This elegant seafood crepes recipe features delicate homemade crepes rolled around a luxurious filling of shrimp and scallops, all enveloped in a creamy béchamel sauce. Finished with a layer of Gruyère cheese and baked until bubbling and golden, these crepes are perfect for holiday meals, dinner parties, or a decadent brunch. Despite the gourmet appearance, the dish is surprisingly simple to make and can be prepared ahead in stages for convenience.

Full Recipe:

Ingredients

For the Crepes:

• 2 large eggs

• 1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

• ¾ cup all-purpose flour

• ½ cup milk

• ½ cup water

• Pinch of salt

For the Béchamel Sauce:

• ¼ cup unsalted butter

• ¼ cup all-purpose flour

• 2 cups milk (preferably whole milk)

• Salt and pepper, to taste

For the Seafood Filling:

• 340g medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

• 340g medium scallops

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 1 small onion, diced

• 1 cup button mushrooms, thinly sliced

• ¼ cup white wine

• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

• Salt and pepper, to taste

For Assembling:

• Butter (for greasing baking dish)

• ¾ cup shredded Gruyère cheese

Directions

1. Prepare the Crepes

• Mix all crepe ingredients into a smooth batter. Let rest 30 minutes.

• Heat an 8-inch non-stick pan, grease lightly, and pour in a ladle of batter.

• Swirl to coat and cook about 1 minute per side. Stack cooked crepes and cover.

2. Make the Béchamel Sauce

• Melt butter in a saucepan, whisk in flour to form a roux.

• Slowly whisk in milk, cook until thickened, and season with salt and pepper.

3. Cook the Seafood Filling

• Pat seafood dry. Sauté onion in olive oil until translucent.

• Add mushrooms and cook until liquid evaporates.

• Add shrimp and scallops, cook 1 minute. Pour in wine and cook until mostly evaporated.

• Mix seafood with all but ¾ cup of béchamel. Stir in parsley.

4. Assemble the Crepes

• Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Butter a 9×13-inch dish or use small gratin dishes.

• Place ¼ cup of filling on each crepe, roll up, and place seam-side down in the dish.

• Top with reserved béchamel and sprinkle with Gruyère cheese.

5. Bake

• Bake for 12–15 minutes until bubbly. Optional: broil for 1–2 minutes to brown the top.

• Serve hot.

Nutrients (Per Crepe – makes 10 crepes)

• Calories: 237 kcal

• Carbohydrates: 15g

• Protein: 16g

• Fat: 12g

• Saturated Fat: 6g

• Cholesterol: 123mg

• Sodium: 261mg

• Potassium: 341mg

• Fiber: 1g

• Sugar: 4g

• Vitamin A: 582 IU

• Vitamin C: 5mg

• Calcium: 115mg

• Iron: 1mg

Why Seafood Crepes Are a Timeless Favorite

Crepes, a beloved staple of French cuisine, are known for their thin, soft texture and versatility. While often associated with sweet fillings, savory crepes—also known as galettes in some regions of France—hold their own with hearty, flavorful combinations. Seafood crepes in particular elevate the dish to fine dining territory, especially when filled with luxurious ingredients like shrimp, scallops, mushrooms, and a velvety béchamel sauce.

The allure of seafood crepes lies in their balance. Each element contributes to a harmonious whole: the crepes act as a soft, neutral carrier for the richness inside, while the filling brings complexity, protein, and texture. A final touch of Gruyère cheese adds depth and a golden finish, making these crepes an unforgettable main course.

Elegant Yet Approachable

While seafood crepes may sound extravagant, they are surprisingly straightforward to prepare. The process is broken into three manageable components: the crepes, the béchamel sauce, and the seafood filling. Each element can be made in advance, allowing you to assemble and bake the final dish just before serving. This makes the recipe ideal not only for entertaining, but also for meal prepping or planning ahead for a special brunch or dinner.

The homemade crepes are thin and flexible, easy to fold and roll, and far more forgiving than people often expect. The béchamel sauce—essentially a white sauce made from butter, flour, and milk—is one of the foundational sauces of French cuisine. Once mastered, it becomes a go-to for countless dishes, adding a creamy elegance that enhances, rather than overpowers, the seafood inside.

