The earth and the sea unite to bring you these crab-stuffed mushrooms. If you’re looking to impress your friends, these goodies are all you’ll need.
Large, hollowed-out mushrooms are filled with a rich and creamy crabmeat mixture and baked to perfection.
Best of all, these shrooms are surprisingly easy to make. It only takes a few minutes of mixing the filling and stuffing it in the mushrooms. The rest is up to the oven.
Are you ready for a show-stopping appetizer? Let’s begin.
Crab Stuffed Mushrooms
Crab stuffed mushrooms are a classic appetizer of hollowed-out mushrooms stuffed with some sort of filling.
Sweet and briny crab meat is moistened with mayo, seasoned with savory, thyme, and oregano, and made extra rich by parmesan cheese. The filling alone is already a crowd-pleaser.
The mushrooms are tender, juicy, earthy, and meaty. They’re the perfect vessels for carrying the heavenly filling.
How Do You Keep Stuffed Mushrooms From Getting Soggy?
The key is to not soak them in water during cleaning. Either quickly run them under cold water or wipe them dry with a damp cloth.
You’ll also ensure perfectly juicy mushrooms by baking them at a high temperature – 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
What Are Some Different Types of Crab Meat?
I like Alaskan king crab best because of its super sweet and tasty meat. Snow crab comes in second, followed by blue crab at third.
There are also several types of crab meat you can choose from, so it can be a little confusing. Let this guide help you decide:
- Special – Small pieces that come from the little nooks and crevices of the crab. It has the most flavor and because it’s small enough, it’s perfect for dips, sauces, and fillings.
- Claw – It’s the dark meat extracted from the claw. It has a stringy texture compared to other varieties.
- Backfin – Large, white lumps of meat from the back of the shell. These are perfect for crab cakes.
- Jumbo Lump – Large lumps of meat usually served on their own. As delicious as they are, they’re not ideal for fillings because of their size.
To sum it up, special crab meat works best for this recipe because of its sweet, fresh flavor and size.
However, you can also use the other, larger crab meat, but be sure to chop them finely so they’ll fit in the mushrooms nicely.
Tips for Making The Best Dish
- Choose big mushrooms, about 2 inches in diameter at least, so that there’s also enough room for the filling. You’ll only want the mushrooms to be more or less the same size, so they bake evenly.
- Portobellos, big white button mushrooms, and cremini mushrooms are best for this recipe. I also like to make smaller versions for bite-sized appetizers from time to time. For this, I use small button mushrooms. I just reduce the baking time to 10 to 12 minutes.
- To rinse or not to rinse? While others recommend it, some people advise against running the mushrooms under water as they will absorb it like a sponge.
So, which one’s right? The answer is both.
Whole mushrooms are okay to wash. It’s only when they’re cut up that they’ll absorb liquid easily.
That said, wash the mushrooms before you cut off the stems. Give them just a quick rinse under running water, and then wipe them dry right away.
Or, you can just wipe them clean with a damp cloth. Set them aside to air dry.
Also, only wash the mushrooms right before you cook them, not in advance.
- Snap off the stems and gently scrape out some of the gills with a spoon, careful not to tear or break the mushroom caps. This will allow more room for the filling.
- Don’t discard the stems! Dice them and saute them with oil and add them to the crabmeat mixture. This will really amp up the flavor of the filling.
- Imitation crab meat is fine, but nothing beats real crab meat. Fresh, refrigerated, and frozen are all okay.
- You can also use canned crabmeat in a pinch. Be sure to drain the liquid before mixing it in with the other ingredients.
- Use freshly grated parmesan cheese for best results. While a lot cheaper, the ones in a canister barely have flavor!
- You’ll know they’re done when they’re crispy and browned on top, and the mushroom caps are cooked through.
- No savory? No problem. If you’re not familiar, savory is an herb belonging to the mint family, native to the Mediterranean sea. It’s hard to come by, but fortunately, you can swap it with other spices.
Savory has an aromatic scent and a thyme-like and peppery flavor. That said, in place of savory, you can use lemon pepper garlic or a blend of sage and thyme.
- Drizzle the stuffed mushrooms with a bit of olive oil right before baking. Trust me, it makes a huge difference.
- From spices to cheeses to other meats, there are tons of ways to switch up the filling. Here are some ideas:
- Cheese: grated sharp cheddar, swiss, pecorino romano, mozzarella, queso fresco, Monterey Jack – feel free to mix and match.
- Spices: cayenne pepper, crushed red pepper, chili flakes
- Herbs and Seasonings: lemon pepper, garlic salt, chives, parsley
- Veggies: diced bell peppers, spinach
- Meats: bacon, sausage crumbles
- Panko topping: just sprinkle a bit of panko bread crumbs to give the shrooms a crunchy topping.
- Mayo alternatives: cream cheese, heavy cream, ranch dressing
- Have leftover filling? Bake it and serve it with crackers, salad, or toasted baguette slices.
- You can assemble the mushrooms up to 6 hours in advance before serving them. Cover them loosely with foil, pop them in the fridge, and bake when ready.
- You can also freeze uncooked stuffed mushrooms for up to 3 months. Double wrap each mushroom with plastic wrap and foil and freeze. Bake them straight from the freezer, but add 10 minutes to the cooking time.
More Appetizers You’ll Love
Crab Stuffed Mushrooms (Easy Recipe)
6
servings25
minutes15
minutes167
kcalIngredients
7 ounces 7 crabmeat
5 5 green onions, thinly sliced
1/4 teaspoon 1/4 dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon 1/4 dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon 1/4 ground savory
Ground black pepper, to taste
1/4 cup 1/4 and 3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese, divided
1/3 cup 1/3 mayonnaise
1 pound 1 fresh mushrooms
1/4 teaspoon 1/4 paprika
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In a medium bowl, stir together the crabmeat, green onions, thyme, oregano, savory, and pepper. Mix in the mayonnaise and 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese until combined. Refrigerate it until ready to use.
- Wipe the mushrooms clean with a damp towel. Hollow out the mushrooms by scooping out the gills and the stems with a spoon.
- Fill the mushroom caps with the crabmeat mixture and place them in an ungreased shallow baking dish. Top with the remaining 3 tablespoons of parmesan cheese and paprika.
- Bake for 15 minutes. Serve fresh from the oven. Enjoy!
