Stuffed Mushrooms Recipe
This Stuffed Mushrooms Recipe is the kind of appetizer that makes guests think you have been in the kitchen all day. A deeply golden, crispy breadcrumb top. A rich, creamy and savory filling that is packed with garlic, spinach and Parmesan. Furthermore, the mushroom cup holds the filling perfectly and becomes wonderfully tender and juicy as it bakes.
Moreover, this Stuffed Mushrooms Recipe is endlessly versatile and ready in just 30 minutes. For more wonderful snack and appetizer recipes, also explore our crispy Bruschetta Recipe, our golden Garlic Bread Bites Recipe and our full Snacks and Appetizers collection.
The Mushrooms for This Stuffed Mushrooms Recipe
Choosing the right mushroom size is essential for a great Stuffed Mushrooms Recipe. Furthermore, the mushroom needs to be large enough to hold a generous amount of filling while still cooking through in the oven in a reasonable time.
Best Mushroom Types
- Large portobello mushrooms — The best choice for a main course or substantial starter. Moreover, their large, deep caps hold a very generous amount of filling and make an impressive presentation on the plate.
- Large chestnut mushrooms — Perfect for bite sized party appetizers. Furthermore, their earthy, slightly nutty flavor complements the creamy filling beautifully and they cook in just 20 minutes.
- Large button mushrooms — The most accessible option. Additionally, they are available everywhere and produce a reliably good result in this Stuffed Mushrooms Recipe.
Preparing the Mushroom Cups
Remove the stems and scrape out any gills from portobello mushrooms using a small spoon. Furthermore, the gills can release dark liquid during baking that discolors the filling. On the other hand, chestnut and button mushroom stems can be finely chopped and added directly to the filling for extra flavor and zero waste.
The Filling for This Stuffed Mushrooms Recipe
The filling is what makes this Stuffed Mushrooms Recipe extraordinary. Furthermore, the combination of cream cheese, garlic, spinach and Parmesan creates a filling that is rich, deeply savory and packed with flavor.
The Cream Cheese Base
Full fat cream cheese forms the creamy, rich base of the filling. Moreover, it holds the other ingredients together and creates a lusciously smooth texture that contrasts beautifully with the breadcrumb topping. Additionally, cream cheese does not separate or become greasy during baking as other dairy products sometimes can.
The Garlic
Use both garlic sauteed in butter and a small amount of raw minced garlic in the filling. Furthermore, the sauteed garlic provides a mellow, sweet depth while the raw garlic adds a brighter, more pungent note. Consequently, the combination produces a more complex and interesting garlic flavor than either approach alone.
The Spinach
Fresh baby spinach wilted in the pan is far superior to frozen spinach in this recipe. Moreover, fresh spinach has a more vibrant flavor and a better texture. Additionally, it must be squeezed very thoroughly after wilting to remove all excess water. Consequently, water left in the spinach makes the filling loose and watery and can cause the mushroom caps to fill with liquid during baking.
The Breadcrumb Topping for This Stuffed Mushrooms Recipe
The golden breadcrumb topping is the textural contrast that makes this Stuffed Mushrooms Recipe so satisfying. Furthermore, a mix of panko breadcrumbs and grated Parmesan creates a topping that is simultaneously crunchy, golden and deeply savory.
Getting the Perfect Crust
Mix the panko with grated Parmesan, melted butter and a pinch of garlic powder. Moreover, the melted butter ensures even golden browning across the entire surface. Additionally, a light drizzle of olive oil over the breadcrumb topped mushrooms just before baking promotes even more golden color. Consequently, the finished topping has a shatteringly crispy, deeply golden and irresistibly fragrant crust.
How to Make This Stuffed Mushrooms Recipe
The method runs in parallel stages. First, prepare the mushroom cups. Then make and fill with the cream cheese stuffing. Next, top with breadcrumbs and bake. The full method is in the recipe card below.
