Our middle son recently turned 15 and on our birthdays we each pick the meal. He has always had a rather decadent and expensive palate - he absolutely loves food! This year he picked lobster mac & cheese along with Crab Stuffed Mushrooms. So that's what I delivered. He specifically said he wanted to really taste the crab over the other ingredients. Not like lots of restaurants that go heavy on the cheese and crumbs. So I am not joking when I say the stuffing is about fifty percent crab meat.

Crab Stuffed Mushrooms
Crab Stuffed Mushrooms

I opted for lump crab meat because my grocer only had frozen crab legs on hand and I was shopping for it on his birthday. You could certainly use leg meat in it's place. I also selected whipped cream cheese instead of the brick. This makes it easier to mix together without beating up the crab meat too much. I picked panko crumbs over breadcrumbs because they are lighter so you don't get that gummy texture that is just not pleasant.

Crab Stuffed Mushrooms
Crab Stuffed Mushrooms

Try to pick mushrooms that are about 1 1/2 to 2 inches in diameter. You want to be able to have a good mushroom to crab stuffing ratio. I like to put a nice big top on mine so the whole thing stands up tall. I made these as a sort of side dish for the lobster mac & cheese but I plan to add them to my next appetizer night! That's when I basically make an appetizer sampler for each of us. It's a fun change of pace on dinner ideas.

Crab Stuffed Mushrooms
Crab Stuffed Mushrooms

Now Let's Get Cookin'!

Crab Stuffed Mushrooms

A decadent appetizer of baby bella mushrooms stuffed with scrumptious crab meat.

  • 16 Baby Bella Mushrooms (stems and gills removed)
  • 8 oz Crab Meat (lump)
  • 4 oz Whipped Cream Cheese
  • 1 cup Parmesan Cheese (grated, divided)
  • ½ cup Fresh Chives (chopped)
  • 1 cup Panko Crumbs (divided)
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1 tsp Garlic Powder
  • 1 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
  • ¼ cup Lemon Juice
  1. Preheat oven to 350degF.

  2. Place mushroom, with the opening facing up, in a single layer in a 13x9 baking dish.

  3. Add ¾ cup parmesan cheese, ¾ cup of panko crumbs, and remaining ingredients to a mixing bowl. Stir to thoroughly combine. Fill each mushroom cap with the crab mixture (should be over stuffed a bit). Sprinkle with remaining parmesan cheese and panko crumbs. Bake for 20 minutes.

Appetizer
American
appetizer, cheese, crab, mushrooms, panko, seafood, stuffed mushrooms

Estelle Forrest's self-published first cookbook - Homemade on a Weeknight: A Family Cookbook - was created after a lot of playing around in the kitchen. You can purchase your own copy here:

AVAILABLE IN PRINT OR KINDLE eBOOK VERSIONS

Estelle self-published a second cookbook - Burgers on a Weeknight - recently. It has over 60 delicious burger creations! You can purchase your own copy here:

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