Seafood Crepes With Béchamel Sauce Recipe

I share a little-known trick that gives my Seafood Crepes with Béchamel Sauce an unexpectedly refined finish.

Bring a taste of gourmet dining home with these elegant Seafood Crepes with Béchamel Sauce. I remember the first time I rolled one up, thinking crepes were beyond me, but the silky béchamel and briny seafood made it click, and now I keep making them when I want to impress without fuss.

The thin crepe relies on simple staples like all purpose flour and eggs, yet it feels fancy. I serve them when friends expect Seafood Crepes that look restaurant-level, and they work great as Elegant Party Food too.

Try it once and you’ll start planning excuses to make them again.

Ingredients

• Shrimp: Lean protein, low in calories, good source of iodine and B12.
• Lump crab meat: Tender, sweet crab adds protein and heart healthy omega 3s, yum.
• Bay scallops: Small but mighty, scallops give protein and a delicate, slightly sweet taste.
• Eggs: Bind crepes, give protein and fat, vitamins D and B, theyre versatile.
• All purpose flour: Makes thin tender crepes, mostly carbs and some iron, not much fiber.
• Whole milk: Adds richness, calcium and vitamin A, adds mild sweetness and fat.
• Unsalted butter: Gives buttery flavor and moisture, mostly saturated fat, great for browning.
• Gruyere or Parmesan: Sharp cheesy note, melts smooth in béchamel, adds salt and depth.
• Lemon juice: Brightens seafood, adds tang, vitamin C, cuts through richness nicely.

Ingredient Quantities

• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/4 cups whole milk
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 tablespoons melted butter plus extra for cooking
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar (optional)
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter (for béchamel)
• 3 tablespoons all purpose flour (for béchamel)
• 1 1/4 cups whole milk (for béchamel)
• 1/4 cup grated Gruyere or Parmesan
• Pinch of grated nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon white pepper or black pepper
• 8 ounces shrimp peeled and deveined
• 8 ounces lump crab meat
• 4 ounces bay scallops
• 1 small shallot finely minced
• 1 garlic clove minced
• 1/4 cup dry white wine (optional)
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• Chopped chives or extra parsley for garnish
• Lemon wedges to serve

How to Make this

1. Make the crepe batter: whisk 1 cup all purpose flour, 2 large eggs, 1 1/4 cups whole milk, 1/4 cup water, 2 tablespoons melted butter, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon granulated sugar (optional) until smooth; strain if you want extra silky crepes, cover and rest at room temp for 30 minutes so the gluten relaxes.

2. While batter rests, make the béchamel: melt 3 tablespoons unsalted butter in a saucepan over medium heat, stir in 3 tablespoons flour and cook 1 to 2 minutes until pale and nutty smelling but not brown, then slowly whisk in 1 1/4 cups whole milk so no lumps form; simmer gently until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

3. Finish the béchamel: remove from heat, stir in 1/4 cup grated Gruyere or Parmesan, a pinch of grated nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon white or black pepper and salt to taste; keep warm on very low heat, stir occasionally so it doesn’t skin over.

4. Cook the crepes: heat a small nonstick skillet over medium, brush with a little extra butter, pour about 1/4 cup batter and swirl to coat thin, cook 30–45 seconds until edges lift, flip and cook 10–20 seconds; stack on a plate and cover with a towel to keep soft, repeat until batter is used (you should get about 8 crepes).

5. Prep the seafood: pat 8 ounces shrimp and 4 ounces bay scallops dry, season lightly with salt and pepper; keep 8 ounces lump crab meat flaked and cold so it doesn’t break apart during cooking.

6. Sauté aromatics and seafood: melt a tablespoon of butter in a skillet over medium-high, add 1 small minced shallot and 1 minced garlic clove and cook until fragrant (30–60 seconds), add shrimp and scallops and cook just until they turn opaque, about 2–3 minutes total so they don’t get rubbery.

7. Deglaze and finish seafood: add 1/4 cup dry white wine (optional) and let reduce a minute, stir in 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice and 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, remove from heat and fold in the cold lump crab meat gently so it warms but stays chunky; taste and adjust salt and pepper.

