This gorgeous dish of crab stuffed mushrooms is the perfect appetizer. It's ready in 20 minutes, making it a quick appetizer you can whip up at the last minute.
I regularly make several mushroom recipes, including sautéed mushrooms and roasted mushrooms. These crab stuffed mushrooms are especially good. They are festive, elegant, and delicious. When I serve them to my family, I serve them as our main course, so I serve six mushrooms per person, plus a side or two. When hosting, I serve them as an appetizer, and then two or three per person are perfect.
Ingredients
See the recipe card for exact measurements. Here are my comments on some of the ingredients.
- Baby Bella mushrooms: Try to find ones that are about the same size.
- Fresh lump crab meat: The fresher the better, or the dish could taste fishy.
- Chopped scallions: I use the green parts only.
- Sour cream: I tried using Greek yogurt and thought it produced inferior results, so I don't recommend it.
- Grated Parmesan: It's best to use finely grated cheese and not coarsely shredded.
Portobello Mushrooms Variation
Sometimes, as shown in the photo below, I use two portobello mushrooms instead of cremini mushrooms. The recipe is exactly the same, except that the mushrooms are larger, so the entire filling can be divided between two of them.
Instructions
Considering it's such an elegant dish, it's surprisingly easy to make this recipe. The detailed instructions and step-by-step photos are included in the recipe card. Here's a quick overview.
Clean the mushrooms, then broil them in the middle of the oven until just tender.
Transfer the crabmeat to a medium bowl. Add the remaining ingredients except for the paprika and mix well. Spoon the crab mixture into the mushrooms. Sprinkle the stuffed mushrooms with paprika.
Arrange the mushrooms back on the baking sheet. Lightly spray them with olive oil. Broil them briefly, just until the filling is warm and golden, for about 3 minutes. Serve immediately.
I used canned crabmeat and it turned out great!
Diana O'Hara
Read more comments
I used canned crabmeat and it turned out great!Recipe Tips
- The fresher the crab meat you use, the better this appetizer will taste.
- Pick larger mushrooms. If you’re buying pre-packed baskets, you’ll probably need to buy an extra one. Use the bigger mushrooms in this recipe and the smaller mushrooms in this sautéed mushrooms recipe or in this cream of mushroom soup recipe.
- At the first stage of broiling, instead of using an olive oil spray, you can drizzle the mushrooms with olive oil and then brush to coat. However, after they are filled, it's easier to use a spray.
- Cooked mushrooms can become soggy. To avoid sogginess:
1. Wipe the mushrooms clean, don't wash them. They can absorb water if you wash them.
2. Pre-broil the mushrooms to release some of the liquids.
3. In the final stage of broiling, broil briefly, just until the topping is browned. Overcooked mushrooms become mushy.
Recipe FAQs
The mushrooms tend to burn easily when placed directly under the heating element. Middle-of-the-oven broiling takes longer, but it allows for gentler cooking and reduces the risk of burning your food.
Crabmeat is very salty, so I find that there's no need to add salt. You can, of course, taste and decide for yourself.
Jumbo lump crabmeat is those big chunks of delicious crab that you can eat as an appetizer dipped in drawn butter - see the photo below.
However, it's expensive, and when making this recipe, you will need to break it into small chunks anyway and mix it with spices and condiments. So, for this recipe, lump crabmeat is best.
Having said that, I sometimes use jumbo lump crabmeat when it's the freshest selection available. 
You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat them in the microwave at 50% power or in a 350°F oven. They are also good when served cold. I don't recommend freezing the leftovers.
Serving Suggestions
These delicious mushrooms make a great appetizer and can be part of an appetizer spread when you host. I like to serve them alongside avocado deviled eggs, stuffed mini peppers, jalapeno poppers, and prosciutto-wrapped asparagus.
You can also serve six per person as the main dish. When I do this, I usually add a simple salad that I can make ahead of time, such as tomato salad, arugula salad, or cauliflower potato salad.
To round out the meal, I add almond flour bread, keto garlic bread, or keto focaccia.
Recipe Card
Crab Stuffed Mushrooms
Video
Ingredients
- 24 cremini mushrooms - large; about 1 pound
- Olive oil cooking spray
- 8 ounces fresh lump crabmeat
- ¼ cup scallions - chopped
- 6 tablespoons sour cream
- ¼ cup parmesan - grated
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon paprika
Instructions
- Preheat the broiler to high. Set an oven rack in the middle of the oven (this will prevent the mushrooms from scorching under the broiler). Line a broiler-safe rimmed baking sheet with foil.
- Use damp paper towels to gently wipe the mushrooms clean. Gently twist the stems off. Spray the mushrooms with olive oil on both sides. Broil in the middle of the oven until just tender, 2-3 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels.
- Transfer the crabmeat to a medium bowl, feeling through the meat to ensure no shell pieces remain. If using jumbo lump crabmeat (which comes in larger pieces than lump crabmeat), use a fork to break the lumps into smaller pieces.
- Add the scallions, sour cream, parmesan, garlic powder, dried thyme, and black pepper. Mix well with a rubber spatula until thoroughly combined. Taste to ensure the filling is salty enough for your palate. If not, add salt to taste.
- Spoon the crab mixture into the mushrooms, dividing it evenly. Each mushroom should hold about 2 tablespoons of filling. Pack the filling into the mushrooms and pile it high if needed. Sprinkle the stuffed mushrooms with paprika.
- Arrange the mushrooms, filling side up, back on the baking sheet (you might need to use a clean new sheet of foil). Lightly spray them with olive oil. Broil the mushrooms briefly, just until the filling is warm and golden, for about 3 minutes.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- The fresher the crab meat you use, the better this appetizer will taste.
- Pick larger mushrooms. If you’re buying pre-packed baskets, you’ll probably need to buy an extra one. Use the smaller mushroom in this sautéed mushrooms recipe or to make cream of mushroom soup.
- Crabmeat is very salty, so I find that there's no need to add salt. You can, of course, taste the filling and decide for yourself.
- You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat them gently in the microwave at 50% power or in a 350°F oven. They are also good when served cold. I don't recommend freezing the leftovers.
Nutrition per Serving
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Most recipes are low-carb and gluten-free, but some are not. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate. Please verify it independently. The carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Please read these Terms of Use before using any of my recipes.
Cody says
Sherry cooking wine adds an amazing depth of flavor for this dish.
Vered DeLeeuw says
Thanks for the feedback, Cody!
Diana O'Hara says
I used canned crabmeat and it turned out great!
Vered DeLeeuw says
Glad you enjoyed it, Diana! Thank you for leaving a comment.