Creamy crab stuffed mushrooms are one of my absolute best party appetizers! I load these up with affordable imitation crabmeat, breadcrumbs, and parmesan cheese, and drizzle the tops with garlic butter. They’re a breeze to make and a total crowd-pleaser.
Easy finger foods like crispy crab stuffed mushrooms and baked battered shrimp are delicious any time of the year! Also try my fritto misto and lobster rolls.
Trust me when I say that your next gathering NEEDS a platter of these crispy, buttery crab stuffed mushrooms. The occasion does not matter. Is the game on? Are you hosting a dinner party? Is it Tuesday? Crab stuffed mushrooms might be one of my all-time favorite appetizers. Don’t let their fancy appearance fool you, either: delicate, baked stuffed mushrooms are ridiculously easy to make with imitation crabmeat. Of course, if you want to use the real deal, they turn out great no matter what.
Why I Love This Stuffed Mushrooms Recipe
- Quick and easy to assemble. Crab stuffed mushrooms taste gourmet and they couldn’t be easier to make. Mixing up the filling is quick, and they need only 15 minutes in the oven to bake to crispy perfection.
- Make-ahead. One of the major things that I love about this recipe, especially during the holidays, is that I can prep these mushrooms the day before. The stuffed mushrooms keep well in the fridge. I just pop them into the oven when it’s time to serve.
- A crowd favorite. I make my stuffed mushrooms with crab often, and I think they might be half the reason I get invited to parties. LOL. In all seriousness, these stuffed mushrooms disappear almost as soon as they hit the table. I always have a second batch on standby!
What You’ll Need
All you need for this crab stuffed mushrooms recipe is crab meat, and the rest is a savory mix of cheese, breadcrumbs, and herbs. I’ve included some notes on the ingredients here. Have a scroll to the recipe card for a printable list with complete recipe details.
- Mushrooms – For a perfect bite-sized appetizer, I use baby bella mushrooms (baby portobellos). These are also called cremini mushrooms. You’ll want to hollow out the mushrooms by removing the stems and cleaning out the “gills” inside.
- Green Onions – You can use finely chopped shallot, but I love the pop of color that comes from green onions.
- Crabmeat – Chopped imitation crabmeat works perfectly in this recipe. It’s an affordable alternative to lump crab meat, though you can use that, too, if you’d prefer. See below.
- Breadcrumbs – I like to use Panko breadcrumbs, which are larger and have more crunch. Regular breadcrumbs are fine in a pinch.
- Parmesan Cheese – Freshly grated. You can also use Pecorino or even grated cheddar cheese.
- Fresh Parsley – Finely chopped, plus salt and fresh cracked pepper for seasoning.
- Milk – Any kind (make sure it’s unsweetened if you’re using an alternative like almond or oat milk).
- Garlic Butter Sauce – I make a quick variation of my homemade garlic butter sauce to drizzle over the baked stuffed mushrooms when serving.
Imitation vs. Real Crabmeat
Imitation crabmeat is made from fish meat that’s shaped and cured to imitate the flavor and texture of authentic crab. I like imitation crabmeat in recipes like stuffed mushrooms and kani salad, where it’s not necessarily the star ingredient. I much prefer to save pricier fresh lump crab for my crab cakes! That being said, you can 100% opt for fresh or frozen crab meat in this recipe if you’d like. Another good option is canned lump crab meat (like I use to make crab rangoon).
How to Make Crab Stuffed Mushrooms
These easy stuffed mushrooms are a cinch to put together, with only 15 minutes of hands-on prep. Here’s a glance at the step-by-step recipe:
- Prep the mushrooms. First, clean the mushroom caps and arrange them inside a greased baking dish.
- Add the crab filling. Next, mix the crabmeat with onions, breadcrumbs, cheese, and seasonings for the filling. Add a splash of milk for moisture. After, drop a heaping spoonful of crab mixture into each mushroom cap.
- Bake. Bake your stuffed mushrooms at 375ºF for 15 minutes.
- Finish with garlic butter. While the mushrooms are baking, prepare the garlic butter sauce, then drizzle it over the cooked mushrooms before serving.
Air Fryer Method
If you have an air fryer, you can make air fryer stuffed mushrooms with crab! I recommend spritzing the outside of the cleaned mushroom caps with cooking spray before filling them as directed. Arrange the crab stuffed mushrooms inside the air fryer and bake at 400ºF for about 8 minutes. You may need to cook in batches depending on the size of your air fryer.
Recipe Tips and Variations
- Use fresh mushrooms. The fresher, the better! Look for firm mushrooms that smell fresh and earthy.
- Clean the mushrooms well. Use a spoon to clean out the gills and a damp cloth to wipe the mushrooms clean of any dirt before you stuff them.
- Make sure they’re similar in size. I usually aim for medium-sized baby bellas. This ensures the perfect stuffing-to-mushroom ratio.
- If the crab mixture is too dry, add a bit more milk, one spoonful at a time, to moisten it up.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan. Spacing out the crab stuffed mushrooms helps them cook evenly, and lets the breadcrumbs in the filling crisp up.
- Change up the protein. If crab isn’t your thing, you can easily substitute the crabmeat in this recipe with shredded chicken, ground beef, or ground turkey instead. You could also make a mini version of my Caprese stuffed mushrooms as a vegetarian option.
- Different herbs. In place of green onions and parsley, try adding fresh herbs like basil, thyme, oregano, and rosemary. I like to garnish my mushies with herbs and a dusting of paprika when serving.
- Different cheese. You can make crab and cream cheese stuffed mushrooms by swapping parmesan for plain cream cheese.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
- Refrigerate. Store any leftover crab stuffed mushrooms in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Try to store them in a single layer, otherwise, use a piece of parchment paper to separate any layers.
- Reheat. Warm the stuffed mushrooms in the oven at 350ºF until they’re hot throughout.
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For The Garlic Butter Sauce
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Prep. Preheat oven to 375˚F. Lightly grease a large baking dish with cooking spray; transfer the mushroom caps to the baking dish and set aside.
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Make the crab filling. In a large bowl, combine the crabmeat, green onions, panko crumbs, parmesan cheese, parsley, salt, and pepper; mix to combine. Add milk and continue to stir until the mixture is just moistened. If it’s too dry, add a tablespoon of milk.
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Fill the mushrooms and bake. Spoon the filling into the prepared mushrooms and bake for 15 minutes.
For the Garlic Butter Sauce
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Melt butter in a saucepan. When completely melted, remove from heat and, using a spoon, remove the foamy layer on top; discard foam.
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Add seasonings. Whisk in the garlic powder and salt.
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Drizzle over top of the mushrooms. Remove the mushrooms from the oven and let them rest for 1 minute. Drizzle the mushrooms with the garlic butter sauce and serve.
- Freshness Matters: Select fresh, firm mushrooms with a deep, earthy smell for the best results.
- Size Counts: Opt for medium-sized mushrooms to ensure a good stuffing-to-mushroom ratio.
- Patience with Prep: Take time to clean and prepare the mushrooms, and gently remove the stems to keep the caps intact.
- Space Them Out: Don’t overcrowd the baking tray; give the mushrooms space to cook evenly.
Serving: 1stuffed mushroom | Calories: 47kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 8mg | Sodium: 140mg | Potassium: 110mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 137IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 0.3mg
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
