These delicious Crab Stuffed Mushrooms are filled with the flavor of sweet fresh crab in every bite!
Making crab stuffed mushrooms is actually a very easy process and can also be done ahead of time. With just a few simple ingredients this decadent appetizer that will having your guests raving and asking for the recipe!
With just six main ingredients, plus a garnish, this is one of those easy recipes that comes together quickly. It is a special occasion appetizer that looks like you have been in the kitchen for hours!
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Ingredients to make Crab-Stuffed Mushrooms
- Cremini mushrooms or baby bellas – we like to use a combination of smaller mushrooms and large mushrooms
- Fresh crabmeat – we recommend real crab meat, not imitation crab
- Shredded mozzarella cheese – you can shred your mozzarella or purchase it shredded from the grocery store
- Seasoned Italian breadcrumbs – pre-seasoned breadcrumbs will add more flavor to the finished dish
- Garlic salt – you can also use minced fresh garlic
- Cayenne pepper – gives the recipe an extra kick of flavor
- Olive oil– Use a high-quality olive oil for best flavor
- Garnish – either chopped Italian fresh parsley or chopped fresh chives
How to make easy Crab Stuffed Mushrooms
- Preheat the oven to 450°F.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, or brush a sheet pan lightly with olive oil.
- Clean the mushrooms (see our recommended method below).
- Remove the mushroom stems and gills. The gills are the inner papery fibers and you can easily scrape them out with a spoon.
- Place mushroom caps hollow side up on a prepared baking sheet.
- Finely chop the mushroom stems to add to the filling and set aside in a small bowl.
- Check the crab mixture for any small pieces of shell. Set aside.
- Shred the mozzarella cheese.
- In a medium skillet, over medium heat, warm olive oil and cook the chopped stems until tender, about 10 minutes.
- Add in the crab meat, garlic salt, and cayenne pepper. Stir to ensure all spices are well mixed into the crab mixture.
- Add shredded cheese evenly over the mixture and then do the same with the bread crumbs.
- For best results mix all ingredients thoroughly as the cheese melts making sure to fold the crab and spices into the cheesy filling until evenly blended. Remove from the heat.
- With a spoon take a small scoop of the crab filling and place it in each mushroom cap. Make sure the cap is heaping full with the crab filling.
- Place crab filled mushrooms in the hot oven. Baking time is about 15 minutes.
- Remove from the oven, garnish with chopped parsley or chives, and serve warm.
Removing Stems and Gill from mushroom:
We recommend removing both the stems and the gills for two reasons. Most importantly, this allows for more surface area to add in the delicious crab mixture!
Secondly, the gills sometimes hide a little sand from when the mushrooms were grown, so scooping them out prevents any grittiness. See the photo above for an example of mushrooms with the gills removed.
What is the best type of crab to use for stuffed mushrooms?
Even though we highly recommend you only use fresh or fresh frozen crabmeat to make these crab stuffed mushrooms we understand that fresh crab meat is not always available in all locations. So, if you cannot locate fresh tender crab meat you can substitute cooked Italian sausage in its place. We do not recommend using imitation crab meat.
What to serve with Crab Stuffed Mushrooms:
We recommend serving this easy stuffed mushroom recipe as a perfect appetizer for the holiday season or a light side dish along with a main dish entree.
We love serving them alongside our Tomahawk Steakor Beef Wellingtons for a surf and turf combo. They also make the perfect light lunch when paired with our Strawberry Spinach Salad or our Arugula Beet Salad with Goat Cheese.
Wine pairing recommendations
These decadent mushroom bites pair well with:
- A light-bodied German Reisling or a buttery California Chardonnay
- For a red pairing we recommend an Argentinian Malbec
How to clean mushrooms:
Mushrooms naturally have some sand and/or dirt on them and inside the gills. Mushrooms are like little sponges so never soak or submerge them or you will end up with very watery mushrooms!
The best way to clean them is to give them a quick rinse in cold water. Then gently brush them clean with a brush, or use a damp paper towel to wipe mushrooms clean and pat them dry.
Tips to keep your mushrooms from becoming soggy
- Bake mushrooms at a high temperature. We bake our mushroom at 450˚F degrees for this recipe which keeps them firm
- Mushrooms absorb water like a sponge. So, as we shared above, when cleaning, don’t soak in water, just use a damp paper towel or brush to wipe mushrooms clean.
Why are my mushrooms rubbery?
If your mushrooms are damp the heat from the oven will cause them to steam. The steam is what creates a rubbery or chewy texture to finished mushrooms. So, be sure to pat them dry before baking.
We recommend that you use parchment paper on your baking sheet when cooking. This will help to absorb any excess moisture (as well as make clean up a breeze!).
Can Crab Stuffed Mushrooms be frozen?
The simple answer is YES!
However, you can not freeze cooked stuffed mushrooms. Stuffed mushrooms with crab meat can be frozen once they have been fully prepared but not yet baked. This is a great way to get a head start on any party appetizers!
Freeze prepared crab stuffed mushrooms on a sheet pan, once they are frozen you can transfer them to an airtight container or a freezer bag and store them for up to 3 months.
When you are ready to serve the mushrooms, remove them from the freezer. Place on a lined sheet pan and let the mushrooms completely thaw. Then cook as normal, garnish, and serve right away.
Easy Variations for Stuffed Mushrooms
Here are a few fun variation ideas for making delicious and easy stuffed mushrooms. Just substitute any of these ingredients for the crab in our recipe. The remainder of the instruction will stay the same.
- Cooked sausage or Italian sausage
- Chopped, cooked lobster or cooked shrimp
- Ground turkey or chicken, precooked
- Portobello mushrooms, chopped and cooked
Additional Appetizers for your next get-together
- Coconut Shrimp Recipe served with zesty Pineapple Salsa
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Crab Stuffed Mushrooms
Ingredients
- 30 medium mushrooms (baby bellas, crimini)
- ⅓ pound crab meat
- ½ cup mozzarella cheese shredded
- ¼ cup seasoned breadcrumbs
- 1 pinch garlic salt
- 1 dash cayenne pepper
- 1 Tablespoon Italian parsley, for garnish (or chopped chives)
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, or brush a pan lightly with olive oil.
- Remove stems and gills from mushrooms. Chop stems for filling and set aside. Place prepared caps on the baking sheet.
- Check crab mixture for any pieces of shell. Set aside.
- Shred mozzarella cheese.
- In medium skillet, over medium heat, heat olive oil and cook chopped stems until tender, about 10 minutes.
- Stir in crab meat, garlic salt, cayenne pepper, blend together.
- Add in shredded cheese and bread crumbs. Folding into crab filling. Blend together well. Remove from heat.
- With a spoon scoop crab mixture and place in mushroom cap. Make sure the cap is heaping full with the crab mixture
- Place on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes
- Remove from oven, garnish with chopped parsley or chives, and serve warm
Notes
- Be sure to pat mushrooms dry after cleaning
- Need a crab substitution? Try cooked crumbled Italian sausage, turkey, chopped mushrooms, chopped shrimp or lobster, or additional breadcrumbs
maryanne
I just found the perfect appetizer for my New Year’s Eve menu! I might have to double or triple the batch since I know they are going to disappear quickly!
Mindee Taylor
Could not stop eating these! Really didn’t want to share! These were that good!
Carrie Robinson
Oh yum! These would make a great appetizer for holiday entertaining. 🙂
Wanda
I’m going to try to source some fresh crab meat so I can make this for our ladies potluck on Friday. Yum!
Tavo
So yummy! crab and mushrooms! Two of my favorite things together! Can’t wait to try it!