This Jumbo Lump Crab Au Gratin recipe is incredible. Rich and a bit decadent…and all about the crab.
Pick yourself up some good quality lump crab meat (Gulf crab is amazing and so are Maryland blue crabs) at your local fish market and get ready to impress.
HOW TO MAKE JUMBO LUMP CRAB AU GRATIN
Making this dish is easy and fun! Watch us show you how to make one of the fanciest (but easiest) appetizers of all time!
We love Jumbo Lump Crab Au Gratin!
OTHER AMAZING CRAB DISHES
- Crab Beignets
- Southern Crab Cakes
- Sautéed Soft-Shell Crabs
- Crab Rangoon
- Crab and Spinach Dumplings
- Lump Crab and Tomato Salad
The ingredients in this amazing au gratin really help to elevate the star of the dish, which of course is the crab.
Every time we serve this dish to guests, it gets nothing but rave reviews. It’s really, really good.
HOW TO SELECT THE RIGHT TYPE OF CRAB MEAT FOR CRAB AU GRATIN
EXPERT TIP: Lump crab meat is a bit pricey, so I usually go with a mix of lump crab and regular crab meat.
But, always go with quality.
Be sure to pick the crab over to remove any excess cartilage. I usually do this twice, just to make sure.
This sauce is rich and creamy, and the perfect compliment to the fresh crab.
Just place the crab in the bottom of the pan, and then pour that amazing sauce right on top.
Oh, yes…here we go.
Top it off with a combination of your favorite types of creamy, melting cheese.
USE A GOOD MELTING CHEESE, SUCH AS FONTINA, FOR CRAB AU GRATIN
Our favorite is a blend of Gruyere and Fontina. But, Monterey Jack, or Emmentaler, or even mozzarella will work. To learn all about the amazing History of Cheese, read this awesome article from the National Historic Cheesemaking Center.
And we love to serve these in individual cast iron skillets. But you can also use 1 large skillet when serving a group. It’s is beautiful in presentation, too!
Make this dish and be prepared for lots of ‘oohs’ and ‘ahh’s’. It’s not for the faint of heart, and one serving is a wonderful appetizer, probably for 2 – 4 people.
But, boy oh boy, is it good.. Crab lovers rejoice!
What’s not to love with jumbo lump crab meat, Gruyere cheese and a little Cayenne for good measure?
Sinfully good!
Another one of our most favorite crab dishes is our incredible Southern Crab Cakes. It’s one of our most popular dishes on the site!
Now, it’s time to make this amazing Jumbo Lump Crab Au Gratin recipe! And don’t forget to take a picture, post it to Instagram and tag @howtofeedaloon and #howtofeedaloon
Jumbo Lump Crab Au Gratin
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter 1 stick
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 1 celery rib finely chopped
- 2 tbsp green onions sliced, save some for garnish
- 1 cloves garlic minced
- 2 large egg yolks slightly beaten
- 1 12 oz. can evaporated milk
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- Juice of one lemon
- 1 tsp hot sauce
- 1 tsp Kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup Gruyere cheese grated
- 1/2 cup Fontina cheese grated
- 1 lb lump crab meat picked over for shells and cartilage
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 350°F.
- Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the onion, celery, green onions (white parts), and garlic, and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes.
- While the vegetables cook, vigorously whisk the egg yolks and evaporated milk together in a small bowl until well blended; set aside.
- Add the flour to the skillet, and blend well into the vegetables to create a white roux; be sure to not let the flour brown. About 2 minutes.
- Using a whisk, add the milk mixture, stirring constantly to blend into the roux mixture.
- Stir in the lemon juice, hot sauce, salt, cayenne, and black pepper, and continue to stir for another 4 - 5 minutes. (if sauce seems too thick, add a little water or milk to thin...should be the consistency of thick creamed soup).
- Remove from the heat, and fold in half the cheese; blend until it is totally melted and fully incorporated.
- Gently divide the crab meat among four mini oven-proof casseroles, or iron serving dishes; trying not to break up the crab lumps. Or, pour into 1 large cast iron skillet, or 8"x8" baking dish.
