Want to impress your friends at your next cookout, and not spend a ton of time doing it? This crab stuffed mushroom recipe is a must—and it’s so simple and so delicious.
The cream cheese really makes this appetizer smooth and creamy on the palate, while the herbs and spices step to center stage to complement, but not overpower, the crab. The mushroom caps really balance this out, provide an interesting texture, and make this dish the perfect finger food if you want to use them as an appetizer at a casual party.
That said, don’t limit them to just a casual appetizer; they’re also exceptional for a fork-and-knife first course at a more formal dinner party or family dinner night. I should probably qualify formal by the way… For me, formal just means I’m not eating dinner in my pjs or an oversized (but incredibly comfortable) sweat pants.
Can I Freeze Stuffed Mushrooms?
Not only are these appetizers easy and delicious—they’re also excellent frozen. Crab stuffed mushrooms are an incredible time saver for cooks on the go. They can be prepared ahead and reheated if you’re planning a big party. This also means on the off chance that you leave any leftovers (it’s never happened at my house, but there’s a first time for everything), they can be frozen and reheated, so you won’t need to worry about wasting food.
How Long Should I Cook Stuffed Mushrooms?
Once you’ve removed stems on the mushrooms, these treats are a quick cook. It just takes 15 minutes on the grill to have an impressive, scrumptious appetizer.
What Kind of Mushrooms Are the Best for Stuffed Mushrooms?
For this recipe, I prefer portabella mushrooms. They’re big enough to offer you a good bite and have a woodsy flavor that pairs beautifully with the crab, scallions, and cheese mixture.
What Cheese Is Best for Crab Stuffed Mushrooms?
In this recipe, I love the combination of Parmesan and cream cheese. The nutty flavors of the Parmesan pair beautifully with shallots and Old Bay. But don’t be afraid to play with cheese combinations when you’re experimenting with your own recipes. My only hard and fast rule for cheese is this: NEVER buy pre-grated or shredded cheese. It’s coated with chemicals to keep it from clumping, and that means it won’t melt properly when you’re cooking. So whatever cheese you choose, remember that a little elbow grease and a cheese grater will get you the best results every time.
Crab Stuffed Mushrooms Recipe
Serves: 4 | Prep time: 20 mins. | Cook time: 15 mins.
Ingredients
1 lb. lump crab meat (I prefer king crab)
1 cup white wine, I use chardonnay
1 egg
6-8 Large portabella mushroom caps (sometimes called portabella sliders)
3/4 cup cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (plus 6-8 pinches for the mushroom caps)
1/2 cup scallions, finely chopped
1/2 cup Italian flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
1/4 cup shallot, finely chopped
1/2 stick butter, (plus 6-8 pads for the mushroom caps)
3/4 cup garlic bread crumbs
3 tsp Old Bay (plus 6-8 pitches for the mushroom caps)
1 tsp freshly chopped tarragon
½ tsp savory powder
Step-by-Step
Step 1: Light grill or oven set up for indirect heat, establish temperature at 350°F. I use a grill for this recipe because I’m normally serving them as an appetizer with a steak, or roasted street corn so it just makes sense to keep the grill rolling. These can also be done indoors in your oven. I just try to take every opportunity that I can to get outside and be around a flame and I encourage you to as well.
Step 2: In a small sauté pan, melt 1/4 stick of butter over medium heat, add shallot and sauté for 3 minutes.
Step 3: Add chopped tarragon and sauté an additional 2 minutes. The hint of licorice flavor coming from the tarragon really compliments the old bay seasoning. Seriously, once you try tarragon in these or in a traditional crab cake you won’t make them without it – ever again.
Step 4: Deglaze with 1 cup white wine and reduce for 1 minute. Pour liquid into mixing bowl and set aside to cool for 10 minutes.
Step 5: Unwrap and clean off mushrooms by lightly dusting them with a paper towel.
Step 6: Using a small spoon, scoop out stem and underside of the mushroom caps, creating small bowls for the crab dip. Discard stems.
Step 7: Put caps in cast iron skillet and place a pad of butter in each cap.
Step 8: In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine remaining stuffing ingredients with sautéed shallots and mix. Once combined, gently fold in lump crab meat. You’ll want to break the larger lumps up slightly, but not overly so. It should look like this once folded in:
Step 9: Using a spoon—or have some fun and use your hands—place a large scoop of mixture into each mushroom cap. Top each with a mound of crab, a pinch of Parmesan cheese, and a dash of Old Bay (optional).
Step 10: Place cast iron pan on grill, close lid and let cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and serve immediately.
Make the Crab Stuffed Mushrooms Recipe:
Ingredients
- 1 lb. lump crab meat
- 1 cup white wine
- 1 egg
- 6-8 large portabella mushroom caps
- 3/4 cup cream cheese room temperature
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup scallions finely chopped
- 1/2 cup Italian flat leaf parsley finely chopped
- 1/4 cup shallot finely chopped
- 1/2 stick butter
- 3/4 cup garlic bread crumbs
- 3 tsp Old Bay
- 1 tsp freshly chopped tarragon
- 1/2 tsp savory powder
Instructions
- Light grill or oven and set up for indirect heat. Establish temperature at 350°F.
- In a small sauté pan, melt 1/4 stick of butter over medium heat, add shallots and sauté for 3 minutes.
- Add chopped tarragon and sauté an additional 2 minutes.
- Deglaze the pan with 1 cup white wine and reduce for 1 minute.
- Pour liquid into mixing bowl and set aside to cool for 10 minutes.
- Unwrap and clean off mushrooms by lightly dusting them with a paper towel.
- Using a small spoon, scoop out stem and underside of the mushroom caps. Discard stems.
- Put caps in cast iron skillet and place a pad of butter in each cap.
- In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine remaining stuffing ingredients with sautéed shallots and mix.
- Gently fold lump crab meat into stuffing mixture.
- Using a spoon place a large scoop of mixture into each mushroom cap.
- Top each with mound of crab with a pinch of Parmesan cheese and a dash of Old Bay.
- Place cast iron pan on grill, close lid, and let cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and serve immediately.