Made with Italian sausage, cream cheese, and fresh herbs, these Stuffed Mushrooms make the perfect easy appetizer recipe!
Pair these Stuffed Mushrooms with Antipasto Skewers, Greek Pinwheels, and Bacon Wrapped Dates for a party spread that will impress anyone!
Stuffed Mushrooms
If you are looking for an easy appetizer that always impresses, these Stuffed Mushrooms fit the bill!
Made with Italian sausage, cream cheese, and shredded cheese, this recipe is creamy, cheesy, and full of flavor!
I have to say for many years, I turned my nose up at stuffed mushrooms. I was not a fan of button mushrooms and had little desire to try them out stuffed. But when I was served them when meeting a friend’s parents, I had to oblige. And WOW! I had been missing out!
I always thought of button mushrooms as bland and spongy, but when stuffed and baked they proved to be the full of flavor and not soggy at all. They are instead tender, meaty and are the perfect vessel for the creamy, hearty filling.
After years of avoiding, these stuffed mushrooms are now one of my go to appetizers for parties. They are easy to make and always a hit–even with people who think they won’t like them. 😉
Ingredients Needed
- Button Mushrooms–Because of their size, button mushrooms are the perfect vessel for stuffing and serving as a bite size appetizer.
- Sausage–Ground Italian Sausage gives the stuffing so much zip an flavor. Feel free to use any Italian sausage you like. Turkey or Chicken Italian Sausage work well to keep this recipe a bit lower in fat and calories.
- Cream Cheese–Cream cheese gives this filling so much creamy goodness. You can use full fat cream cheese or 1/3 less fat cream cheese. But do not use fat free cream cheese as it will not melt well into the filling.
- Cheese–I love to use a combination of Mozzarella and Parmesan cheese for the filling, but Swiss., Fontina, or Gruyere cheese is a great substitute.
- Shallots–Shallots add a mild onion and garlic flavor to the filling. The shallots do not overpower the other ingredients, but feel free to use minced garlic and onions in place of the shallot.
- Seasonings–To add depth of flavor, I recommend adding in fresh thyme, onion powder, and parsley.
- Panko Bread Crumbs–These stuffed mushrooms are topped with a buttery bread crumb mixture that adds perfect texture to this easy appetizer. I love panko bread crumbs for their crisp, light texture, but regular bread crumbs will work as well.
- Butter–Butter will help to flavor the mushrooms and crisp up the breadcrumb topping. Just a little amount is needed to add flavor and richness to these mushrooms.
How to Make Stuffed Mushrooms
Prepare Mushrooms
Never wash mushrooms. They will soak up all the water and become soggy. Instead, break off the stem and then use a damp kitchen towel to rub off the dirt on the mushrooms.
Once cleaned, place the mushrooms on a baking sheet and brush with melted butter. This will help the mushrooms to achieve a perfect texture when baked.
And instead of tossing the stems, chop them up to add to the filling.
Prepare the the Filling
The filling for these stuffed mushrooms is spicy Italian sausage that is mellowed out with cream cheese and cheese. It is a slightly spicy, flavorful filling that is perfect to fill mushrooms with.
Making the filling by browning up the sausage and then sauteing up the shallots and mushrooms with the fresh thyme. I recommend sauteing them separately, so that the mushrooms do not absorb the grease rendered from the sausage. Mix the sausage and mushroom mixture with the cream cheese, cheese, and seasonings for a creamy, delicious filling.
Breadcrumb Topping
Mix together the remaining melted butter and breadcrumbs and dip/roll the top of the mushroom in the panko mixture. This topping gives these stuffed mushrooms a crispy texture that is a perfect contrast to the softer filling and mushroom.
Bake
Once the mushrooms are assembled, bake until warmed through and the topping is browned. They will hold at room temperature for 2 hours, so they are a great appetizer to serve at a gathering.
Keto/Gluten Free Stuffed Mushrooms
To keep these stuffed mushrooms gluten free and/or low carb, simply omit the breadcrumb topping. They will still be delicious.
More Party Worthy Appetizers
Stuffed Mushrooms
Ingredients
- 18 medium button mushrooms stems removed & reserved
- 8 ounces Italian sausage casings removed
- 2 shallots minced
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened
- ⅓ cup Parmesan cheese grated
- ⅓ cup mozzarella cheese shredded
- ¼ cup parsley minced divided
- 1 tbsp. freshly chopped thyme leaves
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
- ⅓ cup panko breadcrumbs
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with foil and arrange the mushroom caps upside down on pan. Dice reserved mushroom stems and set aside.
- Add sausage to a medium skillet set over medium heat and cook 4-5 minutes until fully browned, mincing up meat as it cooks. Transfer to a medium mixing bowl and set aside.
- Return skillet to heat and melt 1 tablespoon butter. Add mushroom stems, shallots, and fresh thyme and cook 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently, until softened. Transfer to mixing bowl with the cooked sausage. Add cream cheese, Parmesan, mozzarella, 2 tablespoons parsley, onion powder, and black pepper and stir to combine.
- Melt remaining 3 tablespoons of butter. Brush the mushrooms with 1 tablespoon of the melted butter. Then pour in the remaining melted butter into the panko breadcrumbs, stirring to combine and until breadcrumbs are moistened.
- Using a small spoon or cookie scoop, divide the sausage mixture evenly between mushroom caps. Gently roll each cap in buttered breadcrumbs so they stick to the top.
- Bake for 20 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown and mushrooms are cooked through. Sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately.
These were fabulous! Perfect little bite sized appetizer!
I am so glad you enjoyed Beth!
Made this for the family and it was hit!