8. Combine seafood with béchamel: fold the cooked seafood mixture into the béchamel sauce, keeping a few nicer pieces aside if you want to place on top; the filling should be creamy but not soupy, add a splash more milk if needed.

9. Assemble the crepes: spoon 3 to 4 tablespoons of the seafood béchamel into each crepe, fold or roll them up, place seam side down in a shallow baking dish, spoon a little extra béchamel over each and sprinkle with extra grated cheese if you like.

10. Finish and serve: bake at 375 F for 8–10 minutes or broil briefly until bubbling and golden on top, garnish with chopped chives or extra parsley and lemon wedges, serve hot — enjoy while the crepes are still silky and warm.

Equipment Needed

1. Large mixing bowl and whisk
2. Measuring cups and spoons (dont forget the 1/4 cup)
3. Fine-mesh sieve or strainer (optional for extra-silky batter)
4. Small nonstick skillet and a flexible spatula
5. Saucepan and a whisk for the béchamel
6. Small sauté skillet plus tongs or a wooden spoon for the seafood
7. Shallow baking dish and oven mitts
8. Cutting board, chef’s knife and a microplane or box grater; 1/4-cup measure or ladle for pouring batter

FAQ

Seafood Crepes With Béchamel Sauce Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• All purpose flour: swap with a 1:1 gluten free all purpose blend (add 1/4 tsp xanthan gum if the blend is gum free), or use pastry flour for lighter, more tender crepes. Buckwheat is great for a savory, earthy crepe but it will change the flavor a lot.
• Whole milk: use equal parts half and half thinned with a tablespoon of water, or try unsweetened oat or soy milk (stir in 1 tbsp melted butter to mimic the creaminess of whole milk).
• Grated Gruyere or Parmesan: use fontina, asiago, or mild white cheddar if you cant find Gruyere. If you pick a saltier cheese like pecorino, ease up on the added salt.
• Shrimp / lump crab / bay scallops: substitute with cooked lobster meat, smoked salmon, or firm cooked white fish like cod or haddock. If you use smoked salmon cut back on lemon and salt, and if you use raw fish make sure to cook it just until done so it doesn’t get rubbery.

Pro Tips

– Let the crepe batter rest and strain it if you can, it really makes them silky. If you chill the batter overnight, bring it back to room temp before cooking so the butter softens again. Dont overmix after resting, just give it a gentle stir — you want bubbles gone but gluten relaxed.

– For the béchamel use warm milk and whisk slowly into the roux so you dont get lumps. Keep it on the lowest heat once thick, and press a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface to stop a skin forming while you finish other prep. Add the cheese off the heat so the sauce stays smooth and doesn’t get grainy.

– Cook shrimp and scallops very briefly so they stay tender, they will keep cooking in the oven. Pat everything dry and season lightly, then fold the cold lump crab in at the end so it stays chunky. If you used wine, let it reduce enough to lose the boozy edge or the filling will taste sharp.

– Assemble them loose not soupy and dont overfill, that way rolling is easy and they reheat evenly. You can assemble ahead and refrigerate until service, then bake uncovered to warm through and then broil a few seconds to brown the tops, watch it close though, it goes from golden to burnt fast. Finish with lemon right before eating for brightness.

Seafood Crepes With Béchamel Sauce Recipe

Recipe by Tina Simpson

0.0 from 0 votes

I share a little-known trick that gives my Seafood Crepes with Béchamel Sauce an unexpectedly refined finish.

