Oysters Rockefeller
Oysters Rockefeller is a classic seafood appetizer made with fresh oysters on the half shell topped with a spiked spinach filling and crispy breadcrumbs broiled until golden. It’s a simple dish that’s fancy enough for holidays and special occasions like Christmas, New Year’s Eve, Valentine’s Day or an anniversary.
I grew up on the Chesapeake Bay and have eaten oysters my whole life. During the past ten years of this food blog, I’ve shared recipes for Pan Fried Oysters Oreganata, Classic Oyster Stew, Smoked Oysters and Old Fashioned Sausage & Oyster Dressing, among others.
Though it may seem intimidating, I assure you that making oysters Rockefeller at home is not only doable, it’s simple once you get the hang of shucking oysters – and I’ll show you how to do it.
Table of Contents
- 1 Ingredients you’ll need:
- 2 Oysters Rockefeller is made up of three main components:
- 3 How to make the spinach filling
- 4 Making Parmesan Breadcrumbs
- 5 Shucking the oysters
- 6 How to assemble oysters rockefeller:
- 7 Variations:
- 8 FAQ’s
- 9 Holiday dinner menu ideas:
- 10 More oyster and seafood recipes you’ll love:
- 11 Oysters Rockefeller
Ingredients you’ll need:
- Oysters in their shells – Get your bivalves from a reputable fishmonger or order online. Look for oysters that are medium-sized for the best results. Assemble the breadcrumbs and spinach filling before you open the oysters.
- Butter – to saute the greens and aromatics.
- Garlic – You don’t need a lot of garlic, just enough to enhance the flavors and aromas.
- Shallots – A cross between onion and garlic, shallots are aromatic and bring more depth to the spinach filling.
- Fresh Spinach – I prefer fresh spinach, but you can use chopped frozen spinach thawed and squeezed dry.
- Kosher Salt – I recommend Diamond Crystal. If you have Morton’s, you may need to cut back on the amount as it is saltier by volume.
- Crushed Red Pepper Flakes– are optional, but a pinch or two will give you a little spice kick.
- Anise-Flavored Liqueur – Pernod and Pastis are the most commonly used liqueurs for this recipe, but you can also use fortified wines like Vermouth or Sherry in a pinch.
- Fresh Breadcrumbs – I used a few slices of sourdough bread because it has a sturdier crumb.
- Parmesan Cheese – (or substitute Romano cheese) Preferably freshly grated.
- Italian Parsley – For more green in your Oysters Rockefeller.
The key to successful Oysters Rockefeller is your mise-en-place, French for “everything in its place.” It means having all of the components of your dish prepped and ready to go so you can assemble it quickly without stopping.
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Oysters Rockefeller is made up of three main components:
- Freshly shucked oysters
- Green Rockefeller filling
- Cheese and Breadcrumb Topping
Oysters
You can use any oysters you like or are available for this Rockefeller recipe, but I recommend medium-sized bivalves. Mine came from the Chesapeake Bay (specifically Rappahannock Oyster Company, if you want to order some for yourself – not an affiliate link, just a fan).
Rich Spiked Green Filling
I use spinach, a common ingredient for the green filling, though the original recipe may have called for a mixture of fresh herbs like green onion, parsley, watercress, and chervil. The key is to ensure a bright green filling (representing all that Rockefeller cash).
I use a combination of garlic and shallots cooked in a copious amount of butter until they’re fragrant, tender, and translucent. A glug of Pernod or Pastis (an anise-flavored liqueur) is a common addition to deglaze the pan, but you can also use vermouth or even sherry.
If you like a little spice, I recommend a pinch of red pepper flakes added to the spinach saute or a few solid dashes of your favorite hot sauce when serving.
Crumb Topping:
Some recipes use panko, but I recommend fresh breadcrumbs processed with grated parmesan cheese, butter and Italian parsley. The butter helps crisp the crumbs and makes them golden, while the parsley enhances the signature Rockefeller green color for the oysters.
How to make the spinach filling
- Melt the butter over medium heat until foamy, and add the chopped garlic. Cook for about 1 minute, occasionally stirring until fragrant but not brown.
- Add the shallots and cook until tender.
- Stir in the spinach, kosher salt, and red pepper flakes, if using.
- Cook for 2-3 minutes or until the spinach wilts.
- Add the liquor to deglaze the pan and cook until most of the liquid cooks off.
I can attest to the richness of this green spinach mixture. Every strand of spinach is coated in the garlicky, buttery blend.
The key is not to overcook the spinach. When you sauté the spinach, it should get to the point where it just wilts, then remove it from the heat.
If you continue to cook the greens, the color will fade to a dull grayish green. It’s not the end of the world as you’ll top it with buttery parmesan breadcrumbs, but the greener the hue, the more ROCKEFELLER-Y your oysters will be.
Making Parmesan Breadcrumbs
The crispy, crunchy breadcrumb topping is critical to the oysters Rockefeller appetizer.
