Crab Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms
Whether you’re entertaining or making these Crab Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms for a weeknight dinner, this recipe will not disappoint. With 15 minutes of prep time, they are an easy, healthy and festive main course for a special occasion.
Table of contents
Why We Love This Recipe For Crab Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms
I am always looking for an excuse to add crab to the menu. I am that girl who brings crab dip to a party or orders crab cakes at a restaurant. If you are a crab lover too, you’ll love these easy Crab-Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms!
Recipe Highlights
- This is a great recipe for entertaining!
- This recipe can easily be doubled to serve 8.
- Can be prepped ahead of time
- It’s also easy and fast enough for a weeknight dinner
- It’s only 300 calories per mushroom, so it’s a nice new low-cal recipe to try.
- These stuffed mushrooms can also be adapted to be low-carb with the substitution of keto breadcrumbs.
- Did we mention it takes only 15 Mins of prep time?
Key Ingredients For This Recipe
Crab Meat
Look for pasteurized jumbo, lump or fancy crab in the seafood section of the supermarket. It is packed in clear or metal tins and is already picked and cooked.
Reduced Fat Cream Cheese
To bind the crab meat filling together, I used reduced-fat cream cheese. A note here: the packaging is confusing because it does not actually say that it is cream cheese. It says Neufchatel and that it has 1/3 less fat than regular cream cheese.
To make things even more confusing, Neufchatel from France is a totally different thing and you do not want to use it. It has a bloomy rind, like Brie.
Feel free to use full-fat cream cheese instead. It adds about 30 calories per serving. Just bring it to room temperature before beating it in the mixing bowl with the seasonings.
Portobello Mushrooms
Try to pick four equally-sized large portobello mushrooms. Check the gills to see if they’re fresh by looking for a paper-thin layer of white cap. The perfect mushrooms will be damp and springy but not overly moist, mushy, or dried out.
Seafood Seasoning
We use Old Bay for this recipe and therefore don’t add any additional salt. For generic or low-sodium seafood seasonings, you may need up to ¼ teaspoon salt to season the filling.
If you’re not sure, in step 2 once you beat the cream cheese and seasoning, taste a small amount. If it tastes salty, do not add any additional salt (the crab is naturally salty too.)
Jarred Roasted Red Peppers or Pimentos
Roasted red peppers and pimentos are not the exact same thing, but you can use either for this recipe. Drain and chop them finely.
Scallions or Green Onions
You’ll need two scallions or green onions and slice them thinly.
Panko
This goes in the filling and on top to make a crunchy breadcrumb topping. To make this recipe low carb, use keto breadcrumbs, but do not add any additional salt. If you use a keto breadcrumb alternative, look for a low-sodium seafood seasoning. You can also sub in gluten-free panko.
Step By Step Instructions To Make This Recipe
Step 1: Preheat and Prep Mushrooms
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F and coat a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray. Break the stems off of the portobello mushrooms and scrape the gills out of them with a spoon. Wipe the caps with a damp paper towel, and then lay them gilled side up in the dish before setting them aside.
Step 2: Combine Cream Cheese Mixture
Beat cream cheese, Old Bay, salt and Tobasco with an electric mixer on medium-low until the mixture is creamy and the seasonings are fully incorporated into the cream cheese. Add egg white and then beat again to continue to combine.
Step 3: Add Additional Filling Ingredients
Add the scallions, breadcrumbs, parmesan and red pepper to the cream cheese mixture and mix it on low until everything is combined.
Step 4: Add Crab
Stir the crab, gently by hand, into the cream cheese mixture until it’s just incorporated.
Step 5: Fill Mushrooms
Scoop the crab and cream cheese filling into the mushrooms, dividing evenly.
Step 6: Add Toppings
Stir the remaining 3 tablespoons of panko with butter and paprika until the breadcrumbs are evenly moistened and reddish orange. Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture over the mushrooms, and finish by sprinkling them with the remaining 1 tablespoon of parmesan.
Step 7: Bake and Garnish
Bake the mushrooms until they are soft, the filling is heated through, and the topping is browned, which should take around 30 to 32 minutes. Let the mushrooms cool for 5 to 10 minutes, and then top them with additional scallions before serving (if desired). Enjoy!
