Garlic Butter Crab and Shrimp Enchiladas in White Wine Cream Sauce Tips, FAQ & printable recipe

Tips for success

Char the lemon while the enchiladas bake so the timing lines up: set a small skillet over high heat, press the lemon wedge cut side down, and leave it alone for about a minute until dark marks form. The caramelized edge deepens the juice and makes the final squeeze taste rounder and less sharply sour. Keep the tongs handy; the wedge gets hot.

Shred the Monterey Jack from a block rather than buying pre-shredded when possible. Block cheese melts more smoothly because it lacks the anti-caking starch in bagged shreds, which can make the top slightly pasty.

If time is short, the bagged kind still works; just expect a marginally less glossy finish. Either way, scatter the top layer evenly so every enchilada gets its share of blistered, golden cheese.

Variations

• All-shrimp version: Swap the crab entirely for 1 lb diced shrimp and sauté it with the same garlic butter and Old Bay. The filling turns slightly more bouncy and sweet, and the dish comes together a little cheaper while keeping the same sauce and bake.
• Gruyère golden top: Replace the Monterey Jack with gruyère for a deeper, nutty flavor and an especially bubbling, browned top. Keep the same quantities and watch the last few minutes of baking, since gruyère colors faster than Jack.
• Spicy chipotle cream: Stir 1 tbsp minced chipotle in adobo into the finished cream sauce before pouring. The smoky heat plays against the sweet crab and turns the dish into something closer to a coastal enchiladas suizas.
• Corn tortilla version: Use 8 small corn tortillas instead of flour for a more traditional flavor and a slightly firmer roll. Warm them well first so they bend without cracking, and expect a heartier, earthier result.

Storage and make-ahead

Fridge

Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 2 days; the sauce thickens as it chills.

Freezer

Freeze baked enchiladas, tightly wrapped, up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Reheat

Reheat covered at 350°F (175°C) for 15 minutes, or microwave single portions with a splash of cream to loosen the sauce.

Cool leftover enchiladas at room temperature no longer than 2 hours, then cover the dish tightly or transfer portions to an airtight container. The cream sauce can thicken further in the refrigerator, which is normal; it loosens again with gentle heat and a splash of cream or broth.

Assemble the dish up to the saucing stage in the morning: roll the filled enchiladas into the baking dish, cover, and refrigerate for up to 8 hours.

Make the sauce just before baking, since cream sauces can thicken or separate when chilled. When ready to eat, pour the fresh sauce over, top with cheese, and bake as directed, adding 3 to 5 extra minutes to account for the cold dish.

Serving ideas

Serve the enchiladas straight from the ceramic baking dish, set on a trivet at the center of the table so the bubbling cheese stays in view.

One or two rolls per person is right for a dinner, with extra charred lemon wedges on the side for squeezing at the table. The chives should go on at the last moment so they stay bright green against the golden top.

Round the plate out with something cool and plain to balance the rich cream sauce: a simple shredded cabbage slaw with lime, sliced avocado with salt, or warm tortilla chips for scooping any sauce left in the dish.

A dry white wine or sparkling water with lemon suits the coastal character of the dish. For a dinner party, plate each enchilada individually, spoon a little extra sauce around it, and finish with a second pinch of chives.

Frequently asked questions

Recipe card

Garlic Butter Crab and Shrimp Enchiladas in White Wine Cream Sauce

Prep 20 minCook 25 minRest 5 minTotal 50 minServes 4

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp garlic herb butter
• 2 tbsp diced shallots
• 1/2 lb diced shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1/2 lb lump crab meat, picked over for shells
• 1 tsp Old Bay seasoning
• 8 small flour tortillas
• 1/2 cup white wine broth
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack
• Fresh chives, chopped, for serving
• Lemon wedges, charred, for serving

Instructions

1. Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels and dice it into bite-size pieces. Pick through the lump crab meat with your fingers and remove any shell fragments. Dice the shallots finely so they melt into the butter rather than staying crunchy.
2. Melt the garlic herb butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced shallots and cook 1 minute, then add the shrimp and Old Bay. Stir for 2 to 3 minutes, until the shrimp turn opaque and reach 145°F (63°C) at their thickest point. Fold in the crab gently, just until warmed through.
3. Spoon an even line of the seafood filling down the center of each tortilla, about 2 heaping tablespoons apiece. Roll each one tightly and set it seam side down in a ceramic baking dish, fitting them snugly side by side so they hold their shape.
4. Pour the white wine broth into a saucepan over medium heat and let it reduce by about a third, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the heavy cream and whisk steadily as it comes to a gentle simmer. Sprinkle in half of the Monterey Jack and whisk until the sauce turns smooth and glossy.
5. Pour the white wine cream sauce evenly over the rolled enchiladas, letting it pool between them and soak into the tortilla edges. Scatter the remaining Monterey Jack over the top in an even layer so every enchilada is covered.
6. Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and bake the dish on the center rack for 18 minutes. The cheese should blister and brown in spots and the sauce should bubble thickly around the edges of the dish.
7. Sprinkle the chopped fresh chives over the hot cheese. Hold a lemon wedge with tongs and set it cut side down in a dry skillet over high heat for about 1 minute until charred, then squeeze it over the whole dish just before serving.
8. Let the dish rest 5 minutes out of the oven so the sauce settles and thickens slightly. Serve straight from the baking dish, one or two enchiladas per plate, with the extra charred lemon wedges alongside for squeezing at the table.

Contains: gluten, crustaceans, milk, sulfites

Estimated nutrition per serving

Calories

640

Protein

34 g

Carbohydrates

38 g

Fat

38 g

Automatic estimate from the ingredient list, not laboratory-verified.