Stuffed Mushrooms

Stuffed mushrooms are a staple Thanksgiving appetizer on my holiday menu: They not only up the fancy factor, but they’re oh so easy to make. Ready in under an hour, these cheesy stuffed mushrooms are the perfect last-minute app I can always rely on. To create them, I stuffed baby bella mushrooms with herby bread crumbs and two types of cheese. These shrooms are the definition of tiny but mighty: cheesy, garlicky flavor is packed into every bite of this poppable, bite-sized app. If you’re serving a large crowd, I suggest doubling the recipe—these mushrooms are usually the first thing to go.

What People Are Saying:
"Just made this for the first time ever. Instructions were super easy to follow and so delicious!!! I think next time I’ll add bacon and water chestnuts to it. Yummy!!!" - JellieRocks

"Made these as an appetizer for the wife and I tonight, very good. May even add it to the menu for my catering business. Thank you!" - mar2633

How To Make Stuffed Mushrooms

INGREDIENTS

• Mushrooms: I used baby bella (cremini) mushrooms here to keep them bite-size, but this recipe also works well with white button mushrooms, or you can go larger with portobello mushroom caps instead (check out our stuffed portobello mushrooms if that’s more your thing).
• Garlic: Just a couple chopped cloves are a great complement to the bread crumbs, but of course, feel free to increase to suit your tastes.
• Bread Crumbs: In testing, I found that plain bread crumbs provide the best color and texture as opposed to another type of crumb such as panko. You can use whatever you've got on hand, but unflavored plain crumbs are my go-to for this easy recipe.
• Cheese: Parmesan is a classic choice for stuffed mushrooms, but this recipe is easily adaptable to your favorite cheese. Try Gruyère, fontina, or even feta to make these suit your taste.
• Cream Cheese: A bit of a secret ingredient here for the smoothest, most luxurious filling; you'll definitely miss it if you don't use it. Only half of a block is needed. Here are some more cream cheese ideas to use up that remaining block.
• Parsley & Thyme: Fresh herbs are the final touch for a pop of color and to cut through the richness of the filling. Basil can be used instead of parsley, and if you don't have thyme on hand, it definitely won't be the end of the world; just double up on the parsley.

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

Time to prep those shrooms! But the good part is you use pretty much the whole mushroom. Give 'em a good rinse in a colander first to remove any dirt. Cut off the stems, then give the stems a chop (they go in the filling). Spread the caps on a greased baking sheet.

On to the filling! Melt a little butter and cook the stems you just chopped. Add the garlic, toast the bread crumbs, and season well with salt and pepper. Be sure to let this cool a little bit before proceeding.

Transfer the crumbs mixture to a large bowl, then add the rest of the filling ingredients (Parmesan, cream cheese, parsley, and thyme). Give it a taste and season again with salt and pepper.

Spoon the filling into the caps (you can use a measuring spoon or a scoop), then top with a little more Parm. That's...basically it. Put the sheet in a 400° oven and bake until the top of the filling is golden brown and the shrooms are softened, which should take just 20 minutes.

Transfer those beauteous shrooms to a platter, sprinkle with a little more parsley, and watch them disappear before your very eyes.

Recipe Tips

• How do I clean and prep my mushrooms? Mushrooms usually have a ton of dirt stuck to them from growing so close to the ground, so cleaning them before cooking is crucial. Give them a quick rinse in a colander under cold running water and wipe the mushrooms with a damp paper towel to remove any remaining dirt stuck around the caps and stems.
• Preventing soggy stuffed mushrooms. There are two keys to preventing soggy stuffed mushrooms. First, when you’re cleaning your mushrooms, simply rinse them under cold for only a few seconds before cleaning with a dry paper towel. If you put them under water for too long, you risk your mushrooms growing soggy when baking. Second, while our mixture is plenty creamy and cheesy, it isn’t overly wet, which helps prevent a soggy mushroom.

Storage

Unbaked stuffed mushrooms keep well in the freezer for up to 3 months. Freeze them in a flat layer, then transfer them to a resealable freezer-safe bag for easy storage. When you're ready for them, bake them frozen, but make sure to add on a bit longer of a cooking time!

If you have any leftover stuffed mushrooms, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator 3 to 4 days.