Crab Stuffed Mushrooms Recipe

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Clean mushrooms by wiping caps with a damp cloth; remove stems and reserve stems for another use or discard. Use a small spoon to gently hollow out any remaining gills to make room for filling.

Brush the outside and inside of each mushroom cap lightly with 1 tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle the 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper over the caps. Arrange caps top-side up on a baking sheet or shallow baking dish with a little space between them.

Par-bake the mushrooms for 8 minutes to release excess moisture. Remove from oven and drain any liquid from the baking sheet; set aside while you prepare the stuffing.

Prepare aromatics

In a medium skillet, warm 1 tsp olive oil over medium heat (or reuse a bit of the oil from brushing). Add the finely diced shallot and cook 2–3 minutes until softened. Add the minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant. Remove from heat and let cool 2 minutes.

Mix base

In a mixing bowl, combine the softened 4 oz cream cheese, 2 tbsp mayonnaise, 1/4 cup grated Parmesan, 1/4 cup Panko, 1/2 tsp Dijon, 1/2 tsp Old Bay, 1 tsp lemon zest, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 2 tbsp chopped parsley, 2 dashes hot sauce (if using), 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Stir until smooth and homogenous.

Fold in crab

Gently fold the 12 oz lump crab meat into the cream cheese mixture, taking care not to break up the lumps too much. Add the cooled shallot/garlic mixture and combine until evenly distributed. Taste a small amount and adjust seasoning with extra lemon, salt, or Old Bay as desired.

Spoon the crab filling into each mushroom cap, mounding slightly so each cap is generously stuffed. You should have enough filling for 16 caps; adjust amount per cap as needed.

In a small bowl combine 2 tbsp Panko breadcrumbs, 1 tbsp melted butter and 2 tbsp grated Parmesan. Sprinkle about 1/2 tsp of this breadcrumb mixture on top of each stuffed mushroom (or distribute evenly). This creates a golden topping.

Bake the stuffed mushrooms at 375°F (190°C) for 12–15 minutes, until the filling is hot, the tops are golden and the mushrooms are tender. If you want a more browned top, place under the broiler for 1–2 minutes watching closely to avoid burning.

Remove from oven and let rest 3–4 minutes. Garnish with chopped chives or parsley and an optional squeeze of fresh lemon before serving.