by Holly
Crab Stuffed Mushrooms are the ultimate appetizer. Juicy mushrooms are stuffed with tender crab meat and cream cheese filling, topped with breadcrumbs, and baked until melty.
Crab appetizers are one of my favorite things to bring to potlucks. From my famous hot crab dip to crab cakes, people love the luxury of crab!
Crab Stuffed Mushrooms
Stuffed Mushrooms with cream cheese are always a way to impress. While I love them stuffed with creamy crab, I sometimes stuff them with other things like pizza toppings or even just salsa. Mushrooms can be stuffed with pretty much anything!
How To Make Stuffed Mushrooms
Crab Stuffed mushrooms are really easy to make! Use a damp paper towel to clean the outside of the mushrooms. Running them under water can cause mushrooms to soak up water resulting in wet soggy stuffed mushrooms!
I snap off the stem and using a spoon or tomato corer/strawberry huller to remove some of the gills as well to create a larger cavity to fill. Take care when scooping out the insides, so the mushroom doesn’t tear or break.
To make perfect crab stuffed mushrooms, I like to whip the cream cheese adding the crab meat in. This creates a light and fluffy melt in your mouth filling. Fill the mushrooms, top them with the delicious crumb topping, and bake them until the crab filling is bubbly and the topping is golden. Voila!
The best party appetizer since sliced bread.
How Long To Cook Stuffed Mushrooms
Crab Stuffed Mushrooms take about 18-20 minutes at 375°F, but this can change depending on the size of the mushrooms.
You want to make sure the mushroom is cooked through and the filling is hot and melty.
Can You Freeze Stuffed Mushrooms?
Yes! I love prepping crab stuffed mushrooms in advance and throwing them in the freezer for potlucks or when we get hungry. Just remember to adjust the cooking times accordingly. They can be cooked right from frozen (you’ll need to add about 10 min of cook time).
Crab stuffed mushrooms really seal the deal on an appetizer night. Serve them alongside buffalo chicken dip and a some Grape Jelly Meatballs for the best party spread!
More Easy Appetizer Recipes
- Pigs in a Blanket – 2 Ingredients!
- The Best Spinach Artichoke Dip – Favorite!
- Jalapeno Popper Dip (Video)
- Cowboy Caviar – our guests love these!
- Cranberry Feta Pinwheels – super pretty
- Hot Bacon Cheddar Dip – Mmmm, BACON!
Crab Stuffed Mushrooms
Prep Time 10 minutes
Servings 16 mushrooms
Course Appetizer
Cuisine AmericanIngredients
- 16 large fresh mushrooms
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened
- 6 ounces crab canned or frozen
- 2 green onions thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons parsley chopped
- ¼ teaspoon garlic salt
- ⅓ cup Parmesan cheese grated
Topping
- ¼ cup bread crumbs
- 1 tablespoon butter melted
Instructions
- Thaw crab meat if frozen (drain if canned). Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Mix cream cheese until smooth. Stir in remaining ingredients.
- Wipe mushrooms with a damp paper towel to remove any debris. Using a small spoon or tomato corer, remove stems and spoon out the insides of the mushroom. Discard (or freeze for soup).
- Divide the filling over the mushroom caps. Combine topping ingredients and sprinkle over mushrooms.
- Bake 18-20 minutes or until cooked through and tops are golden.
Nutrition Information
REPIN this Easy Appetizer
As a longtime chef I make a variation of your recipe that’s a dinner rather than appetizer. I use giant white mushrooms (one fills the palm of your hand), fresh Alaskan King crab legs (I live in the northwest where it’s often available), and the same ingredients you use. Aside from the flavor, King crab (carefully cracked) has such huge sections that it allows me to cut it into chunks that I gently fold into the cream cheese mixture. I grate my own bread crumbs (from a dried French loaf) and Parmigiano-Reggiano, and after stuffing the mushrooms and topping them with bred crumbs I lightly spray the tops with olive oil to help the tops brown.
The prep time is less than 20 minutes, and two caps per person with a fresh Caesar salad alongside makes a fantastic meal!
I just made them tonight for my daughter and her fiancee. Too bad I can’t post a picture here because they turned out gorgeous.
Keep up the good work on how to make and serve healthy and delicious food!
Oh my gosh, that sounds absolutely amazing!! Thank you for sharing, it would be such a great meal!
I made these as one of our appetizers for Easter, when we had guests for dinner. They were fantastic! I was happy to find 3 packages of large Crimini mushrooms, which were all pretty much the same size. I used real crab meat, b/c that’s what I was brought up having. I tried Shirimi once, and I’ll never use it again for ANYTHING! Once you get the real deal, there’s no going back. Everyone loved these mushrooms, & wanted the recipe. I gave it to them, and referred them to your terrific cooking blog. Happy New Year, Holly! Thanks for your recipes.
Thank you for sharing with your guests Angela, so glad everyone loved them! Happy new year you to and your family!
Delicious, best crab stuffed mushrooms I’ve ever made or tasted!!!
Why thank you Nanette!
I want to try this stuffed mushroom recipe but what’s with the “thinly sliced” onion, wouldn’t you want it to be chopped and diced fairly small??
It’s green onion so thinly sliced works in this recipe. You can chop them if you prefer.
Hi Holly,
Here I am again asking questions. As far as I know, they don’t make the little 3 ounce packages of cream cheese and if I use 4 ounces I’ve got 4 left over ounces of cream cheese. It doesn’t hold over well. Why can’t we use the whipped cream cheese. It is so good and holds up well. I use it on sandwiches with chopped black olives. If I did this, would I still use 4 ounces.
Hi Shirley,
While I usually whip my block of softened cream cheese, I don’t see why you couldn’t use the pre-whipped kind and have wonderful results.
wrap left over cream cheese in saran wrap put in a ziplock type bag freeze it.
Your question makes no sense. Where do you get 3 ounces from? This recipe calls for 4 oz. of cream cheese. “Philadelphia” (brand) makes cream cheese in 4 oz. packages. They’re usually right next to the 8 oz. packages in the dairy cooler.
Dry or fresh bread crumbs for the Crab Stuffed Mushrooms?
As it’s for the topping, either will work. I usually use dry because I have them on hand.
It looks so good! Thank you for sharing the recipe!
Happy Holidays Holly to you and your family! Thank You for always giving us the best recipes ever!! You are a life saver! :)
You’re so welcome. Thank you Yvonne! Happy Holidays to you and yours!
Is this real crab or imitation crab?
Both will work in this recipe Evelyn. Enjoy!