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My mirliton dressing is an authentically delicious take on the New Orleans-area holiday favorite, y'all!! Overflowing with fresh shrimp and jumbo lump crab, this skillet of browned and bubbly deliciousness is poised and ready to impress your guests. Yep and yay...
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Mirliton Dressing is a South Louisiana Food Legend
Mirliton dressing is a classic South Louisiana dish that's served mainly on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. It features mirliton, the regional name for chayote squash, a mild squash known for its subtle blend of zucchini and cucumber with a hint of apple. It also includes some meat or seafood, breadcrumbs, Cajun seasonings, and browned trinity veggies.
My version of mirliton dressing includes well-seasoned shrimp and crab, a pairing that makes each bite taste extra holiday special. I also use cracker crumbs in place of bread crumbs or day-old chopped bread. This lightens the dressing considerably and allows the flavors of the other ingredients to shine through.
Lastly, I add a can of cream of mushroom soup to the mixture. This helps bind the dressing and adds a lingering, luxurious finish to each bite, making you feel like you've just eaten something made with the purest of love. Like mama made it, y'all!!
Top Recipe Tips
- Cut the Cajun trinity veggies the day before you plan on making the mirliton dressing. This will save you about 15 minutes of prep time when you go to make the recipe.
- Gather all of the ingredients in one place before you begin cooking. Having all of them together ensures that you won't forget to add one at just the right time, which helps to ensure your recipe success.
- Don't remove the mirliton from the boiling water until the 45-minute mark. The mirlitons won't be as tender as you might think, and may turn out a bit tough in the prepared dressing.
- Stay close to the stove while boiling the mirliton and preparing the dressing. This keeps you from knowing if you need to add more water to the boiling chayote squash or turn the fire down a bit while you're browning the trinity.
- Check on the dressing while it's in the oven. Every oven is different, and yours may bake it faster or slower than mine. So, it may need less or more roasting time.
What to Serve With Mirliton Dressing
Since shrimp and mirliton dressing is typically made for Thanksgiving or Christmas, it is most commonly served with other holiday dishes.
- Cajun Turkey Breast. It's a natural pairing for the main holiday dish, offering just the right amount of seafood sweetness to enhance the roasted bird's savoriness.
- Maque Choux. The seasoned corn and browned trinity veggies in sauce go well with the crab and shrimp mirliton dressing. When eaten together, the two become one unforgettably delicious bite!!
- Cajun Deviled Eggs. The cold stuffed eggs and hot dressing are the perfect plate complement, y'all! This is actually one of my personal plate pairings, a combination that I salivate over long before my holiday dinner begins!
- Cajun Turkey Tenderlion. This main dish is a new favorite around my household. And, its tender, sweet, and spicy succulence goes so very well with the dressing that a mouthful of both is quite delicious indeed!!
- Cajun Potato Salad. Another tantalizing hot-and-cold pairing, the dressing and the potato salad are two classic New Orleans dishes that are another match made in foodie heaven. Both dishes are so well-seasoned and multi-layered that you'll have a hard time deciding which one to put on your fork first!!
Ingredients & Essentials
- Fresh, raw mirliton is generally easy to find throughout the winter holiday season in South Louisiana. I've also seen it for sale in the grocery stores in the springtime. Modern farming practices make it available year-round in some places. So, you may find it easily in your area. However, you can also substitute yellow squash or zucchini if necessary.
- The Cajun trinity veggies of chopped onion, green bell pepper, and celery create the base flavor profile that's distinctive of our region. For best results, use all three. But if you only have an onion on hand, you can still make a delicious mirliton dressing.
- Jumbo lump crab meat and shrimp give this mirliton dressing its restaurant-quality taste and texture. The recipe calls for one pound of each, and you can taste the lusciousness of the seafood pairing in each bite.
- Cracker crumbs make this dressing lighter while remaining true to its authentic flavor profile. You can also use breadcrumbs, day-old bread, or cornbread and still turn out with a moist, super-flavorful mirliton dressing.
- Cream of mushroom soup lends its signature creaminess to this dish, making the baked dressing lush and velvety. You can also use cream of celery or cream of chicken in a pinch.
- Chicken broth or shrimp stock adds essential moisture to this dish. It's best to use one or the other, or a combination of both. If you have to use water, the dressing will still turn out well, but will lose a bit of its intended flavor.
