Stuffed Mushrooms
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Filled with a rich sausage filling and baked until golden, these stuffed mushrooms are simple, delicious, and always a hit at holiday gatherings.
These sausage stuffed mushrooms are one of my go-to holiday appetizers. Tender mushroom caps are filled with a flavorful mixture of Italian sausage, breadcrumbs, garlic, and cheese, then baked until golden and delicious. They’re the kind of crowd-pleasing app that always disappears fast (I usually double the batch).
Best of all, stuffed mushrooms can be assembled ahead of time, making them perfect for entertaining—whether you’re hosting Thanksgiving, Christmas, or a New Year’s Eve cocktail party. They’re also great for game day spreads or anytime you need a hearty, crowd-pleasing appetizer. And if you happen to have a few leftover, they make a great side dish alongside roast chicken or leftover Thanksgiving turkey.
What You’ll Need To Make Stuffed Mushrooms
- Mushrooms: Cremini (also called baby bellas) have a rich, earthy flavor and hold up beautifully when baked, but white mushrooms work too. Choose ones that are medium-sized so they’re easy to fill yet still bite-size.
- Olive oil, salt & pepper: Used to season the mushroom caps and help them roast up tender and flavorful.
- Italian sausage: The key flavor booster—use mild or hot, depending on your taste. It adds richness, spice, and makes the filling extra satisfying.
- Shallot & garlic: For savory depth and a hint of sweetness; they balance the richness of the sausage and cheese.
- Cream cheese: Holds everything together and adds a creamy texture to the filling.
- Panko breadcrumbs: Give the filling a light, fluffy texture and help absorb the sausage drippings.
- Pecorino Romano or Parmesan: Adds saltiness and sharp, nutty flavor that ties everything together.
- Fresh parsley: Brightens the filling and adds a pop of color.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1. Prep the mushrooms. Line a baking sheet with heavy-duty foil and lightly grease it with olive oil. Wipe the mushrooms clean with a damp towel, then pop out the stems and finely chop them. Arrange the caps on the baking sheet, open side up, and give them a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Set them aside while you get everything else ready.
Pro Tip: It’s important to wipe the mushrooms clean with a damp towel or paper towel instead of running them under water. (They absorb moisture fast, and if they absorb too much, they’ll steam in the oven instead of roasting.)
Step 2. Make the filling. Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until nicely browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chopped mushroom stems, shallot, and garlic, and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes, until softened. Add the cream cheese and stir until smooth and creamy. Take the pan off the heat, then mix in the breadcrumbs, Pecorino (or Parmigiano Reggiano), parsley, and seasoning until everything’s evenly combined.
Step 3. Stuff and bake the mushrooms. Spoon the sausage mixture into each mushroom cap, pressing it gently into the cavity and mounding a little extra on top. Don’t worry if they look a bit overfilled—the filling will firm up as it bakes. Arrange the stuffed mushrooms on the baking sheet and bake at 375°F for 25 to 30 minutes, until the mushrooms are tender and the tops are golden.
Step 4. Garnish and serve. Sprinkle with additional parsley and serve the stuffed mushrooms warm. Enjoy!
More Easy Party Appetizers Everyone Loves
Stuffed Mushrooms
Ingredients
- 20 oz medium cremini or white mushrooms (20 to 22)
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 8 oz Italian sausage (mild or hot, casings removed)
- 1 medium shallot, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- ½ cup grated Pecorino Romano (or Parmigiano Reggiano) cheese
- 2 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped, plus more for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and set a rack in the middle position. Line a baking sheet with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Grease foil with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Clean the mushrooms with a damp towel, remove stems, and finely chop the stems.
- Place mushroom caps on the prepared baking sheet, open side up, drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil, ¼ teaspoon salt, and a few grinds of pepper, and set aside.
- In a medium skillet over medium heat, warm the remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it up into small pieces with a wooden spoon, until browned, about 5 minutes. Add the chopped mushroom stems, shallot, and garlic; cook until softened, 3 to 4 minutes more. Add the cream cheese and mix until evenly combined. Remove from the heat and stir in breadcrumbs, Pecorino (or Parmigiano Reggiano), parsley, a scant ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper until well combined.
- Spoon the sausage mixture into each mushroom, pressing it gently so it fills the cavity and then mounding extra on top. Don’t worry if it looks like a lot—the filling will firm up as it bakes. Arrange the stuffed mushrooms on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the mushrooms are tender and the tops are golden. Sprinkle with additional parsley and serve warm.
Notes
- Make-Ahead Instructions: The mushrooms can be fully assembled (but not baked) up to 1 day ahead. Cover the tray tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to bake; add a few extra minutes to the cook time if going straight from the fridge. Leftover baked mushrooms reheat well in a 325°F oven or even in the microwave (about 30 seconds per few mushrooms), so they’re easy to enjoy the next day.
- If you end up with a little extra filling, don’t toss it—spread it on baguette slices and bake until hot and golden, spoon it into a few extra veggies like mini bell peppers or zucchini halves, or bake it in a small ramekin as a warm, savory side dish.
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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We made these for Thanksgiving brunch to hold everyone over until the main event (along with OUAC berry terrine and shrimp cocktail) and they were excellent. Just three of us so there was leftovers we reheated them with a small square of baby Swiss on each one and they were just as good the next day. Thank you!
Holy Cow these were sooo good. I made the full recipe for 2 people and these were so good I warmed them up the second night, still tasting super. Had to buy more and repeat for 2 more nights. I followed the recipe except where given the choice of 2 cheeses I did 1/4 cup of both romano & parmesan. Good taste. Parsley adds something so don’t forget it. The oven heat makes a nice crust.
Thank you Jennifer Segal
Jenn, this looks delicious! I have a pound of sage breakfast sausage in the freezer. Can I use that instead of Italian sausage? Thanks, Carie
Sure, assuming the sausage is raw.
These look wonderful! Do you think they could be frozen before or after baking? Thanks for all the great recipes.
Hi Gina, yes, I think you could get away with either. Hope you enjoy!
Hey Lynda ~ We don’t eat pork either. I use bulk turkey sausage. Mascarpone and baking in Marsala takes this up another notch! Thanks for another fabulous recipe!
We don’t eat pork sausage. What do you suggest that I use instead to boost the flavour as the sausage would? Thnx.
Hi Lynda, do you avoid sausage because you don’t eat pork? If so, turkey or chicken sausage also work nicely here.
Hi Jenn,
Quick question for you regarding these mushroom caps. I’ve always been told to pre-bake the mushroom caps a bit to get rid of some of the water so they are not soggy. Then stuff and bake again with filling. Just wondering if you ever do that as well or if there’s something about this recipe in particular that allows you to skip this step but still get good results (would love to not have to double bake the mushroom caps but have always found to wet if you don’t). Thanks for posting, excited to try this recipe this holiday season!
Hi Bry, whether or not you pre-bake the mushroom caps depends on the filling. The filling in this recipe is a bit drier and helps to soak up moisture from the mushroom caps so that pre-baking isn’t necessary. Hope you enjoy if you make them!
My question too. Thanks for asking, and thanks for the answer, Jennifer. Happy holidays!
Delicious appetizer. Easy to make. Thank you for a wonderful idea.