Oysters Rockefeller Recipe (2024)

Published December 5, 2022.This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

This fresh Oysters Rockefeller recipe is served on the half shell and is coated in cream, prosciutto ham, and cheese for an unbelievable appetizer. Even if you aren’t sure about oysters, the flavor in this recipe is amazing.

I’m a huge fan of cooking and serving seafood because it’s simple to prepare and it cooks in minutes. If you are similar and love it, you must try mySicilian Swordfishor myBlackened Salmon.

Oysters Rockefeller

There are many variations of Oysters Rockefeller, and it’s been served on menus throughout America for the past century. It classically consists of oysters on the half shell that are topped with a combination of spinach, butter, breadcrumbs, and seasonings. However, the original recipe was said to have used watercress instead of spinach. They are then commonly baked or broiled before serving.

The name of the chef that created this classic in New Orleans is Chef Jules Alciatore, and the restaurant’s name was “Antiones.” Miraculously enough, Antoine’s restaurant is still around to this day. Once Chef Jules recreated a classic escargot recipe from fresh oysters on the half shell, he decided, with its extremely rich creamy flavor, to name it after the richest man at that time, Rockefeller. So obviously, in the end, you get “Oysters Rockefeller.“

Where do Oysters Come From?

You can get oysters from around the world, but in the United States, a huge portion of them come from the east to the Northeast coast and into Canada. From Rappahannock in Virginia up to Blue Point, which I used in this recipe, in New York.

I believe the best come from colder waters, so I prefer the ones that grow in the Northeast.

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Oysters – You will need fresh, shucked oysters for this recipe. Any oyster breed will work.
• Onion – I like to use onion and garlic for the sauce that goes on top.
• Wine – This is optional to help add flavor to the oysters while cooking them. You can use chardonnay, pinot grigio, or sauvignon blanc.
• Cream – Heavy whipping cream makes a garlicky sauce to cover the oysters.
• Spinach – Baby spinach is best to use, but regular fresh stemmed spinach will work.
• Ham – I prefer to use prosciutto ham. However, you can use cooked bacon, pancetta, Canadian bacon, or ham.
• Cheese – The combination of asiago cheese and Parmesan is very good.
• Breadcrumbs – You finish the top with breadcrumbs before baking or broiling them.

How to Make Oysters Rockefeller

The first part of making this is shucking the oysters. You do this by holding the oyster in 1 hand in a towel, wedging the shucking knife into a gap in the shell, and slowly working the knife up and down and back and forth until it opens.Be very careful doing this, as it can be dangerous working with the shucker knife and putting too much pressure on the oyster.

When making this, I like to caramelize up some garlic and onions in a sauté pan.

Add some cream and cook it until it becomes super thick, like an alfredo sauce.

From there, I fold in some baby spinach and cook it over low heat until just wilted but not mushy.

While you keep that tasty cream sauce warm, you want to cook the shucked oysters gently and quickly in some olive oil in a separate pan.

Deglaze with some chardonnay wine and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes.The wine just helps bring this to the next level, but it’s not necessary.

Once everything is cooked, you place the cooked oyster back on the half-shell.

Top off with the spinach and cream.

Next, add on the prosciutto ham, and then some asiago cheese.

Finish by evenly sprinkling on the breadcrumbs, and some parmesan cheese then off to the oven to broil and brown them.

Serve them on a platter

How to Serve It

Oysters Rockefeller is commonly served on rock salt. You put oysters on the salt so that they hold into place without tipping over, which would result in all the toppings sliding off. I had some flat oysters, which seems to be the case for blue points, so I did not use rock salt in this recipe.

Make-Ahead and Storage

Make-ahead: These are meant to be eaten as soon as they’re done cooking.

How to Store: Store them covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. They will freeze well covered tightly for up to 2 months. It’s best if you freeze them raw before the procedure of placing them under the broiler. To reheat frozen raw, place on a sheet tray and bake in the oven at 400° for 12-15 minutes.

How to Reheat:Add the oysters to a pan, cover with foil and bake in the oven at 400° for 6-8 minutes or until hot and the cheese has re-melted.

More Seafood Recipes

• Halibut with Honey-Soy Glaze
• Bourbon Glazed Salmon
• Mahi Mahi Tacos
• Fish Fry
• Shrimp Boil