Creamy Seafood Newburg

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 04/6/22
Shrimp and Scallops Newburg

The Spruce / Diana Rattray

Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 16 mins
Marinate Time: 60 mins
Total: 91 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
516 Calories
32g Fat
11g Carbs
43g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 516
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 32g 41%
Saturated Fat 18g 92%
Cholesterol 463mg 154%
Sodium 1991mg 87%
Total Carbohydrate 11g 4%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 43g
Vitamin C 2mg 12%
Calcium 285mg 22%
Iron 2mg 9%
Potassium 412mg 9%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

This creamy seafood dish makes a delicious meal, and it can be made with whatever seafood you like or have on hand. The shrimp and lobster combination is decadent and rich, but scallops, crab, or even chunks of firm white fish, may be used in the recipe. Choose your favorite aquatic protein or use what you have on hand. The seafood is marinated briefly, so plan to start about an hour before it's time to cook.

This is a nice dish to make for a special occasion. It's perfect for a Valentine's Day dinner. Scale it down a bit for a smaller serving or follow the full recipe and enjoy leftovers.

With its creamy sauce, the dish is similar to a lobster Newburg or shrimp Newburg. It is wonderful served on rice or noodles or over split buttered biscuits or toast points.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound shrimp, or more

  • 8 ounces crabmeat, scallops, or lobster meat, thawed, drained, and diced

  • 2 tablespoons dry sherry

  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice

  • 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

  • 6 tablespoons (3 ounces) unsalted butter

  • 1/3 cup all-purpose flour

  • 2 cups half-and-half, warmed

  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste

  • 1/4 cup heavy cream

  • 1 large egg yolk

  • 1/2 cup shredded mild cheddar cheese

  • Ground paprika, optional

  • Chopped fresh parsley, optional

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Remove the shells from the shrimp. With a sharp knife, make a shallow cut down the back of a shrimp and pull the dark vein out. If the vein doesn't come out easily, scrape it out with the tip of the knife. The vein is the digestive system of the shrimp, so it should be removed. Repeat with the remaining shrimp.

  3. Rinse well, chop large shrimp coarsely. Leave small to medium shrimp whole, if desired. Transfer the shrimp to a large bowl.

  4. To the bowl with the shrimp, add the lobster, scallops, or crabmeat along with the sherry, lemon juice, and nutmeg.

  5. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for about 45 minutes to 1 hour.

  6. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat.

  7. Add the flour and continue cooking for about 3 minutes while stirring constantly.

  8. Gradually whisk in about 1/4 cup of the half-and-half. Gradually add the remaining half-and-half, whisking constantly. Add the salt and continue cooking until bubbling and thickened.

  9. In a bowl, whisk the heavy cream with the egg yolk.

  10. Add to the thickened sauce while whisking constantly.

  11. Stir in the cheese and continue cooking until the cheese has melted.

  12. Add the seafood to the sauce and cook for about 10 minutes, or until the seafood is thoroughly cooked. 

  13. Spoon the seafood Newburg over toast points, puff pastry shells, or hot cooked rice or noodles. Or serve the seafood over freshly baked biscuits. 

  14. Sprinkle with paprika or garnish with fresh chopped parsley, as desired.

Tips

  • If you are using large sea scallops, cut them into quarters or slice them in half horizontally. Leave smaller bay scallops whole.
  • If you are using chunks of cooked seafood, add it and cook just until hot.

Recipe Variations

  • Replace the mild cheddar cheese with about 1/3 cup of fresh grated Parmesan cheese.
  • If you don't have half-and-half, replace it with a mixture of 1 cup of milk and 1 cup of heavy cream.
  • Add a tablespoon or two of chopped fresh parsley or thinly sliced green onion to the sauce just before the dish is done.
  • For a lighter sauce, replace 1/4 to 1/2 of the half-and-half with seafood broth or clam juice.