Creamy Scalloped Oyster Casserole

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.
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Updated on 03/15/22
Shucked oysters
The Picture Pantry/Alloy/Getty Images
Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 30 mins
Total: 35 mins
Servings: 6 to 8 servings
Yield: 1 casserole

Butter and cream make this oyster scallop a rich and delicious casserole. It's a Southern classic dish that is usually made with small oysters and often served at holiday gatherings. A generous amount of oyster liquor in the cream and milk mixture makes this version flavorful. If you don't have a full cup of oyster liquor, use more milk or cream.

This casserole can be assembled a day in advance and stored in the refrigerator until baking time. That makes it a good do-ahead choice for a family meal or holiday buffet. It tastes best warm, so you can set it out for your guests to enjoy before the main meal.

Freshly shucked oysters are preferred. You will need to know how to shuck them if you are starting with them live in the shell. Alternatively, you may be able to buy fresh or frozen shucked oyster meat in a fish market or your supermarket.

It might be confusing that these scalloped oysters don't include any scallops (another type of seafood). The name of the recipe comes from a similar preparation to scalloped potatoes, which are also baked in a cream sauce and often topped with breadcrumbs.

Ingredients

  • 1 medium onion, chopped

  • 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, or margarine, melted

  • 1 teaspoon celery salt

  • 1 dash freshly ground black pepper, or to taste

  • 1 lemon, juiced

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

  • 5 cups coarsely crumbled saltine crackers

  • 1 quart shucked oysters, drained, reserve 1 cup of the liquor

  • 1/2 cup light cream

  • 1/2 cup milk

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Heat the oven to 350 F (180 C/Gas 4). Butter a 2 1/2-quart baking dish.

  3. In a large skillet or sauté pan, cook the onion in melted butter until tender, not browned. Add celery salt, pepper, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, parsley, and crackers.

  4. In the prepared casserole, layer one-third of the crumbs and half of the oysters. Repeat with another one-third of the crumbs and the remaining oysters; top with the remaining one-third of the crumbs.

  5. Combine the oyster liquor, cream, and milk in a bowl.

  6. Pour the cream mixture over casserole.

  7. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until edges of the oysters curl.

  8. Serve the scalloped oyster casserole warm and enjoy.

The oyster casserole can also be served for a casual meal or lunch, accompanied by a green salad.

Refrigerate any leftovers and enjoy them within three to four days. If you won't be using it in that time, freeze the leftovers. For the best quality, use frozen leftovers within four to six months.

Glass Bakeware Warning

For premade casseroles or leftovers that are in a glass baking dish and have been refrigerated, do not place directly into a hot oven as the glass can shatter. Instead, place any cold glass bakeware into a cold oven to warm up while it preheats. Or, allow the bakeware to rest outside of the fridge for 30 minutes to reach room temperature while the oven preheats.

Recipe Variations

  • Saltines are the traditional base for a scalloped oyster casserole, but you can use butter-flavored crackers for a little more flavor.
  • If you wish to reduce the sodium, use unsalted crackers, unsalted butter, and reduce the amount of celery salt.
  • Add hot sauce to taste to spice it up.
  • Some cooks like to add bacon to the casserole.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
686 Calories
45g Fat
49g Carbs
24g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6 to 8
Amount per serving
Calories 686
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 45g 58%
Saturated Fat 25g 125%
Cholesterol 195mg 65%
Sodium 994mg 43%
Total Carbohydrate 49g 18%
Dietary Fiber 4g 14%
Total Sugars 7g
Protein 24g
Vitamin C 68mg 339%
Calcium 97mg 7%
Iron 11mg 63%
Potassium 586mg 12%
*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.)