Spinach and Crab Stuffed Mushrooms are an easy make ahead appetizer that are perfect for parties and get togethers! They will be a hit with mushroom lovers.
There is a stark line drawn on the subject of mushrooms; there are those who love mushrooms and there are those you vehemently do not. I assume that there are those who are neutral on consuming the fungi of the culinary world, but I don’t think that I have met them. It’s because of this harsh dividing line that I fully understand that half of you will never make this recipe and may stop reading all together at this point. It’s ok. I can take it. I’ll see you next week.
For those who are still with me, may I just say… hello friends. I am so happy that we have the common bond of mushroom love. We understand that mushrooms are not bland and rubbery (as many haters have complained) but are actually meaty, earthy and full of flavor. Although, the wild varieties provide tons of flavor, even the common button mushroom has its place in the kitchen. And one way this humble little fungus shines is when it is a vessel for a deliciously creamy seafood filling.
Now, this is traditionally an appetizer recipe since the filled morsels are so easy to pick up and eat, but I have no shame in serving these for a light dinner. If you wanted to make it more official “dinner food” you could simply swap out the tiny mushrooms for giant Portobello mushrooms, but don’t lose any sleep over it if you choose not to.
The filling is super duper easy and could easily be made ahead. As a matter of fact, I did that very thing back in my catering days. You can assemble the whole kit and caboodle, store them in the fridge for a day and then pop them in the oven just before serving. My friend Molly suggested the ricotta which makes the filling a little lighter, but you could use cream cheese instead. And don’t stress if you find your guests snubbing this decadent treat, that just means more for you.
Ingredients
- 16 oz whole button or cremini mushrooms
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 1 cup chopped fresh spinach
- 1 7oz can crabmeat, drained
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- Pinch ground nutmeg
- 8 oz. ricotta cheese
- ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese divided
- ¾ cup panko breadcrumbs divided
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Remove the stems from the mushroom caps. Finely chop the stems and set aside.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the garlic, mushroom stems, spinach, crab meat and seasonings to the skillet and sauté for about 5 minutes or until the spinach is wilted and the garlic and mushroom stems have softened. Remove from the heat and stir in the ricotta cheese, ¼ cup of Parmesan cheese and ½ cup of the panko breadcrumbs. Mix well. Spoon the filling mixture into each of the mushroom caps. Place the remaining panko in a small bowl and then gently dip the tops of the stuffed mushrooms into the panko to give it a nice crunchy topping. Then place on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes or until the mushroom filling is piping hot and the mushrooms have released their liquid onto the tray. Serve and enjoy!
Where did the rest of the parmesan cheese go? It says divided, but only one mention of it in instructions.