Many recipes call for panko, but this combination of fresh breadcrumbs with a bit of butter (to crisp and brown), as well as grated parmesan and fresh parsley, makes a much more flavorful topping.
- Remove the crusts from the bread and tear them into smaller pieces. Transfer the bread to a mini food processor.
- Pulse until fine crumbs form, then add butter and pulse again until combined with the breadcrumbs.
- Add the parmesan cheese and parsley. Pulse until the parsley is finely chopped.
Shucking the oysters
Okay, so let’s get to the nitty gritty—how to open oysters. I usually have my S.O. handle this task while I prepare the other components, but he wasn’t home as I was cooking, and the responsibility fell on me. This means that if I can do this, so can you.
Oyster Shucking Tips:
- There is a cupped side of the oyster and a flat side. Make sure you rest the oyster on the cutting board, with the cup side resting on the board, so you don’t lose any of the oyster liquor when you open the shell.
- Wear a protective glove (preferably rubberized for a sticky grip) on the hand holding the oyster. I can’t stress this enough. To get the oyster knife into the hinge, you have to apply pressure… since oysters don’t have an even surface, the oyster knife is more likely to slip. If (and when) it does, you don’t want your unprotected hand to take the brunt of the force. Confession: When I skipped the glove, I gave myself a gash in the webbing between my thumb and forefinger.
- Insert the knife into the hinge portion of the bivalve, not the side or front. You can’t get enough torque to open it from this angle, and the shell can break.
- After your oyster knife breaks the hinge and opens the oyster, wipe off the blade on a dish towel so you don’t transfer bits of the shell into the flesh or brine. This is a simple step but crucial.
- The oyster is held in its shell by an adductor muscle on both the top and bottom of the body. Run your knife horizontally along the flat top shell to separate the adductor muscle that attaches the oyster to its surface. Discard the flat shell.
- Run the knife below the oyster to dislodge the meat from the other adductor muscle, so it’s floating loosely in the brine. (The video above shows how to do this).
How to assemble oysters rockefeller:
- Transfer the shucked oysters to a sheet pan lined with a bed of rock salt, which will hold the oysters upright so the brine doesn’t run out of the shell.
- Top each oyster with a teaspoon of the spinach mixture and sprinkle with the parmesan breadcrumb topping.
- Bake for 10-15 minutes until the oysters are cooked, the filling is warm, and the breadcrumbs are golden and crunchy.
Voila! Rockefeller oysters!
Variations:
- Add crispy bacon or pancetta to the breadcrumb topping.
- Skip the crumbs and top the oysters and spinach with hollandaise sauce for an even more decadent Rockefeller vibe!
- Instead of spinach, top your Rockefeller oysters with slow-braised collard greens and a bit of tasso ham for a Southern/Louisiana flair — call it Oysters Boudreaux.
- You can substitute lemon juice for the liqueur if you don’t want to use alcohol and serve it with lemon wedges.
FAQ’s
This famous dish was named for John D. Rockefeller, with competing stories on how it came to be.
One is that the sauce’s green represented all the Rockefellers’ greenbacks. Another is a proclamation from one diner who exclaimed, “These oysters are as rich as Rockefeller.” You decide. To me, both tales are equally believable.
The original Rockefeller oyster recipe originated in one of my favorite food cities, New Orleans. It first appeared in 1889 at the now-renowned Antoine’s restaurant.
Created by Jules Alciatore (Antoine’s son), the appetizer was meant for snails (escargots) instead of oysters. However, snails weren’t readily available in Louisiana; oysters were.
No one knows what the actual recipe for oysters Rockefeller is. Jules divulged his secret recipe only to his family, so if you want to try the OG, you’ll have to go to Antoine’s (which I recommend anytime you’re in the Big Easy).
Oysters Bienville are made with a rich cheese and wine sauce and lack the green component. Oysters Rockefeller are topped with spinach and herbs and spiked with anise-flavored liqueur or fortified wine.
Oysters Rockefeller are cooked bivalves in their shell topped with a green sauce and breadcrumbs. Oysters on the half shell are served raw, usually with a squeeze of lemon or mignonette and sometimes cocktail sauce and saltines.
Depending on appetites, figure 2-3 baked, stuffed bivalves per person for an appetizer-sized portion.
Coarse rock salt is a sturdy bed to prop the oysters upright on a serving platter so you don’t risk spilling their liqueur.
The obvious choice is to cut the richness of the Rockefeller oysters with something bubbly. Champagne or sparkling wine is the perfect foil.
Bubbly and baked oysters Rockefeller sets the stage for the rest of the meal. So, why not make the next course a simple but decadent pan-seared ribeye or grilled veal chops? For a make-ahead option, try Julia’s classic boeuf bourguignon or this excellent stuffed leg of lamb.
