These Italian Stuffed Mushrooms Recipe makes cremini caps filled with Italian sausage, cream cheese and Parmesan, ready in about 50 minutes. It makes 20 bites, enough for 6 servings as an appetizer, and they work well for a party table.
Why This Recipe Works
Cook the sausage until it’s well browned and broken into small crumbles. The browning builds most of the savory taste, and small pieces mean every spoonful of filling holds together and fits neatly in a cap.
Cream cheese is what makes the filling creamy. Stir it into the warm sausage over low heat so it melts smoothly. Softened cheese blends in without lumps, and the Parmesan adds a salty, sharp edge to balance the richness.
Wipe the mushrooms with a damp paper towel instead of rinsing them. Mushrooms soak up water like a sponge, and a wet cap gives off extra liquid in the oven, which turns the filling soggy. Patting the caps dry keeps the bottoms firm.
Italian Stuffed Mushrooms Recipe Ingredients
- 1 pound Italian sausage (check the label for 0g sugar)
- 20 medium cremini or white mushrooms, stems removed
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for topping (optional)
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
How To Make Italian Stuffed Mushrooms Recipe
Prep the oven and mushrooms
- Heat the oven: Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper so the mushrooms lift off easily after baking.
- Clean the mushrooms: Wipe each cap with a damp paper towel. Pull out the stems if they are still attached, then pat the caps dry so they don’t release water in the oven.
Cook the sausage and make the filling
- Brown the sausage: Cook the sausage in a skillet over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes. Break it into small crumbles as it cooks, until it’s browned all over. Drain off the extra fat so the filling stays creamy instead of greasy.
- Mix the filling: Lower the heat. Stir in the cream cheese, Parmesan, garlic and Italian seasoning until the mixture is smooth and well blended. Season with salt and pepper, tasting first, since the sausage and Parmesan are already salty.
Stuff and bake
- Fill the caps: Spoon the filling into the mushroom caps and press it in lightly, so it sits in a small mound. Set the caps on the baking sheet.
- Bake: Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until the tops are golden and bubbly.
- Finish and serve: Sprinkle with extra Parmesan if you like. Serve warm, with a toothpick in each one for easy eating.
Recipe Tips
- Pick even mushrooms: Choose caps of about the same size so they all finish baking at the same time. Large ones need a few extra minutes.
- Don’t soak the caps: A quick wipe is enough. Water makes the mushrooms rubbery and leaves a pool of liquid on the baking sheet.
- Drain the sausage well: Tip the cooked sausage into a strainer or spoon off the fat from the pan. Leftover grease will separate from the cream cheese and make the filling oily.
- Check the label: Some sausages contain added sugar. Look for one with 0g sugar if you want a purely savory filling.
What To Serve With Italian Stuffed Mushrooms Recipe
Serve these warm as an appetizer on a platter with toothpicks. They go well next to a simple green salad or a plate of olives and cured meats on an Italian-style antipasto board.
How To Store
- Fridge: Cool the baked mushrooms, then keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Reheat: Warm them in a 350°F (175°C) oven for about 10 minutes, until hot all the way through. The oven keeps the tops crisp, which a microwave will not.
- Make ahead: Fill the caps up to a day ahead, cover them and keep them in the fridge. Bake straight from the fridge and add a few extra minutes.
FAQs
Can I use a different kind of mushroom?
Yes. White button mushrooms work just as well as cremini. Baby portobellos also work, but they hold more water, so pat them extra dry and bake them a few minutes longer.
Are Italian stuffed mushrooms gluten free?
The recipe has no flour or breadcrumbs, so it can be gluten free. Check the sausage and the Italian seasoning labels, since some brands add fillers that contain gluten.
Can I make stuffed mushrooms ahead of time?
Yes. Fill the caps, cover them and refrigerate for up to a day, then bake them when guests arrive. You can also freeze the filled, unbaked caps and bake them from frozen, adding about 10 minutes.
Why are my stuffed mushrooms watery?
Mushrooms hold a lot of water, and it leaks out during baking when the caps are wet or the filling is loose. Wipe the caps instead of rinsing them, pat them dry, and drain the sausage well before you mix in the cheese.
Nutrition
Estimated per serving (1 of 6), worked out from the ingredients.
- Calories: about 310 kcal
- Total Fat: 26g
- Total Carbohydrate: 5g
- Dietary Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 15g
Italian Stuffed Mushrooms Recipe
6
servings20
minutes30
minutes50
minutesCremini mushroom caps filled with browned Italian sausage, cream cheese, Parmesan and garlic, then baked until golden. A savory party appetizer that makes 20 bites.
Ingredients
1 pound Italian sausage (check the label for 0g sugar)
20 medium cremini or white mushrooms, stems removed
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for topping (optional)
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Salt and black pepper, to taste
Directions
- Heat the oven: Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper so the mushrooms lift off easily after baking.
- Clean the mushrooms: Wipe each cap with a damp paper towel. Pull out the stems if they are still attached, then pat the caps dry so they don’t release water in the oven.
- Brown the sausage: Cook the sausage in a skillet over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes. Break it into small crumbles as it cooks, until it’s browned all over. Drain off the extra fat so the filling stays creamy instead of greasy.
- Mix the filling: Lower the heat. Stir in the cream cheese, Parmesan, garlic and Italian seasoning until the mixture is smooth and well blended. Season with salt and pepper, tasting first, since the sausage and Parmesan are already salty.
- Fill the caps: Spoon the filling into the mushroom caps and press it in lightly, so it sits in a small mound. Set the caps on the baking sheet.
- Bake: Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until the tops are golden and bubbly.
- Finish and serve: Sprinkle with extra Parmesan if you like. Serve warm, with a toothpick in each one for easy eating.