Storage, Reheating, and Freezing
Store the leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. It freezes best when vacuum-sealed. But you can also wrap it in plastic wrap, then foil, then place it in a zipper freezer bag, as well.
I prefer to reheat the dressing in the oven at about 300 degrees Fahrenheit for about 20 minutes. The texture is the best when you reheat it this way. However, you can also reheat it in the microwave, stirring after every 30 seconds to ensure a more even reheat.
Mirliton Dressing Variations
The crab and shrimp in this mirliton dressing are a delight in each bite. But if you can't make it with them, you can still enjoy a mighty fine New Orleans-style dish. Try it with these other proteins:
- Ground beef, pork, turkey, or chicken
- Smoked sausage, such as andouille
- Giblets
- Oysters
- Ham or turkey ham
- Venison
- Bacon or turkey bacon
How to Make Mirliton Dressing
To start the recipe, pour the shrimp and crab meat into a large bowl. Top with the seasonings.
Mix until combined. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
Now, place the raw mirliton at the bottom of a large pot. (I always add a couple more than I need, just in case.)
Top the mirliton chayote squash with water, and bring to a boil.
Boil until very tender, then drain and chop.
Place the softened, chopped mirliton pieces into a bowl. Set aside.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Pour the chopped Cajun trinity veggies into the skillet along with the butter and oil.
Cook until the veggies soften and are beginning to brown.
Reduce the heat. Add the shrimp and crab, and cook until the shrimp begin to turn opaque.
Then, stir the minced garlic into the mixture.
Remove the skillet from the heat.
Add the chopped cooked mirliton to the mixture.
Add the cracker crumbs, bread crumbs, or torn day-old bread or cornbread to the mixture. Stir until well combined.
If using a different type of pot, transfer the mixture to a casserole dish.
Finally, slide the skillet into the oven, and bake until the mirliton dressing is browned and bubbly.
And that's it, y'all!!
This mirliton dressing lives up to its hype in terms of taste, texture, and wow factor!! Every bite is perfectly seasoned, with pops of smoky, charred trinity veggies in each super luscious, seafood-studded bite.
It's also quite beautiful, too, y'all. So, it pretties up your holiday table with captivating, contrasting hues that enhance your holiday decor. For sure!!
Share with those whose humility, tranquility, and positivity breathe fresh air into your being. Much food love, and see y'all on the yum side...
Mirliton Dressing
Ingredients
For the Seasoned Crab Meat and Shrimp
- 1 pound jumbo lump crab meat, picked through for shells can also use lump or claw meat
- 1 pound fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined I prefer 31/35-count
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon lemon pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
For the Mirliton Dressing
- 4 mirliton also called chayote squash or vegetable pear
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- 1 large green bell pepper, chopped
- 3 celery ribs, trimmed of white parts and chopped
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 2 to 3 cups chicken broth or shrimp stock see notes
- 1 10.5-ounce can cream of mushroom soup
- 2 cups cracker crumbs or bread crumbs can also use small chunks of day-old bread or cornbread
Instructions
- Season the shrimp and crabmeat with the dried spices. Cover and refrigerate until use.
- Boil the mirlitons until very tender, about 45 minutes. Drain, then chop, discarding the seeds and seed membranes. (The mirliton skin is usually tender. If the ones you are using have tougher skins, peel them before chopping.)
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Place a well-greased large cast iron skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat on the stove. Pour the chopped onion, green bell pepper, celery, olive oil, and butter into the skillet.
- Brown the veggies, stirring often. Reduce the heat to low.
- Stir the seasoned shrimp and crab meat into the mixture, and cook for just a few minutes, until the shrimp begins to turn opaque.
- Add the chopped mirliton to the mixture, then the garlic. Cook for one more minute, until the garlic becomes fragrant.
- Remove the skillet from the heat.
- Pour the chicken broth or shrimp stock, cream of mushroom soup, and cracker crumbs or bread crumbs into the mixture, and stir until well combined.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the mirliton dressing is browned and bubbly.
- Let stand for 15 minutes before serving. The resting time releases excess heat, which in turn firms the dressing to its optimal texture.
Video
Notes
The information shown is an estimate provided by a third-party, online computer-generated nutrition calculator, not a registered dietitian or certified nutritionist. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods and individual portion sizes, along with other factors.
See our full nutrition disclaimer here.