What to Serve with Stuffed Mushrooms
This Stuffed Mushrooms Recipe works beautifully as a standalone starter. However, these pairings create a full and impressive spread:
Perfect Pairings
- Our vibrant Bruschetta Recipe as a second appetizer for a full Italian inspired starter spread
- Our stunning Caprese Salad Recipe alongside as a fresh and colorful complement to the warm mushrooms
- Our creamy Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta as the main course after these mushrooms as a starter
- A green salad with a sharp lemon dressing for a fresh and light contrast to the rich cheesy filling
- Warm crusty bread for scooping up any filling that escapes from the mushroom cups during eating
Easy Variations for This Stuffed Mushrooms Recipe
Crab Stuffed Mushrooms — Fold flaked white crab meat into the cream cheese mixture. Moreover, add a squeeze of fresh lemon and a pinch of cayenne for a luxurious and impressive seafood version.
Italian Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms — Cook and crumble Italian sausage meat and mix into the filling. Furthermore, the bold fennel and herb flavors of Italian sausage create a deeply satisfying and hearty variation.
Sun Dried Tomato and Feta Stuffed Mushrooms — Replace the Parmesan with crumbled feta and add finely chopped sun dried tomatoes to the filling. Additionally, finish with fresh oregano for a vibrant Mediterranean inspired version.
Vegan Stuffed Mushrooms — Replace cream cheese with cashew cream and Parmesan with nutritional yeast. Consequently, this fully plant based version is equally rich, deeply savory and completely delicious.
Make This Stuffed Mushrooms Recipe Today
In conclusion, this Stuffed Mushrooms Recipe is the most impressive, deeply satisfying and crowd pleasing appetizer you can make in just 30 minutes. Therefore, whether it is a dinner party starter, a party snack or a vegetarian main course, this recipe always delivers extraordinary results. Browse more of our wonderful Snacks and Appetizers and share your favorite filling variation in the comments below!
Stuffed Mushrooms Recipe
Large mushroom caps filled with a rich garlic cream cheese, spinach and Parmesan stuffing, topped with golden panko breadcrumbs and baked until bubbling.
Ingredients
- The Mushrooms
- 16 largeChestnut or portobello mushrooms, stems removedChoose mushrooms of similar size for even cooking throughout
- 2 tbspOlive oil for brushing the mushroom caps
- The Filling
- 200 gFull fat cream cheese, room temperature
- 80 gParmesan cheese, freshly grated
- 100 gBaby spinach, wilted and squeezed very drySqueeze out every drop of moisture or the filling will be watery
- 3 clovesGarlic, 2 finely minced raw and 1 sauteed in butter
- 1 tbspUnsalted butter for sauteing garlic
- 2 tbspFresh flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
- 1/4 tspChili flakes (optional)
- Salt and pepperTo taste
- The Breadcrumb Topping
- 60 gPanko breadcrumbs
- 30 gParmesan cheese, freshly grated
- 1 tbspUnsalted butter, melted
- 1/4 tspGarlic powder
Equipment
Method for This Stuffed Mushrooms Recipe
- 1 Preheat and prepare the mushrooms: Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C (180 degrees C fan). Remove the stems from all mushrooms. Brush the outside and inside of each mushroom cap generously with olive oil. Place cavity side up on a large baking tray lined with parchment. Furthermore, brushing with oil prevents the mushrooms from drying out in the oven and promotes an even, golden exterior.
- 2 Wilt and drain the spinach: Heat a small pan over medium heat. Add the baby spinach and stir until completely wilted, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a clean kitchen towel or several layers of paper towel. Squeeze extremely firmly until every drop of moisture is removed. Furthermore, this step is critical. Any remaining water in the spinach will make the filling loose and watery and the mushrooms will flood with liquid during baking.
- 3 Make the filling: Melt the butter in the same pan over low heat. Add one minced garlic clove and saute for 60 seconds until fragrant. Remove from heat. In a bowl, combine the room temperature cream cheese, 80g grated Parmesan, the sauteed garlic, the two remaining raw minced garlic cloves, the drained spinach, fresh parsley and chili flakes. Season generously with salt and pepper and mix until well combined.
