crema with lime juice and drizzle over tacos.
4. Garnish with cilantro and serve with lime wedges.

Optional Enhancers (include 1–2 per recipe):

Swap This With That: Swap corn tortillas for flour tortillas or lettuce leaves for a lower carb option.

6. Shrimp and Crab Fried Rice

Why You’ll Love It:

Fried rice is a great weeknight rescue for leftover rice and a small amount of seafood feels more luxurious than it costs. It cooks quickly and everyone loves the savory bits and bites of shrimp and crab.

Serving size: Serves 4

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients Needed:

• 4 cups cooked day old jasmine rice
• 8 ounces shrimp peeled and diced
• 6 ounces crab meat
• 2 eggs beaten
• 1 cup frozen peas and carrots thawed
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 2 green onions sliced

How to Make It:

1. Heat a wok or large skillet over high heat with sesame oil. Add shrimp and cook 2 minutes until just pink. Remove.
2. Add a touch more oil and scramble eggs, then push to the side.
3. Add rice, peas and carrots, and soy sauce, stir fry until hot and slightly crisp.
4. Stir shrimp and crab back in and toss with green onions. Serve immediately.

Optional Enhancers (include 1–2 per recipe):

Budget-Friendly Tip: Use canned crab meat or a smaller amount of lump crab and stretch with more shrimp and vegetables.

7. New England Style Shrimp and Crab Chowder

Why You’ll Love It:

This chowder is warming and creamy with big seafood flavor. It’s a great way to use frozen or fresh seafood in a comforting bowl that doubles well as a lunch the next day.

Serving size: Serves 4

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients Needed:

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 onion diced
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 2 cups diced potatoes
• 3 cups seafood stock
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 8 ounces shrimp peeled and chopped
• 6 ounces crab meat
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons chopped chives

How to Make It:

1. Melt butter in a pot, sauté onion and garlic until soft. Add potatoes and stock, simmer until potatoes are tender about 15 minutes.
2. Stir in cream and bring to a gentle simmer. Add shrimp and cook 3 to 4 minutes.
3. Fold in crab meat and heat just until warmed through. Season and serve garnished with chives and crusty bread.

Optional Enhancers (include 1–2 per recipe):

Flavor Boost: Add a splash of dry sherry or white wine to the pot before adding cream for depth.

8. Garlic Butter Shrimp and Crab Skillet

Why You’ll Love It:

This is quick, buttery, and fragrant. It works for a weeknight family dinner or an intimate meal, and the skillet presentation is rustic and inviting.

Serving size: Serves 4

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients Needed:

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 12 ounces shrimp peeled and deveined
• 8 ounces crab meat
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
• Salt and pepper to taste

How to Make It:

1. Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat and cook garlic until fragrant 30 seconds.
2. Add shrimp and sear 2 minutes per side until opaque.
3. Add crab meat, lemon juice and parsley, gently toss to warm crab.
4. Season and serve straight from the skillet with bread for dipping.

Optional Enhancers (include 1–2 per recipe):

Serving Idea: Offer with warm garlic bread or a side of buttered new potatoes.

9. Shrimp and Crab Avocado Salad Bowls

Why You’ll Love It:

Light and fresh, these salad bowls pair creamy avocado with sweet seafood for a healthy lunch or dinner. They feel bright and are great for spring and summer days.

Serving size: Serves 2

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 0 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients Needed:

• 2 ripe avocados halved and pitted
• 8 ounces cooked shrimp chopped
• 6 ounces crab meat
• 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes quartered
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
• Salt and pepper to taste

How to Make It:

1. In a bowl toss shrimp, crab, tomatoes, lime juice, cilantro, salt, and pepper.
2. Spoon the mixture into avocado halves and serve immediately.

Optional Enhancers (include 1–2 per recipe):

Meal Prep Tip: Prepare the seafood mixture ahead and keep chilled, then fill avocados just before serving to prevent browning.

10. Baked Shrimp and Crab Dip

Why You’ll Love It:

Warm, bubbly, and scoopable, this dip is perfect for parties or cozy nights in. It pairs well with sliced baguette, crackers, or veggie sticks and is reliably crowd-pleasing.

Serving size: Serves 6

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients Needed:

• 8 ounces cream cheese softened
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese divided
• 8 ounces crab meat
• 8 ounces cooked chopped shrimp
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika

How to Make It:

1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Mix cream cheese, mayonnaise, sour cream, Worcestershire, and half the cheddar until smooth.
2. Fold in crab and shrimp gently, then transfer to a baking dish. Top with remaining cheddar and paprika.
3. Bake 18 to 20 minutes until bubbly and golden. Serve hot.

