Total Time: 20 min
Servings: 8 servings
From the Recipe Creator: These boats are wonderful with tortilla chips, beans or rice. You can also cover them, pack them on ice, and take them to a picnic or potluck. Straight from the oven or cold, they’re always delicious. —Frances Benthin, Scio, Oregon
Ingredients for Crab-Stuffed Avocado
Avocados: The ultimate avocados for filling with crab are ripe but not overly soft or bruised. When you peel and halve the avocados, choose the two not-quite-as-perfect or softest halves to make the filling. Later you’ll stuff the other eight.
Mayonnaise: Whether you use one of the best mayonnaise brands or homemade mayo, the ingredient helps hold the crab filling together and adds a bit of tanginess and texture.
Lemon juice and lemon wedges: With many creamy, spicy and almost sweet ingredients, adding a zesty bit of acid is always a good idea. Lemon juice is a natural pairing with the crab, of course, but it also keeps the avocado from browning as quickly. Serve crab-stuffed avocados with lemon wedges so your guests can add a squeeze (or not) as a last touch.
Lump crabmeat: There are as many types of lump crabmeat as there are crab recipes out there! Look for super lump crabmeat for bigger, tastier pieces. It is sometimes found in plastic containers in the refrigerated section of your grocery store. Canned crab is a terrific budget-friendly option. We love using canned crab in this stuffed avocado with crab recipe because it flakes nicely and has a great texture for the salad filling. Helpful hint: Rinse your canned lump crabmeat in water or milk to remove the canning brine.
Fresh cilantro: A bright green herb like cilantro brings out the spice of the peppers and onions, and it gives the mix a pop of color. Don’t like cilantro? Skip it and use fresh parsley instead.
Chives: While small in size, chopped chives are a powerhouse of subtle onion flavor.
Serrano pepper: Earthy, grassy and packed with spice, don’t underestimate the punch of these peppers. Usually considered twice as hot as jalapenos, be sure to use gloves when handling serrano peppers (and avoid touching your face!).
Capers: What is a caper? These savory, edible flower buds are pickled in brine so they add a salty and lemony element, just as green olives might.
Pepper: Cracked pepper from a good pepper grinder gives our filling one extra touch of spice and accentuates all the other spice elements.
Pepper jack cheese: The mildly spicy cheese melts superbly on top of the crab-stuffed avocados.
Paprika: Paprika has an earthy sweetness that enhances the crab filling and avocado.
Directions
Step 1: Make the filling
Preheat your broiler. Place two peeled avocado halves in a large bowl and mash them lightly with a fork. Add mayonnaise and lemon juice; mix until well blended. Stir in the crab, 3 tablespoons cilantro, chives, serrano pepper, capers and pepper. Spoon the mixture into the remaining eight peeled avocado halves.
Editor’s Tip: Peeling avocados can be a pain. I like to take a big spoon, get as close to the skin as possible and scoop out the half all in one go. It does take some practice, but you can use your first attempts in the filling if they aren’t exactly right.
Step 2: Broil the avocado halves
Transfer the avocado halves to a 15x10x1-inch baking pan. Sprinkle with cheese and paprika. Broil the filled avocado halves 4 to 5 inches from the heat until the cheese melts, three to five minutes. Sprinkle with remaining cilantro. Serve warm stuffed avocados with lemon wedges or squeeze the lemon wedges over the tops as a finishing touch.
Recipe Variations
Use fake crab: The fake crab in most California rolls is called surimi and is made by processing whitefish to seem like crab. It is sweet and tender, and you will never run into shells. It’s a great way to get that distinct crab flavor without splurging on fresh lump crabmeat.
Make it less spicy: This recipe packs some heat! If you want to reduce the spice level, replace the serrano peppers with sweet peppers or remove them altogether.
Reduce the mayo: Some folks like their crab salad less creamy. Feel free to find the right texture and amount to your taste by starting with 1/4 cup mayo and adding a bit at a time.
Try shrimp: All these flavors and ingredients are also a match for shrimp. Frozen precooked shrimp is easy to find; just chop it into smaller pieces after removing the tail and then follow the recipe as is. If you want to try a different spin, make this shrimp salad recipe and serve it in avocados.
Prep avocado toast: Turn this crab-stuffed avocado recipe into avocado toast. Smooth a layer of avocado on a slice of your favorite bread, add the crab salad and cheese, and broil for three minutes.
Nutrition Facts: 1 filled avocado half: 325 calories, 28g fat (6g saturated fat), 57mg cholesterol, 427mg sodium, 8g carbohydrate (0 sugars, 6g fiber), 13g protein.
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