Stuffed Flounder Recipe

There are plenty of fish in the sea, but one of the tastiest types happens to be flounder. We absolutely love how flaky this fish is when cooked, and the taste is so fresh and so delicious. This stuffed flounder recipe is excellent if you're looking for lighter fare but still want a little indulgence. Simply load the flounder with a tasty cracker mixture that features crab and a few spices to add some serious flavor. Of course, it also includes a squeeze of lemon, because what fish recipe is complete without it?

Recipe developer Stephanie Rapone came up with this fantastic stuffed flounder recipe that is truly every seafood lover's dream. "This recipe is a very simple way to make fish, and it looks so fancy. Cooking fish in a skillet can be tricky because you can easily over or undercook it, but with this recipe, getting it cooked just right is easy, and the filling keeps it from drying out," she shares. She also revealed her great inspiration for this stuffed flounder: "This recipe reminds me of going out to eat with my grandmother. She loved any sort of seafood and almost always ordered whatever the stuffed fish was and shrimp scampi." Not only will this recipe taste delicious, but it may just strike a sentimental note, too!

For this recipe, you'll need flounder filets, crab meat, saltine crackers, paprika, garlic powder, Worcestershire sauce, an egg, lemon, butter, and kosher salt — that's it!

Since you need to use your oven for this recipe, preheat it to 350 F right away. In the meantime, start the prep work by grabbing your saltine crackers. To crush them, Rapone recommends putting them in a plastic bag with a zipper and crushing them in the bag with a measuring cup, rolling pin, or big spoon.

Pour the crushed crackers into a bowl and season them with ¼ teaspoon of paprika, salt, and garlic powder. Use a fork to stir. Then, add Worcestershire sauce, the egg, and mayonnaise, and stir to combine.

Grab the lemon and cut it in half. Squeeze one half of the lemon into a bowl to make lemon juice. Add the liquid to the cracker mixture and stir to combine with a fork. This adds a nice citrus flavor to the mix. Don't discard the other half of the lemon — simply cut it into four wedges for serving. 

Drain the crab meat to remove any excess liquid. Then pick through it, removing any shells or cartilage and discarding them in the trash. "I like the crab that you buy in the seafood section in the containers (not the canned crab in the aisle of the store)," Rapone notes. "It is already cooked and picked from the crab for you, but doesn't go through the same preservation process as the crab in the aisle. Fresh would also work great, just more work!" Next, add the crab to the cracker mixture and stir to combine.

Add the butter to a bowl and microwave until it is melted. Brush about half of the butter inside a 9x13-inch baking dish and save the rest; you'll need it in a moment.

Season each side of the flounder evenly with the remaining salt. Then, spoon the crab mixture evenly onto the top of the flounder fillets. Roll the fish, so the cracker mixture stays inside and place in a baking dish with the seam side down. This will prevent the fish from opening and cracker mixture from coming out. Pour any remaining melted butter over the flounder and add paprika on top if you wish.

Pop the fish into the preheated oven for about 20 to 25 minutes. You can check to make sure it's done cooking by using a thermometer and ensuring the temperature hits 140 F. You can also test to see if the flounder flakes easily with a fork, which is a good indicator that it's good to go. 

When you remove the fish from the oven, plate as you wish and add a squeeze of lemon. "This recipe is delicious with green beans sauteed in butter and garlic with a squeeze of lemon," Rapone shares.

If you have anything left, unfortunately, it's probably best to pitch it. "I don't recommend eating leftovers of this recipe, as reheating it will really change the texture — in a bad way," Rapone says.