Keto Crab Stuffed Mushrooms

It has been a while since I’ve felt motivated and inspired to add something new, like these delicious crab stuffed mushrooms, to the Daily Dish. It’s certainly not because I haven’t been cooking, as that is my daily reality, cooking fresh, real food meals for my family every day. It’s really more that I, like most people, tend to cycle through a reliable collection of meals that everybody likes and that I don’t have to think too much about. Meals like my mediterranean inspired Chicken with Lemon and Olives, a simple steak done on the grill, chili, or a nice rack of pork back ribs get a pretty regular rotation at our table.

Funny, as I’m typing these things I’m realizing that I haven’t shared many of my most common recipes! It’s probably because so many of them are so simple that they don’t feel like real ‘recipes’. I may need to rethink that because even with very simple recipes I usually have some sort of tip or method that I think makes life easier – or tastier!

Anyway, today I was inspired by a few things. Firstly Steve and I went out for dinner last night and the restaurant we went to had crab stuffed mushrooms on their menu. Yum, that sounded good. We ordered them and to me they were a bit disappointing, as so often happens in my world…sigh, call me picky. Anyway I thought to myself that I could definitely make a fresher and healthier version (I’m quite certain that the ones we ate were filled with a flour based white sauce, not ideal in my world). My version uses natural, whole food dairy to add creaminess and body.

The second thing that conspired to having me make this dish was a lovely little clay baking dish from Spain that I spotted at my favorite cheese monger, Say Cheese, in Calgary’s Crossroads Farmer’s Market. Now, I need a new dish like I need a hole in the head but I am a sucker for some things and serving dishes are definitely one of those things (new sheets are also high on my list).

The final decision was made when I started chatting with Nancy, the owner at Say Cheese about how practical the dishes were. They are a nice tapas size and will happily go straight into the oven – or even onto the barbecue – at a price that was pretty darned fantastic. Sold!

I mentioned that I was thinking of making crab stuffed mushrooms in my new bakeware and Nancy suggested a lovely cheese for the dish. The one she picked for me is called Gruyere 1655. Why? Because that is how long this cheesemaker has been making cheese for. Isn’t that fabulous?! Not only does this delicious cheese have a great heritage but it is also cave aged for 14 months, is lactose free, grass fed and made with raw milk. It has a wonderful smooth, nutty and rich flavor with the very subtle crunch that can sometimes come with the protein crystals in an aged cheese. This cheese ticks so many boxes for me and would be great as a stand alone on a charcuterie board or as I’ve used it here, melted over something savory.

This dish could definitely stand alone as a nice lunch or would make a great low fat, healthy carb appetizer.

I started with some nice fresh mushrooms. Removing the stems and carefully scooping out the gills leaves a good sized cavity to add your cheesy crab filling.

Heating the crab and adding some cream, cream cheese and some of the gruyere helps the dish to heat through and brings some extra creaminess. A topper of shredded cheese and a bit of green onion makes them look, and taste, perfect.

Keto Crab Stuffed Mushrooms

Keyword: Ketogenic, LCHF, low carb

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Servings: 4 people

Author: Mia

Creamy and delicious crab stuffed mushrooms are perfect as a light meal, or an earthy and delicious appetizer for your next party or game day gathering.

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Ingredients

• 227 g frozen crabmeat
• 2 Tbsp butter divided
• 1 clove fresh garlic finely chopped
• 1 green onion chopped finely
• 1/8 tsp Old Bay seasoning
• 2 Tbsp cream cheese
• 2 Tbsp heavy cream
• 85 g gruyere cheese grated
• 12 large fresh mushrooms
• Salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375˚, setting rack at the center position in the oven.

2. Brush growing medium off of mushrooms with a soft brush or paper towel. Remove stems and gently scoop out the brown gills of each mushroom with a small spoon.

3. Arrange mushroom caps, stem side up, tightly in a small baking dish so that they will easily stand up without tipping over.

4. Melt 1/2 of the butter and brush over the mushroom caps lightly. Season with the salt and pepper.

5. Heat remaining butter in a small saute pan over medium heat. Add garlic and white portion of the green onion. Saute just until softened (don’t burn the garlic!) Stir in the Old Bay Seasoning just until fragrant.

6. Add crab meat to pan, inspecting for and removing any small bits of shell. Toss gently to heat. Add cream cheese, cream and about 1/3 of the grated gruyere cheese until creamy.

7. Stuff each mushroom cap with about 1 tbsp of the crab mixture. Sprinkle the remaining gruyere over the mushroom caps.

8. Bake in oven for about 15 minutes, transfering to broiler for a final 5 minutes or so to get the cheese nice and melty.