Optional Enhancers (include 1–2 per recipe):

Swap This With That: Swap cheddar for Gruyere or fontina for a nuttier flavor.

11. Tempura Shrimp and Crab Hand Rolls

Why You’ll Love It:

Hand rolls are playful and customizable. Light tempura batter gives shrimp a crisp texture while crab adds flakiness. They are great for a casual sushi night at home.

Serving size: Serves 4

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients Needed:

• 8 nori sheets cut in half lengthwise
• 1 cup sushi rice cooked
• 8 tempura shrimp prepared
• 6 ounces crab meat
• 1 small cucumber cut into thin strips
• 1/4 cup spicy mayo for drizzling

How to Make It:

1. Prepare tempura shrimp according to package or batter fry fresh shrimp until crisp.
2. Lay nori sheet, spread a thin layer of sushi rice, leaving top edge clear.
3. Add shrimp, crab, and cucumber, then roll into a cone shape sealing with a touch of rice.
4. Drizzle spicy mayo and serve immediately.

Optional Enhancers (include 1–2 per recipe):

Personal Note: Hand rolls are a favorite at home because they feel interactive and everyone gets to build their own.

12. Shrimp and Crab Paella

Why You’ll Love It:

Paella is a showstopper with layered flavors. Combining shrimp and crab makes the dish sumptuous, and the saffron-scented rice is a satisfying canvas for the seafood.

Serving size: Serves 6

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 1 hours

Ingredients Needed:

• 2 cups paella rice or short grain rice
• 4 cups seafood stock
• 1 pinch saffron threads steeped in 2 tablespoons warm water
• 12 large shrimp shell on
• 1 pound crab legs split
• 1 onion diced
• 1 red pepper sliced
• 2 tomatoes grated
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

How to Make It:

1. Heat oil in a paella pan, sauté onion and red pepper until softened. Add grated tomato and cook down.
2. Stir in rice to coat with oil, then add stock and saffron water. Simmer without stirring for 15 minutes.
3. Nestle shrimp and crab into the rice, continue cooking until rice is tender and seafood is cooked about 10 to 15 minutes.
4. Remove from heat, cover with a towel and rest 5 minutes before serving with lemon wedges.

Optional Enhancers (include 1–2 per recipe):

Best Pairings: Serve with a crisp green salad and chilled white wine or iced tea.

13. Grilled Shrimp and Crab Skewers with Herb Marinade

Why You’ll Love It:

Skewers are fun for grilling season and let you combine textures of shrimp and chunks of crab meat or claw meat. The herb marinade is fragrant and keeps the seafood moist on the grill.

Serving size: Serves 4

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 8 minutes

Total Time: 23 minutes

Ingredients Needed:

• 12 large shrimp peeled and deveined
• 1 pound crab meat or chunky crab pieces
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
• 1 tablespoon chopped basil
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• Salt and pepper to taste

How to Make It:

1. Mix olive oil, parsley, basil, garlic, and lemon juice to make a marinade. Toss shrimp and crab gently and marinate 10 minutes.
2. Thread shrimp and crab onto skewers.
3. Grill over medium high heat 2 to 3 minutes per side until shrimp are opaque and grill marks appear. Brush with marinade while grilling.
4. Serve hot with lemon.

Optional Enhancers (include 1–2 per recipe):

Flavor Boost: Add a teaspoon of smoked paprika to the marinade for warm smoky notes.

FAQ

Q: Can I use frozen shrimp and crab in these recipes?

A: Yes. Thaw frozen seafood in the refrigerator overnight or under cold running water for faster thawing. Pat dry before cooking to avoid extra moisture.

Q: How do I prevent shrimp from getting rubbery?

A: Cook shrimp just until they turn opaque and curl slightly. Overcooking is the usual cause of rubbery texture, so watch them closely and remove from heat as soon as they are done.

Q: Do I need to use both shrimp and crab in every recipe?

A: Each recipe is designed to highlight both, but you can substitute one if you prefer. The instructions include a swap option for several dishes.

Q: Is there a simple way to store leftovers?

A: Keep leftover seafood dishes in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat gently to avoid overcooking.

Conclusion

Combining shrimp and crab gives you a double dose of sweet, briny seafood flavor that lifts familiar dishes into something a little more special. These recipes range from quick weeknight meals to festive spreads, and each one is forgiving enough to encourage experimentation. Try a few, make notes on what your household prefers, and don’t be afraid to swap herbs, spices, or presentation. Cooking with seafood can feel intimidating at first, but with these approachable recipes you’ll build confidence and a few new favorite meals.