FAQs and Expert Tips
No, they can’t be frozen because the mushrooms become watery. They’ll have an unpleasant spongey texture. On the plus side though, the filling can be mixed and frozen for up to 1 month! Stir it well before scooping into the mushrooms.
Absolutely! They’d make a fantastic appetizer. For the smaller mushrooms, just bake at 375 degrees for 18 to 20 minutes.
The filling and the portobellos can be prepared up to one day ahead. Keep them both separately in an air-tight container. Stuff the mushrooms, add the topping and bake just before serving.
What Goes With Crab Stuffed Mushrooms?
- Pair this dish with a salad such as Chopped Winter Salad or Shaved Brussels Sprouts and Kale Salad or spring mix tossed with Lemon Juice Salad Dressing.
- Try pairing your seafood dish with Roasted asparagus or Roasted Broccoli with Asiago Garlic and Almonds.
- If you’re looking for a flavorful side dish that’ll please everyone, try Steamed Potatoes with Herbs.
- Steamed Brussels are always a classic side!
- And for a low-carb option, pair your stuffed mushrooms with Mashed Cauliflower.
Additional Mushroom Recipes To Try
- This Portobello Mushroom Sandwich is juicy and easy to make!
- Garlic Herb Grilled Mushroom Kebabs are a simple way to prep them for the grill.
- This ultra-satisfying Portobello Mushroom Lasagna is one of my favorite vegetarian meals.
- Try Vegan Shiitake Bacon – it makes a great salad topping.
- You won’t miss the bacon in this creamy Vegetarian Fettucine Carbonara with Mushrooms!
- Portobello and Swiss Beef Burgers take only 30 minutes.
At Healthy Seasonal Recipes, we specialize in cooking with fresh veggies and creating weeknight meals. Sign up HERE to get more produce-forward dinner ideas for FREE! If you make this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review. I would love to hear what you thought! Happy Cooking! ~Katie
PrintCrab Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms
- Total Time: 45 mins
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
These Crab Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms are easily prepped and on the table in 30 minutes. Whether you’re entertaining or making them for a weeknight dinner, these mushrooms will not disappoint. Pair the stuffed mushrooms with a light salad or roasted veggies to complete this low calorie meal!
Ingredients
- 4 large Portobello mushrooms
- 4 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese (Neufchatel), softened
- 1 1/2 teaspoons seafood seasoning blend such as Old Bay* ingredient note
- 1/4 teaspoon salt, optional* see ingredient note
- Freshly ground pepper to taste
- 5 to 10 dashes of Tabasco hot sauce
- 1 egg white
- 2 scallions, finely sliced, plus more for garnish
- 1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs, plus 3 tablespoons, divided (gluten-free if desired)
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus 1 tablespoon, divided
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped jarred and drained roasted red pepper or pimento
- 8 ounces lump or jumbo crab meat
- 1 tablespoon melted salted butter
- 1/8 teaspoon paprika
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Coat a 9 by 13 baking dish with cooking spray. Break stems off portobello mushrooms. Scrape gills out of them with a spoon. Wipe caps with a damp paper towel. Lay gilled side up in the dish. Set aside.
- Beat cream cheese, Old Bay, salt and Tabasco with an electric mixer on medium-low until creamy and the seasonings are fully incorporated into the cream cheese. Add egg white and beat again to combine.
- Add scallions, ½ c breadcrumbs, ½ Parmesan and red pepper and mix on low until combined.
- Stir crab, gently by hand into the cream cheese mixture until just incorporated.
- Scoop the filling into the mushrooms, dividing evenly.
- Stir the remaining 3 tablespoons panko with butter and paprika until the breadcrumbs are evenly moistened and reddish orange. Sprinkle over the mushrooms. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon Parmesan.
- Bake the mushrooms until they are soft, the filling is heated through and the topping is browned, 30 to 32 minutes. Let cool 5 to 10 minutes. Top with additional scallions before serving, if desired.
