Stuffed Mushrooms

These stuffed mushrooms fill tender cremini caps with a savory mix of garlic, cream cheese, parmesan, and breadcrumbs for the ultimate easy appetizer. ♡

The best stuffed mushrooms start with draining the caps properly so the filling does not drown in mushroom liquid halfway through baking. I gill side down on a dry pan for 5 minutes to pull the water out first, then flip and fill. The cream cheese parmesan filling gets a texture boost from toasted panko on top, which is what makes these easy stuffed mushrooms feel like a restaurant appetizer.

This is my go-to holiday appetizer because it can be fully prepped hours ahead and just needs to hit the oven before guests arrive. Every bite is creamy, garlicky, and cheesy with a crunchy lid on top. Let’s make it together.

Ingredients

Stuffed Mushrooms

• 24 large cremini or white button mushrooms (about 1.5 lbs)
• 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 small shallot, finely diced
• 4 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1 tbsp butter, melted

Optional add-ins:

• Crumbled Italian sausage
• Cooked bacon bits
• Finely chopped spinach
• Crab meat for stuffed mushrooms with crab
• Goat cheese instead of cream cheese
• Sun dried tomatoes

How to Make Stuffed Mushrooms

1. Prep. Heat oven to 400F. Wipe the mushrooms clean with a damp paper towel. Twist and remove the stems from each cap. Finely chop the stems and set aside.
2. Dry. Place the caps gill side down on a dry nonstick skillet over medium heat for 5 minutes to release their moisture. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate. This step keeps the filling from turning soupy.
3. Saute. In the same skillet heat 1 tbsp olive oil, add the chopped mushroom stems, shallot, and garlic. Cook 4 to 5 minutes until soft and lightly golden. Season with salt, pepper, thyme, and red pepper flakes.
4. Mix. In a bowl combine the sauteed mushroom mixture with cream cheese, parmesan, mayo, and parsley. Stir until smooth and fully combined.
5. Top. In a small bowl toss the panko with melted butter and the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil. This is the crunchy topping.
6. Fill. Arrange the caps gill side up on a parchment lined baking sheet. Spoon about 1 tsp of filling into each cap, mounding slightly. Sprinkle buttered panko on top of each.
7. Bake. Bake 18 to 22 minutes until the filling is golden brown and the caps are tender. Serve warm with a squeeze of lemon.

Why This Recipe Works

Dry cooking the mushroom caps before filling is the single biggest upgrade a baked stuffed mushrooms recipe can get. Cremini and button mushrooms are roughly 92 percent water and if you put them straight in a hot oven they leak that water into the filling and pool on the baking sheet. Pulling the water out first concentrates their flavor and keeps the filling thick and creamy instead of watery.

Using both cream cheese and mayonnaise in the filling is a restaurant trick that solves two problems at once. Cream cheese alone turns dry and dense during baking. Mayo alone is too loose and slides out. Together they stay creamy and rich at high heat while keeping structure so every bite is plush and clingy against the cap.

The panko butter topping is what turns these from a soft appetizer into a crowd pleaser with contrast. The breadcrumbs toast golden under the oven heat and crackle when you bite down against the soft filling. Without it the top of the mushroom looks pale and tastes underwhelming.

Tips

• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat at 350F for 8 to 10 minutes to crisp the topping back up.
• Never microwave these. The caps turn rubbery and the panko gets soggy. Always use the oven or an air fryer for reheating.
• For a party, assemble up to 24 hours ahead and bake right before serving. Pull them from the fridge 30 minutes before baking to take off the chill.
• Use larger mushroom caps, not baby mushrooms. Bites smaller than a quarter are hard to fill and overcook fast.
• Common mistake: overfilling. The cheese pours over the sides and burns. Fix: a rounded teaspoon per cap, no more.
• If your mushrooms are small or your crowd is picky, swap cremini for larger portobello caps and serve them as a main dish.
• Gluten free? Use gluten free panko or crushed pork rinds for the topping.

Variations

• Sausage stuffed mushrooms: add 4 oz crumbled cooked Italian sausage to the filling.
• Bacon cheddar mushrooms: swap half the parmesan for sharp cheddar and add 3 strips crumbled bacon.
• Spinach artichoke mushrooms: fold in 1/4 cup chopped spinach and 1/4 cup chopped artichoke hearts.
• Crab stuffed mushrooms: add 1/2 cup lump crab meat and a squeeze of lemon to the filling.
• Vegan stuffed mushrooms: swap cream cheese for cashew cream and use nutritional yeast instead of parmesan.
• Pesto stuffed mushrooms: stir 2 tbsp basil pesto into the filling for a green herby twist.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Skipping the dry saute step. Filling turns into soup. Fix: 5 minutes gill side down in a dry pan first.
• Washing mushrooms under running water. They soak up water like sponges. Fix: wipe with a damp paper towel instead.
• Using cold cream cheese. It clumps and does not mix. Fix: soften at room temperature 30 minutes before mixing.
• Baking at too low a temperature. The tops never brown. Fix: 400F is the sweet spot for crisp tops and cooked caps.
• Throwing away the stems. That is where half the mushroom flavor lives. Fix: always chop and saute them into the filling.

Stuffed Mushrooms

Creamy, garlicky stuffed mushrooms with a golden parmesan top that come together in under 30 minutes and disappear even faster.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Servings: 20 servings

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American

Calories: 65

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 20 medium cremini or white button mushrooms stems removed and reserved
• 8 oz cream cheese softened
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese plus more for topping
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• salt and black pepper to taste

Method

 

1. Preheat oven to 400F. Wipe mushroom caps clean with a damp paper towel and place cavity-side up on a lined baking sheet. Finely chop the reserved stems.
2. Heat olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Cook chopped stems for 4 to 5 minutes until golden and dry. Add garlic and cook 1 more minute. Let cool slightly.
3. In a bowl, combine softened cream cheese, parmesan, parsley, red pepper flakes, cooked stems, salt, and pepper. Stir until smooth.
4. Spoon a generous mound of filling into each mushroom cap. Top each with a pinch of extra parmesan.
5. Bake at 400F for 18 to 20 minutes until tender and filling is hot. Broil for the last 2 minutes until tops are golden. Serve immediately.

Notes

Cook mushroom stems until completely dry before mixing into the filling to prevent soggy mushrooms. Soften cream cheese to room temperature before mixing for a smooth, lump-free filling. Broil for the last 2 minutes to get a golden, slightly crispy top.

Looking for more easy appetizers? Try my caprese skewers, bruschetta with tomato basil, prosciutto wrapped melon, or a cozy bowl of tzatziki with pita chips. For food safety on cooked mushrooms see the FDA safe food handling guide.

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