These savory crab stuffed mushrooms are the perfect appetizer for any occasion. Juicy mushroom caps are filled with a rich, creamy crab mixture and topped with golden breadcrumbs and Parmesan. Easy to make, these little bites will quickly become a favorite. If you love Red Lobster stuffed mushrooms, these are sure to become a family favorite!
Anyone who knows me personally knows I love to fish. I haven’t been since I lost my favorite fishing partner last year, but I will eventually pick my pole up again. My lack of hitting the water has more to do with not being ready to face my favorite fishing hole than anything, but I will get there eventually.
While I love to reel them in, it may surprise you to find out that I don’t necessarily like to eat them. I have a very sensitive pallet when it comes to seafood so there are only a few things I can tolerate. Everything else tastes incredibly muddy to me; no matter if its ocean going or freshwater.
Crab is one of the few I can tolerate and one of my favorites hands down; especially crab stuffed mushrooms with cream cheese and all the fixings!
And that is how this recipe came about. This crab stuffed mushrooms recipe is seafood perfection on a plate! Serve them as an appetizer, as a side or honestly; as a snack if you’re me. They are gluten free, low carb, Keto and honestly, all around delicious!
Oh, and if you love Red Lobster, you’re going to fall head over heels for these! They’re a Red Lobster stuffed mushrooms copycat recipe and a fantastic way to get your Red Lobster fix without having to spend out the money at the restaurant!
How Do You Clean Mushrooms?
When you’re including mushrooms in a recipe, you’ll need to clean them first. They come covered in dirt and other things that you won’t necessarily want messing with the flavor of your recipe. Most people will rinse mushrooms, and honestly that’s fine if you’re slicing them and cooking them within the recipe itself, but when you make stuffed mushrooms, you need them to stay somewhat firm so they will hold the filling without falling apart.
When you rinse mushrooms in water, they absorb water making them soggy.
The best way to clean mushrooms for this is to use a soft vegetable brush to remove any loose dirt followed by wiping them down with a barely damp paper towel. This will allow you to remove as much dirt as possible without adding more water to the mushrooms themselves.
How to Keep Stuffed Mushrooms from Getting Soggy?
Aside from cleaning them properly, there is a trick you can add to the recipe steps to keep your stuffed mushrooms from getting soggy.
After you have cleaned them, remove the stems and set them aside for later. Preheat the oven to 400°F and place the mushroom caps, stem side down onto a cookie sheet. Pre-bake the mushrooms for 5-10 minutes or until the juices leak out onto the baking sheet.
From there, finish the recipe and bake as normal.
What is the Secret to Crispy Stuffed Mushrooms?
I get it. I don’t like biting into a soggy mushroom either. I want a crispy bite. With crab stuffed mushrooms, it’s pretty simple to do. At the end of the baking cycle, when you only have one or two minutes left, crank the oven to broil.
Broil them for 1-2 minutes or until the tops are browned and crispy. However, be mindful and keep a close eye on them. Under broil, they can burn very fast.
What to Serve with Crab Stuffed Mushrooms
What you serve with crab stuffed mushrooms will really depend on how you’re using them. If you’re using them as an appetizer, serve them along side other appetizer options such as stuffed jalapenos, mozzarella cheese sticks and so on.
If you’re using them as a dinner side dish, they pair very well along side pasta such as chicken fettuccine alfredo, a perfectly grilled steak or a cream based soup such as white chicken chili. Pair the meal with a salad and crusty bread and you’ve got a delicious menu!
How to Store and Reheat Stuffed Mushrooms?
When storing leftover mushrooms, you will need to take into account the water that is held inside of them, even after cooking. As they sit, this water will leech out of them and is most noticeable on the bottoms of each mushroom. The longer the mushrooms sit in this water, the soggier your leftovers will become.
To prevent this, simply add a layer of paper towels to the bottom of an air-tight food storage dish. The paper towel will soak the water up and keep things from getting soggy.
To reheat, simply pop in the microwave or reheat in a 300°F oven for a few minutes. Use leftovers within 3-days since they contain seafood.
Crab Stuffed Mushrooms Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 16 oz Baby Bella Mushrooms Clean and stems removed
- 1 Tbsp. Butter
- 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 8 oz. Cream cheese Softened
- ¼ C. Celery Finely diced
- ¼ C. Onion Finely diced
- ¼ C. Red pepper Finely diced
- 1 ½ Tbsp. Minced garlic
- 4-6 oz. Crab meat imitation or fresh crab meat
- 2 C. Oyster Crackers crushed
- ½ C. Cheddar Cheese shredded
- ½ Tbsp Garlic powder
- 1 tsp. Old Bay Seasoning
- 1 tsp. Salt
- 1 tsp. Pepper
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup water
- 6 slices Provolone cheese
Instructions
- Clean mushrooms and remove stems. Chop stems and set aside.16 oz Baby Bella Mushrooms
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Partially bake mushroom caps on a cookie sheet 3-5 minutes or until the water they are holding releases onto the cookie sheet.
- While the mushrooms are par-baking, preheat oil and butter in a medium sized skillet.1 Tbsp. Butter, 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
- Finely dice celery, onion and red pepper. Set aside.1/4 C. Celery, 1/4 C. Onion, 1/4 C. Red pepper
- Sauté celery, onion, and red pepper until soft. Add minced garlic when veggies are almost soft.1 1/2 Tbsp. Minced garlic
- Combine half of the mushroom stems with all remaining ingredients except provolone cheese.8 oz. Cream cheese, 4-6 oz. Crab meat, 2 C. Oyster Crackers, 1/2 C. Cheddar Cheese, 1/2 Tbsp Garlic powder, 1 tsp. Old Bay Seasoning, 1 tsp. Salt, 1 tsp. Pepper, 1 large egg, 1/2 cup water
- Stuff mixture into mushrooms and place 1/4 slice of cheese on top.6 slices Provolone cheese
- Bake at 400° for 10-15 minutes until hot and cheese is bubbly.
Notes
- Nutrition information is auto-calculated. Please use discretion if you follow a specific diet.
- If desired, broil mushrooms for 1-2 minutes at the end of the baking cycle until cheese is browned and topping is crisp.
- This stuffing works well with multiple types of mushrooms; use white button mushrooms, Baby Bella mushrooms, cremini mushrooms and even Portobello mushrooms.