Notes
Note About Seafood Seasoning
We found that the amount of sodium varied by brand. If using Old Bay, do not add any additional salt or do so to taste. For generic or low-sodium seafood seasonings, you may need up to ¼ teaspoon salt to season the filling. If you are not sure, in step 2 once you beat the cream cheese and seasoning, taste a small amount. If it tastes salty, do not add any additional salt (the crab is naturally salty too.)
Make Ahead
The filling can be made up to 1 day ahead. The portobellos can be prepared up to 1 day ahead. Keep both separately in an air-tight container, stuff, top and bake just before serving.
Leftovers
These mushrooms can be reheated in the microwave for 90 seconds per mushroom. They do not freeze well as the mushroom becomes watery and has an unpleasant spongey texture.
Low Carb Option
You can use a keto breadcrumb product to make this a keto-friendly recipe, but do not add any additional salt and look for a low-sodium seafood seasoning.
- Prep Time: 15
- Active Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 mushroom
- Calories: 236
- Sugar: 3 g
- Fat: 11 g
- Carbohydrates: 13 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 21 g
I didn’t follow the recipe 100% because I used Boursin Garlic & Herb cheese instead. And I should note, that in an air fryer at 400°F, these were completely cooked and nicely browned in 20 minutes. I’ll be keeping this recipe.
Ohhhh! Yummy idea to use Boursin. I love having that on hand for last minute guests, and I also enjoy it on toast with an egg. I will have to try it in this recipe next!
This recipe is really well-written – complete & easy to follow. And the final product is DELICIOUS. I served the mushrooms alongside Steamed green beans & a salad.
This is one of the best crab-stuffed mushroom recipes we’ve ever had. Our family loved them.Hearty. Great flavor; the Tabasco was a great ingredient: adjust to taste, but don’t leave it out! we did omit the bell peppers due to a family allergy, but these were fabulous. We’ll be making this again!
Awesome! Thank you for coming back over to let me know how they came out! I am psyched that you liked them so much! Please let me know what recipe you try next.
Hubby had open heart surgery so I’m relearning how to cook. This is out of the park. Thanks for helping me change things up for him. Did steamed brussels and watermelon chunks with it.
Great recipe! I used 1 lb of lump crab, this recipe has easy to follow directions and was fast to prepare. My family loved them.
That’s so great to hear!
Excellent recipe! This was a fine dine quality meal. I added 2 grated garlic cloves and finely 1/2 cup chooped parsley. It was delicious. I paired the dish with roasted asparagus and 2 lemon wedges.
Sounds incredible! Thank you Carl!
This was soooo good! Didn’t change a thing, came out perfect and perfectly delicious!
Amazing! Thanks so much Diane. I am glad you liked it. Have a great day.
Delicious with a wow factor. I served it at a dinner party with a salad topped with roasted butternut squash. The mushrooms were amazing! I omitted the pimentos bc I did not have them on hand.
Hi Susanne. I am so happy it worked out well! Thank you so much for coming back to review and rate. I really appreciate it!
Question: Instead of mushrooms, what could I use? My husband despises all mushroom, but I’d like to give this a try.
Crab stuffing can go in pretty much any veggie that you’d otherwise stuff. Peppers come to mind first because I think they would cook at about the same rate last the mushrooms. That way you could do one for him and the rest mushrooms and bake them together. I think this filling would also work in a scooped-out delicata squash half too. I think it would need to be baked cut-side-down or 20 mins or or so then flipped and filled with the crab.
Looking at your recipe and my son says, if it has crab, we are making it! giving it a try this week and hoping to serve it for Christmas as well.
He has great taste! I’m so glad that you enjoyed my recipe, Lizet. Happy holidays!
Amazing flavors — they taste like the best crab cake you’ve ever had in a stuffed mushroom. These are on permanent dinner rotation at our house!
Ours, too, Liza! I appreciate your rating and comment!
I made these as an appetizer for our holiday party this past weekend and they were a total crowd pleaser and were gone in minutes!
Wow, I am thrilled to hear that, Anjali! Thank you so much for sharing my recipe with friends!
Anything with crab already has my attention. These stuffed portobellos will be perfect for holiday entertaining, thanks for the recipe!
Let me know how it goes, Nathan!
Oh wow, this looks so delicious. My family is going to devour it!
That is a huge compliment, Shadi. Thank you so much!