Pin

Servings

4

servings

Calories

578

kcal

Equipment: 1. Large mixing bowl and whisk
2. Measuring cups and spoons (dont forget the 1/4 cup)
3. Fine-mesh sieve or strainer (optional for extra-silky batter)
4. Small nonstick skillet and a flexible spatula
5. Saucepan and a whisk for the béchamel
6. Small sauté skillet plus tongs or a wooden spoon for the seafood
7. Shallow baking dish and oven mitts
8. Cutting board, chef’s knife and a microplane or box grater; 1/4-cup measure or ladle for pouring batter

Ingredients

• 1 cup all purpose flour

• 2 large eggs

• 1 1/4 cups whole milk

• 1/4 cup water

• 2 tablespoons melted butter plus extra for cooking

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar (optional)

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter (for béchamel)

• 3 tablespoons all purpose flour (for béchamel)

• 1 1/4 cups whole milk (for béchamel)

• 1/4 cup grated Gruyere or Parmesan

• Pinch of grated nutmeg

• 1/4 teaspoon white pepper or black pepper

• 8 ounces shrimp peeled and deveined

• 8 ounces lump crab meat

• 4 ounces bay scallops

• 1 small shallot finely minced

• 1 garlic clove minced

• 1/4 cup dry white wine (optional)

• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

• Salt and black pepper to taste

• Chopped chives or extra parsley for garnish

• Lemon wedges to serve

Directions

• Make the crepe batter: whisk 1 cup all purpose flour, 2 large eggs, 1 1/4 cups whole milk, 1/4 cup water, 2 tablespoons melted butter, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon granulated sugar (optional) until smooth; strain if you want extra silky crepes, cover and rest at room temp for 30 minutes so the gluten relaxes.
• While batter rests, make the béchamel: melt 3 tablespoons unsalted butter in a saucepan over medium heat, stir in 3 tablespoons flour and cook 1 to 2 minutes until pale and nutty smelling but not brown, then slowly whisk in 1 1/4 cups whole milk so no lumps form; simmer gently until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
• Finish the béchamel: remove from heat, stir in 1/4 cup grated Gruyere or Parmesan, a pinch of grated nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon white or black pepper and salt to taste; keep warm on very low heat, stir occasionally so it doesn't skin over.
• Cook the crepes: heat a small nonstick skillet over medium, brush with a little extra butter, pour about 1/4 cup batter and swirl to coat thin, cook 30–45 seconds until edges lift, flip and cook 10–20 seconds; stack on a plate and cover with a towel to keep soft, repeat until batter is used (you should get about 8 crepes).
• Prep the seafood: pat 8 ounces shrimp and 4 ounces bay scallops dry, season lightly with salt and pepper; keep 8 ounces lump crab meat flaked and cold so it doesn't break apart during cooking.
• Sauté aromatics and seafood: melt a tablespoon of butter in a skillet over medium-high, add 1 small minced shallot and 1 minced garlic clove and cook until fragrant (30–60 seconds), add shrimp and scallops and cook just until they turn opaque, about 2–3 minutes total so they don't get rubbery.
• Deglaze and finish seafood: add 1/4 cup dry white wine (optional) and let reduce a minute, stir in 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice and 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, remove from heat and fold in the cold lump crab meat gently so it warms but stays chunky; taste and adjust salt and pepper.
• Combine seafood with béchamel: fold the cooked seafood mixture into the béchamel sauce, keeping a few nicer pieces aside if you want to place on top; the filling should be creamy but not soupy, add a splash more milk if needed.
• Assemble the crepes: spoon 3 to 4 tablespoons of the seafood béchamel into each crepe, fold or roll them up, place seam side down in a shallow baking dish, spoon a little extra béchamel over each and sprinkle with extra grated cheese if you like.
• Finish and serve: bake at 375 F for 8–10 minutes or broil briefly until bubbling and golden on top, garnish with chopped chives or extra parsley and lemon wedges, serve hot — enjoy while the crepes are still silky and warm.

Notes

• Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.

Nutrition Facts

• Serving Size: 400g
• Total number of serves: 4
• Calories: 578kcal
• Fat: 33.3g
• Saturated Fat: 19.1g
• Trans Fat: 0.15g
• Polyunsaturated: 1.5g
• Monounsaturated: 7.5g
• Cholesterol: 278mg
• Sodium: 500mg
• Potassium: 500mg
• Carbohydrates: 35g
• Fiber: 0.8g
• Sugar: 3g
• Protein: 39g
• Vitamin A: 500IU
• Vitamin C: 2.5mg
• Calcium: 225mg
• Iron: 1.5mg