- 4 Make the breadcrumb topping: In a small bowl combine the panko breadcrumbs, remaining 30g Parmesan, melted butter and garlic powder. Mix well until the breadcrumbs are evenly coated in butter. Moreover, the melted butter ensures the breadcrumbs brown evenly across the entire surface during baking rather than browning patchily.
- 5 Fill and top the mushrooms: Spoon a generous amount of the cream cheese filling into each mushroom cavity, pressing it in firmly and mounding it slightly above the rim. Sprinkle the buttered breadcrumb mixture evenly over the top of each stuffed mushroom. Furthermore, pressing the filling firmly into the cavity prevents it from falling out or sliding off during baking.
- 6 Bake and serve: Bake in the preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes until the breadcrumb topping is deeply golden and the mushrooms are tender and juicy. Moreover, if the breadcrumbs are not sufficiently golden after 20 minutes, switch the oven to the grill setting for 2 to 3 minutes. Serve immediately while the filling is still hot and the breadcrumb topping is at its crispiest.
Nutrition (Per Serving - 4 mushrooms with full filling and topping)
* Nutritional values are estimates per serving of 4 mushrooms. Adding crispy bacon to the filling increases calories by approximately 60 kcal per serving.
Notes
- Squeeze the spinach completely dry. This is the single most important technique in this Stuffed Mushrooms Recipe. Furthermore, any remaining water in the spinach migrates into the filling during baking and makes the mushroom cups flood with watery liquid. Consequently, squeezing until no more moisture comes out is essential for a rich, firm and perfectly textured filling.
- Use room temperature cream cheese. Cold cream cheese does not mix smoothly and leaves lumps throughout the filling. Furthermore, room temperature cream cheese blends instantly into a smooth, uniform and easily pipeable filling. Take it out of the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before starting.
- These stuffed mushrooms can be prepared up to 4 hours ahead. Fill and top the mushrooms, cover and refrigerate. Furthermore, add 3 to 4 extra minutes to the baking time if cooking directly from cold. Consequently, this make ahead approach makes them ideal for dinner party hosting with zero last minute stress.
- This recipe makes 16 stuffed mushrooms, serving 4 as a generous starter of 4 per person. To serve 8 for a party, simply double all quantities. Furthermore, the mushrooms can all bake on one very large tray or two trays simultaneously.
- Leftover stuffed mushrooms keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Moreover, reheat in the oven at 180 degrees C for 8 to 10 minutes until hot throughout. Consequently, they taste almost as good reheated as they do fresh from the oven.
Tips for the Perfect Stuffed Mushrooms Recipe Every Time
- Choose mushrooms of similar size. Uniform mushrooms cook at the same rate and finish at the same time. Furthermore, a mix of large and small mushrooms means the smaller ones are overcooked and dry by the time the larger ones are done. Consequently, selecting evenly sized mushrooms at the supermarket takes only seconds and makes a significant difference to the final result.
- Brush the mushroom cups with oil before filling. Oiled mushrooms develop a more golden, caramelized exterior and stay moist throughout baking. Moreover, un-oiled mushrooms can shrivel and dry out around the edges during the 20 minute bake. Consequently, a simple brush of olive oil makes a meaningful difference to the finished appearance and texture.
- Mound the filling slightly above the rim of the cap. As the mushrooms bake the caps release moisture and shrink slightly. Furthermore, a slightly overfilled cap compensates for this shrinkage and produces a generously filled mushroom at the end of baking. Consequently, underfilled mushrooms look sparse and unimpressive after they come out of the oven.
- Switch to the grill for the last 2 minutes if needed. If the breadcrumbs are not sufficiently golden after the full bake time, a 2 minute blast under the grill creates an instantly deep golden and crispy topping. Furthermore, this finishing technique works on any oven and produces a more dramatic and appetizing result every time.
- Serve on a warm plate rather than a cold one. Hot stuffed mushrooms cool very rapidly on cold plates and the filling sets and becomes less creamy. Moreover, a warm plate keeps the filling at the perfect molten and gooey temperature for the entire eating experience. Place serving plates in a low oven for 3 minutes before plating.