Crab-Stuffed Mushrooms

These delicious crab-stuffed mushrooms are perfect when you want to impress your guests without spending hours in the kitchen! Everyone at your holiday party will absolutely love these elegant little bites. The best part is they come together in just 25 minutes, so you can focus on enjoying time with your loved ones.

Recipe Details

Timing & Servings: Prep Time: 25 minutes, Total Time: 25 minutes, Serves: 8 people, Yield: 24 stuffed mushrooms.

Nutrition Profile: Low-Carb, Nut-Free, Soy-Free, High-Protein, Low-Calorie.

Nutrition Facts (per serving): 120 Calories, 8g Fat, 5g Carbs, 8g Protein.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Fresh cremini mushrooms: You’ll need 24 mushrooms with the stems removed. These little brown mushrooms are perfect because they hold their shape and have such a rich, earthy flavor that pairs beautifully with crab!

Hearts of palm: Half a cup chopped up adds the most wonderful texture. If you haven’t tried hearts of palm before, they taste similar to artichokes but milder and more tender.

Mayonnaise: Five tablespoons helps bind everything together and keeps the filling creamy. Use your favorite brand – they all work great here!

Fresh chives: Two tablespoons finely chopped brings such a lovely onion-like flavor without being too strong. Fresh really makes a difference, but dried works in a pinch.

Fresh tarragon: One tablespoon finely chopped adds that special something with its slightly licorice-like taste. It’s what makes this recipe feel fancy and restaurant-worthy!

Lemon juice: One tablespoon brightens up all the flavors and keeps everything tasting fresh and light.

Creole seasoning: Three-quarters teaspoon gives just the right amount of spice. Tony Chachere’s is my go-to, but any Creole seasoning you have will work perfectly.

Garlic: One clove grated adds that aromatic base flavor we all love. Grating it makes it distribute so much better than chopping.

Fresh lump crabmeat: Eight ounces is the star of the show! Make sure to pick through it for any shell pieces – nobody wants that surprise bite.

Whole-wheat panko breadcrumbs: Three tablespoons create that perfect golden, crispy top. The whole-wheat version adds a nice nutty flavor too.

Extra-virgin olive oil: Two teaspoons help those breadcrumbs get beautifully golden and crispy in the oven.

Salt: Quarter teaspoon brings out all the other flavors. Don’t skip this little bit – it makes such a difference!

Lemon wedges: For serving alongside these beauties. That extra squeeze of fresh lemon really makes the crab flavor pop!

How to Make Crab-Stuffed Mushrooms

Step 1: Move your oven rack to the upper third and preheat to 425°F. Place mushroom caps gill-sides down on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast for about 15 minutes until they release their juices and feel tender when you poke them with a knife.

Step 2: While the mushrooms roast, grab a medium bowl and mix together hearts of palm, mayonnaise, chives, tarragon, lemon juice, Creole seasoning, and garlic. Stir everything until it’s well blended and looks creamy. Gently fold in the crabmeat – you want to keep those lovely chunks intact!

Step 3: Switch your oven to low broil setting. Flip the mushrooms over so the gill sides face up. Stuff each mushroom cap with exactly 1 tablespoon of your crab mixture – they should look nice and full!

Step 4: In a small bowl, toss together panko, olive oil, and salt until the crumbs are evenly coated. Sprinkle this mixture over each stuffed mushroom. Broil for about 5 minutes until the crab mixture is warmed through and those breadcrumbs are crisp and deeply golden brown.

Step 5: Transfer your beautiful mushrooms to a serving platter and serve immediately with lemon wedges. Your guests are going to be so impressed!

Easy and Quick Crab-Stuffed Mushrooms Version

Want to make these even faster? You can use pre-cooked mushrooms from the deli section! Just stuff them with the crab mixture, top with breadcrumbs, and broil for 3 minutes. You can also use imitation crab if fresh isn’t available – just use the same 8 ounces and the flavor will still be amazing.

Serving Ideas

These elegant appetizers are perfect for any special occasion! Serve them alongside some crispy crackers and a fresh green salad for a light lunch. They also pair wonderfully with champagne or white wine for holiday parties.

Storage

Store any leftover stuffed mushrooms in the refrigerator for up to 2 days in a covered container. To reheat, pop them in a 350°F oven for about 5 minutes until warmed through. The breadcrumbs might not be quite as crispy, but they’ll still taste delicious!

Substitutions

No hearts of palm? You can swap in chopped water chestnuts for that same crispy texture. If you can’t find tarragon, fresh dill works beautifully too. Regular panko breadcrumbs work just as well as whole-wheat if that’s what you have on hand.

Pro Tips

• Pick the right mushrooms: Choose mushrooms that are all about the same size so they cook evenly and look pretty on your platter.
• Don’t overstuff: Stick to that 1 tablespoon measurement – too much filling and it might fall out during cooking.
• Watch the broiler: Broilers can go from golden to burnt really quickly, so keep an eye on those breadcrumbs!
• Prep ahead: You can stuff the mushrooms up to 4 hours ahead and just add the breadcrumb topping right before broiling.

FAQs

Can I make these ahead of time?

Sure! You can prepare the crab filling and roast the mushrooms up to a day ahead. Just store them separately in the fridge, then stuff and broil when you’re ready to serve. This makes entertaining so much easier!

What if I can’t find fresh crabmeat?

You bet you can use other options! Canned lump crabmeat works great – just drain it really well. Imitation crab is another good choice, though the flavor won’t be quite as rich.

Can I use different types of mushrooms?

Absolutely! Baby bella mushrooms work perfectly, and large button mushrooms are great too. Just make sure they’re big enough to hold a good amount of filling.

How do I know when the mushrooms are done roasting?

They should feel tender when you poke them with a knife, and you’ll see some juices in the bottom of the pan. Don’t worry if they look a little shrunken – that’s totally normal!

Final Thoughts

I hope you love these crab-stuffed mushrooms as much as my family does! They’re such a crowd-pleaser and always disappear fast at parties. Let me know how yours turn out – I’d love to hear about your experience making them!