- Pour the cheese sauce over the crab, and then sprinkle with the remaining grated cheese on top.
- Bake until bubbly, about 15 minutes, then reset the oven for broil, and broil until the cheese begins to brown, about 5 minutes (keep an eye on this...don't let it burn!!).
- Remove from the oven, sprinkle with the green onions (green parts), and serve at once!
Notes
Nutrition
rab
I’m looking forward to making this this but know I’ll have leftovers. How would you reheat it? Thanks,
Cindy
Hi Cindy! So sorry for the delayed response! You can cover with foil and then reheat in a 350°F oven until warmed through, about 20 minutes. Hope this helps and please let us know if you make the au gratin and how it turns out! Best, Kris & Wesley
Seen your video on youtube, then looked for a crab au gratin recipe in google, read a few and ended up using your recipe. Glad i did.. it was awesome, i cleaned my crab shells, boiled them and used it for plates!! Great presentation to.
Hi Carol! We are so glad you saw us on YouTube! And we are THRILLED that you loved the crab au gratin! Sounds like you prepared it perfectly! Thanks so much for sharing! And if you haven’t already, we hope you will subscribe to our YouTube Channel:
This looks like it would be good over rice.
This sounds great but my husband is deathly allergic to eggs. Can I leave them out or substitute something for them?
Hi Lynn! So so sorry for the delayed response! We haven’t tried doing this for this recipe, but you should be able to substitute 1/2 cup of whole milk yogurt for the egg and still have a luxurious dish. Hope this helps and please let us know if you make the au gratin and how it turns out! Best, Kris & Wesley
Imma try this. My niece made us something similar when we visited her in New Orleans. I’ve been looking for a recipe like hers. I’m still nagging her for a recipe, but she lost her sight (she’s nearly blind), so she can’t find it. I will learn this recipe, so I can serve it to her on my next trip to the Big Easy.
Yay!!!! That sounds spectacular! If you like crab au gratin, we really think you are going to LOVE this recipe and hopefully so will your neice! Please keep us posted! All the best, Kris & Wesley
I had some shrimp I needed to cook and was bored with the meals I normally cook. I came across this recipe and followed it exactly as written but used shrimp instead of crabmeat. I did chop the shrimp up some first. It was so good!!!!!! Definitely going to cook again with crabmeat. This recipe is a keeper!
Yay!!! Shrimp would be wonderful in this recipe! We’re going to do that, too!! Thanks so much for sharing and for the GREAT review. That means the world to us!! All the best, Kris & Wesley
This is absolutely the best recipe I have ever done with jumbo lump crabmeat. It even beats Crabmeat Maison which was my previous favorite. It is easy to make and turns out perfectly every time. I always do it as the main entree. Crabmeaat has gotten so expensive but this casserole is worth it.
Hi Susan!! Woo hoo!! We are so so thrilled you are loving the crab au gratin! Crab is expensive, and we agree, it’s so worth the splurge on this dish. We can’t thank you enough for sharing with us! Stay in touch! Kris & Wesley
Made this 3 times and each time it is perfect and a rave with those who eat it.
Hi Heidi! That is music to our ears!! So so happy you are having success with the crab au gratin! We love it and love that you are a rock star every time you serve it. And thank you for letting us know and for the awesome review! We appreciate that so very much! All the best, Kris & Wesley
Where do you get the little Skillets from
Hi Phyllis! So so sorry for the delayed response. We actually got those a few years back at a fun kitchen place in Princeton, NJ. However, you can find them online from Amazon…these are very similar to what we use: https://amzn.to/3IynHJ8. Hope this helps and let us know if you make the au gratin and what you think!!! Best, Kris & Wesley
Hi, I made this for Thanksgiving and it was delicious! My husband felt that it was too lemony, however. Would you recommend that I decrease the amount of lemon juice or maybe substitute white wine for the lemon juice? Thanks!
Hi Deborah, you could cut the lemon in half, no problem. White wine would also be a great substitution. We hope that you and your loved ones had a beautiful Thanksgiving! Happy Holidays!