Side dishes like garlic herb flageolets and tomatoes provençal or steamed asparagus with creamy dijon dressing are easy ideas to round out the main protein course.
More oyster and seafood recipes you’ll love:
- Stone Crab Claws with Mustard Sauce
- Fancy Baked Sea Scallops
- Deep Fried Oysters with Remoulade
- Smoked Salmon Deviled Eggs
- Mardi Gras Grilled Oysters
- Sweet & Spicy Tuna Poke Recipe
- Oysters on the Half Shell
- Authentic Bahamian Style Conch Fritters (w/ Dipping Sauce)
- Florida Style Smoked Whitefish Dip
- Citrusy Grilled Oysters
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Oysters Rockefeller
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
- Rock Salt
- mini pressure cooker
- Safety Gloves for the hand that will steady the oyster to shuck them.
INGREDIENTS:
- 24 oysters in their shell
FOR THE SPINACH TOPPING:
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 large whole shallot minced
- 6 ounces baby spinach
- ½ teaspoon Diamond kosher salt or 1/4 teaspoon Morton’s kosher salt
- pinch crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons pernod, pastis or vermouth
FOR THE BUTTERED PARMESAN BREADCRUMBS:
- 2 slices slices sturdy sourdough crusts removed
- 2 teaspoon butter
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese or pecorino romano
- 3 tablespoons fresh parsley
DIRECTIONS:
FOR THE SPINACH TOPPING
- Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium high heat until foamy. Add the garlic and stir, cooking for one minute until fragrant.
- Add the shallot and cook for 1-2 minutes until they’re softened and translucent, but not browning. Turn the heat down if they start to brown.
- Add the spinach, salt and crushed red pepper flakes. Toss the spinach into the butter mixture using tongs. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until the spinach starts to wilt.
- Deglaze the pan with the pernod and cook until most of the liquor has evaporated. Set aside.
FOR THE BREADCRUMBS:
- Tear the bread into small pieces and transfer to the food processor. Pulse several times until you have fine breadcrumbs.
- Add the butter and pulse again to combine.
- Add the parmesan cheese and parsley. Pulse several more times until the parsley is finely chopped and the mixture is well combined. Set aside.
PREHEAT THE OVEN:
- Heat the oven to 450°. Line a rimmed baking sheet with enough rock salt to form a bed to hold the oyster shells steady and upright. Set aside.
SHUCK THE OYSTERS:
- Put on your safety glove (preferably something rubberized and sturdy to help you hold the oyster steady.)
- Look at the oyster to determine which side is the “cup” side and which is the “flat flap”. Rest the oyster, cup side down, on a cutting board or work surface and hold it firmly on the board with the “hinge” area exposed.
- Insert the oyster shucker into the hinge (umbo) and gently wiggle back and forth until you feel the knife slip into the hinge. Turn the knife to break the hinge.
- Work carefully so you don’t spill the oyster brine.
- Wipe any debris from the oyster knife (so you don’t get any detritus into the meat or brine) and run the knife flat along the top shell to detach the muscle from the shell.
- Run the oyster knife under the oyster to cut the adductor muscle and separate the oyster from the shell.
ASSEMBLE OYSTERS ROCKEFELLER:
- Carefully place the oysters on the bed of rock salt in such a way that the oyster is propped up and no briny liquid escapes.
- Top each oyster with 1 rounded teaspoon of the spinach mixture, followed by the buttered breadcrumbs.
- Transfer the oysters to the preheated oven and cook for 10-15 minutes or until the tops are golden brown and hot. Serve immediately.
RECIPE VIDEO:
NUTRITION:
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These were so much easier to make than I expected — and everyone loved them! Made them for our Mardi Gras party and they were a HIT!
This was easier than I thought it would be and everyone loved it. Will definitely be making it again and maybe with bacon or tasso ham you mentioned.
Love oysters! You had me with adding crispy bacon to the topping!! Yummmm
I can’t believe something so decadent can be so doable for me to make in my kitchen! I will definitely make these for my daughter’s next visit since she LOVES oysters! I love how you always provide extra tips in addition to the basic recipe. Thank you!
These were out of this world!
How lucky am I! Every Christmas my in-laws send Rappahannock oysters from Virginia. We start out raw, make oyster stew, and using your recipe are feasting on the best oysters Rockefeller! Outstanding, Lisa!!
That is indeed the “Classic” recipe! I always add some well-rendered bacon bits, as you mentioned as an option. Thank you for this great post, and some of the other “oyster” dishes as well. Cheers!
I’ve got a shucker now and it’s Mardi Gras time. Can’t wait to give this a go. Laissez les bon temps rouler!
Well, I think my oyster loving daughter needs to help me with this!! I’m intimidated by the shucking but the rest sounds delicious. I think it will be a fun mother daughter activity!!
Oh my! Were these ever good! Made them just the way you suggest. Only issue was that we went through them too quickly! A winner for sure!