When I get hungry for seafood, but have a tight grocery budget, I make Imitation Crab Au Gratin. It’s a recipe my family always made at special occasions. It’s delicious, and surprisingly easy to make. This dish consists of imitation crab meat, a cream-based sauce, topped with cheese and breadcrumbs. We’ve always eaten this as a main dish, but it can even be enjoyed as a appetizer if served with sturdy crackers.
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What is imitation crab meat?
If you’ve never tried it, imitation crab meat is primarily made from fish like Alaska polluck and Pacific whiting. It does contain some crab meat, but usually less than 2%. While it doesn’t taste exactly like crab, it is a tasty substitute and it is much cheaper. Imitation crab meat is about $5 for 1.5 lb, but a pound of canned lump crab meat costs about $22.
Personally, I think imitation crab meat is tasty enough to heat up and eat dipped in butter! I still love real crab meat, but let’s face it, in our home that’s definitely a rare luxury. So I get out the saucepan and the imitation crab meat and make Imitation Crab Au Gratin.
Crab Au Gratin is a Simple, Quick Meal
If you need some quick meals for busy weeknights, crab au gratin is one of my go to’s. It takes 30 minutes or less to make, or you can even make it ahead. Imitation crab meat freezes well in its original packaging. I like to keep it in my freezer at all times. When it’s time to cook imitation crab au gratin, it defrosts quickly. Or, if there are no leftovers to pack for work lunches, I’ll toss a package of imitation crab meat in my lunch box. Heat it in the microwave at work, and I’m all set.
For an easy side to go with crab au gratin, whip up some Bisquick cheddar bay biscuits. These biscuits are also quick to make. While they aren’t as light and fluffy as Red Lobster’s rolls, they have a great flavor. They’re a big hit with our family! If you want, check out my Review of 8 Homemade Bisquick Recipes. Bisquick is time saving, but it can be pricey. Making a homemade version helps me save a bit of money while still having the convenience of a baking mix.
Instructions
To make imitation crab au gratin, melt butter in the pan. Dice onion and sautee in butter until tender. Add your flour, milk, crab meat, and salt to the saucepan. I sometimes like to whisk my flour into the milk before pouring it into the pan to make sure I don’t have any flour lumps!
You can buy any type of imitation crab meat you want, but I like Flake Style. The reason being that you don’t have to cut the imitation crab meat before cooking. Just toss it in and cook.
Continue to cook over medium heat until crab mixture begins to thicken up. I prefer to have it pretty thick before placing into the baking dish, because we eat it on it’s own as an entree. However, if you would like to use this recipe as a dip, you may want to stop cooking sooner so that the consistency is less thick for easy dipping. No matter how you make this recipe, you will still need sturdy crackers for dipping.
Once the imitation crab au gratin is thickened, pour it into a greased baking dish. Sprinkle shredded cheese and then bread crumbs over the top.
At this point, if you are preparing this for a future meal, stop and refrigerate or freeze. When you’re ready to bake it, a frozen crab au gratin will need to defrost in the refrigerator first. From the refrigerator, bake until heated throughout, usually 20-30 minutes. Time will vary depending on the size of the baking dish you use. A smaller dish and thicker crab au gratin will require more bake time.
I hope your family enjoys this recipe as much as ours does! Have any favorite meals for busy weeknights? Share them with me in the comments below!
Imitation Crab Au Gratin
Ingredients
- 3 Tbsp butter
- 1/2 onion, chopped
- 3 Tbsp flour
- 2 1/2 cups milk
- 2 cups imitation crab meat (1 lb)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- bread crumbs
Instructions
- Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion to pan and cook 5 minutes until onions are tender
- Add flour, milk, crab meat, and salt to saucepan. Cook 10 minutes until it begins to thicken
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Grease a baking dish, and pour crab mixture into baking dish
- Sprinkle with shredded cheese and bread crumbs
- Bake until cheese is browned
Notes