I haven’t made this yet, but the recipe alone made me almost drool on my keyboard… it’s going to be tried SOON. Unfortunately, we don’t have any good seafood/fish stores near us, so it’ll probably have to be canned lump crab (oh, the horror!). What caught my eye about this recipe is the use of evaporated milk rather than a cream or half & half… I’ve started to do that with almost all recipes, for my husband’s health. Not what I really want to do, but I have to do – for me, bring on the full fat!
Hi Beth!! You can find good-quality canned lump crab meat, no problem!! Trust us…it will still be DELICIOUS! Let us know if you make it and what you and your hubby think! We hope you love it as much as we do!! xoxo Kris & Wesley
Would this recipe work with a combination of scallops, shrimp and cod?
Thank you!
Hi John! Yes!! They would be a wonderful addition!! Let us know if you make it and what you think!! Best, Kris & Wesley
Howdy. What do I do if I wanted to add in shrimp to the recipe? And I presume it would be just fine to bake these in say All Clad ramekins if I chose? I’m trying to imitate a main course I had when I treated my mother for Valentine’s Day dinner.
Hi Paul! Check your email, I responded to your questions. Let us know if you still have any questions! Best, Kris & Wesley
Did you add raw shrimp or cooked shrimp?
In Kemah Texas, there was a restaurant called Clifton’s by the Sea. I was probably in my late teens, they severed crab Au Gratin. When I ate it the first time, I thought I died and went to heaven! Over the next few years, my Husband came with me there and eventually our children. A hurricane took it out along with my favorite dish I have ever ate. I am now in central Florida, much older and children are grown, but I missed this dish so much! I so appreciate being able to get a taste of Texas back, even if I had to use canned crab meat. My dinner was lovely and very close!
Hi Karla!! That’s the best thing we’ve heard in a while!! We are THRILLED you enjoyed the crab au gratin and we couldn’t be happier that it helped bring back the taste of Texas for you and your husband!!! Thank you so much for letting us know and for the GREAT reveiw! That truly means the world to us!! All the very best, Kris & Wesley
Can this dish be made ahead of time.
Hi Kay! Yes! You can make them a day in advance and then bake before serving. Let us know how they turn out!! Best, Kris & Wesley
This recipe is incredible! My mom used to make Crab Au Gratin when I was little, it was her special occasions dish and I loved it. My mom passed away last year and this was my first holiday season without her. Your recipe is absolutely perfect, brought back so many happy memories. I will totally be making this again. Thank you much!
Hi Angela!! You have no idea how much our hearts are filled with joy in reading your note!! That’s the joy of preparing, sharing, and loving good food. Such precious memories. We are thrilled this recipe did that for you and THANK YOU so much for letting us know. It really touched our hearts. Please stay in touch! All the very best, Kris & Wesley
AH-Mazing. Posted a photo on Facebook. This will be my go-to every time I have special dinner parties or want to impress my husband’s relatives! 😀 I have screen-shot at least 50 of your other recipes, Kris, and I am officially excited about cooking again! Thank you for what you do – and Wesley’s awesome camera skills make everything look as mouth watering as it is in person! Just watched the video after we finished cooking and the “slower” shots of hot sauce made us laugh out loud… My hubby has no sense of urgency in the kitchen and every task leaves me unintentionally tapping my foot! Baffling as he grew up in Boston and I in CT. LOL Will follow with appreciation and look forward to new, exciting recipes! Thanks for making our evening with this gem! Best to you both!
Hi Jessica!! Wow!! You have no idea how happy this makes us to hear!! We are thrilled you are enjoying our recipes and Wesley is smiling from ear to ear that you love his photography!! Thank you so much for your wonderfully kind words and for the great review!! That means the world to us!! Stay in touch!! All the best, Kris & Wesley
Hello Chef’s,
I am originally from Maryland and now live in San Antonio, Texas. As you know, Maryland is known for their jumbo lump blue crabs. Can’t find it in Texas. Would it be OK to substitute the king crab for the blue crab? I have no other choice and would love to make your recipe. We love crab.
Thanks, Barbara
Very nice recipe, only thing I did was used another half pound of crab, pulled traps so had plenty of fresh and doubled the smoked cheese. My 93 yr old mother loved it. Thank you.