A Rich and Creamy Filling That Shines

The seafood filling is the heart of the dish. Tender shrimp and scallops are lightly sautéed and paired with aromatic onions, earthy mushrooms, and a splash of white wine for brightness. A handful of chopped parsley adds freshness and color. The seafood is then gently folded into the béchamel sauce, creating a filling that is creamy, savory, and bursting with flavor.

What sets this recipe apart is the restraint used in the sauce. It coats the seafood without drowning it, allowing the natural sweetness and texture of the shrimp and scallops to shine through. The filling is luxurious but not heavy, making each bite a perfect balance of indulgence and refinement.

Perfect for Special Occasions

Seafood crepes are ideal for moments when you want to serve something memorable. Think holiday meals, anniversary dinners, Mother’s Day brunches, or elegant gatherings with friends. Their impressive appearance, paired with their exquisite flavor, makes them a standout dish that’s sure to draw compliments.

You can serve them as a main course alongside a light green salad and a crisp glass of white wine or champagne. Alternatively, serve smaller portions as a first course to lead into a multi-course meal. Either way, their versatility and flavor profile allow them to adapt beautifully to various settings and occasions.

Make-Ahead Friendly and Freezer Smart

A major benefit of this recipe is how easily it fits into a make-ahead strategy. The crepes themselves can be made and stacked between sheets of parchment paper up to two days in advance and stored in the refrigerator. The béchamel sauce and seafood filling can also be prepared the day before and chilled.

For even more convenience, you can assemble the crepes with filling and refrigerate them in the baking dish, ready to be topped with sauce and cheese and baked just before serving. Leftovers reheat beautifully in the oven or microwave, and the filled but unbaked crepes can even be frozen for later use. Simply thaw in the refrigerator before baking as directed.

Nutrition Meets Indulgence

Despite their creamy interior and cheesy topping, these seafood crepes strike a nice balance between indulgence and nutrition. Each crepe provides a hearty dose of lean protein from the shrimp and scallops, as well as essential vitamins and minerals like B12, iron, calcium, and potassium. Mushrooms and onions offer fiber and antioxidants, while parsley adds a pop of green and a dose of vitamin C.

Yes, there’s butter and cheese, but used in moderation—and within the framework of an overall balanced dish—they contribute richness without tipping the scales too far into excess. For a lighter version, you can use reduced-fat milk in the béchamel or reduce the amount of cheese topping without sacrificing flavor.

Tips for a Flawless Finish

To achieve perfectly thin and tender crepes, allow the batter to rest before cooking. This relaxes the gluten in the flour, yielding softer crepes that won’t tear easily when rolled. Use a non-stick skillet or crepe pan to ensure an even, golden finish without sticking. When cooking the seafood, avoid overcooking—shrimp and scallops cook quickly and should remain tender, not rubbery.

The béchamel should be smooth and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, but not so thick that it becomes gluey. Whisk constantly while cooking to avoid lumps, and season the sauce gently to complement the delicate seafood. Finally, for a picture-perfect presentation, broil the crepes briefly at the end of baking to achieve a golden, bubbling crust on top.

Customizations and Variations

One of the beautiful things about this dish is how easily it lends itself to creative variations. Not a fan of scallops? Substitute crab, lobster, or even flaked white fish. Want to add some vegetables? Spinach, asparagus tips, or diced bell peppers make excellent additions to the seafood mixture.

You can also play with the cheese topping—Gruyère is classic for its nutty, melty character, but Emmental, Fontina, or even sharp white cheddar can be used to great effect. For added depth, try incorporating a pinch of nutmeg into the béchamel or using a splash of brandy in place of the white wine.

Conclusion: A Gourmet Dish Within Reach

Seafood crepes with shrimp and scallops are proof that elegant cooking doesn’t have to be difficult. With a little planning and a few classic techniques, you can create a dish that feels luxurious and comforting all at once. Perfect for celebrations or quiet evenings when you want to treat yourself, these crepes are a reminder of how rewarding home cooking can be.

Delicate, creamy, and filled with flavor, this recipe brings the best of French-inspired cuisine to your kitchen in a way that’s approachable, flexible, and always impressive. Once you master it, it’s sure to become a cherished favorite in your rotation.