Perfect for a delicious party appetizer or as a side item, this Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms Recipe is a must try! Filled with a savory Italian sausage filling and sprinkled with a blend of cheeses, these little bites are flavorful, cheesy, and easy to make. Includes tips and step by step instructions.
I am a fan of the mighty mushroom, and one of my favorite ways to eat them is Stuffed Mushrooms! This is one of my go-to party appetizers like Toasted Ravioli, Cajun Crab Dip, and Corn Salsa. I love the poppable mini-bites that are natural to them.
Let me tell you guys, these things really are my mother’s famous recipe and are begged for whenever we go visit… you will love them!!
They work wonderfully as a party appetizer, but you can also serve large stuffed portobello mushrooms as a hearty, comforting main dish. They are easy to make and always look so impressive!
Ingredients and Substitution Notes
One thing about my mother’s recipes is that she is always experimenting, so I can’t say that she has ever made them the same way twice. However, they have always been amazing and today I am sharing the basic recipe, but this recipe is so forgiving that changing or adding something works every time.
Mushrooms – Baby Bella are my personal favorite for their hearty taste that soaks up and blends the flavors. However, portobello, button, or cremini can be used. For the mushrooms, you want nice sized fresh mushrooms that are dry. Avoid anything slimy or has dark spots, use those for soups.
Italian Sausage – I use the pre-made italian sausage in casings and remove the casings before cooking. If you only have regular ground sausage, there is a basic recipe below.
Breadcrumbs – I use plain breadcrumbs because the Italian sausage is already seasoned. However, my mother often uses Italian breadcrumbs as well.
Onion & Celery – Plain old yellow onion and 3-4 celery stalks, petite diced for texture.
Cheese – The perfect topping that takes these stuffed mushrooms over the top! Grated parmesan (the kind in the green can) works well for the texture while shredded or thin sliced swiss cheese tops it off. You can use other types of cheese like Gruyere or Mozzarella too if you like.
Spices – Minced garlic increases the overall flavor. Either fresh minced or store-bought minced works. Since I use plain breadcrumbs, I add a bit of dried basil to round out the flavor.
How to make Italian Sausage from Pork Sausage
If you don’t have Italian sausage in your grocery store, you will have to add your own seasonings as you cook and crumble the sausage. Here is a basic recipe:
- 1 lb ground pork sausage
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds (this is important, fennel seeds are what *make* Italian sausage)
- ¼ teaspoon dried basil
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon minced garlic
- ⅛ teaspoon onion powder
- ⅛ teaspoon dried rosemary
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
Step By Step Instructions
Remember, this is just an overview of the steps I do with tips for first timers. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!
Cleaning the mushrooms – To make these stuffed mushrooms, first scrub them and pull off the stems from the caps. To make more room for the stuffing, I take a spoon and scrap off the thin flap around the sides, but I usually leave the gills. Save half of the stems and petite dice them or toss in a food processor.
Prepare the stuffing – In a skillet over medium heat, crumble the Italian sausage and cook until no longer pink. Move the Italian sausage to a plate but do not clean the pan. Add the minced garlic, basil, onion, celery, and reserved mushroom stems. Cook until soft and the onions are translucent.
Tip: Cutting up the onion, celery, and Italian sausage into small bits makes it easier to stuff the mushrooms without the filling falling out. My trick to crumble the Italian sausage is to put it in the food processor for a few seconds when the sausage is about halfway cooked. This creates a uniform texture and makes it super simple to crumble.
Preparing the Mushrooms for Filling – While the stuffing is cooking, we need to bring the mushrooms up to speed. After cleaning, lightly brush the tops with olive oil (optional), and put in the oven face down and bake for 15-20 minutes or until you see a lot of liquid in the pan. Photo 1 is face up to show the cleaned mushrooms. Pour off the liquid before stuffing.
Stuffing the Mushrooms – Making stuffed mushrooms properly is all about the ratio of stuffing to mushroom. I find that equal parts of mushroom and stuffing work best. For parties, I separate and top them individually. However, for family I usually smush the mushrooms in the corner of the sheet pan and press all the glorious stuffing over top. It’s a lot easier this way and still tastes delicious.
Melting the Cheese – You can use shredded or cheese slices. Shredded is a little easier to balance on individual stuffed mushrooms.
Tip: The stuffing shouldn’t be too dry or too wet. You can test this by pinching a ball in your hand. While it shouldn’t be too wet, if shouldn’t crumble in your hand. Adjust the breadcrumbs and cheese if necessary. If too dry, add a bit of chicken broth or stock.
Serving and Make Ahead Suggestions
Serve: They are best served hot immediately after the cheese is melted.
Refrigerate: I’d be surprised if there are any leftovers, but they should be stored in the refrigerator, wrapped tightly or in an airtight container, for up to 4 days.
Make Ahead: It’s easy to make ahead for a party. For best freshness, make the stuffing the day before and clean the mushrooms, and store in the refrigerator. On the day of, bake the mushrooms, stuffing, and melt the cheese. Alternatively, you could prepare and stuff the mushrooms the day before and store in the refrigerator. Just before serving, bake them in the oven and then melt the cheese.
Looking for more Delectable Eats for Gatherings? Look no further than these recipes:
- Supreme Chicken Nachos
- The Easiest Sliders
- Crowd Pleasing Healthy Appetizers for Game Day
- Punch Bowl Cake
- Cajun Crab Dip
I think my favorite part is the melted Swiss cheese over top to finish off these little delights. Devour. Simple and poppable, thank you little Mr. mushroom! Are you a fan of stuffed mushrooms too?
FAQs
Start by pulling the center stems out by rocking them gently to break away from the cap. You should hear a snap and they pull out easily. Then scrub the mushrooms and saved stems. You do not need to peel the outside of the cap. Using a small spoon, core out the center a bit to make room for more stuffing. It’s not necessary, but it makes more room.
You can use button mushrooms, baby bella, or even larger portabella mushrooms for this recipe.
These are one of my favorite appetizers at family gatherings around the holidays. I often serve them alongside grazeable appetizers like Ham Sliders, Toasted Ravioli, and Buffalo Chicken Dip. They’re also a great addition with grilled steak kabobs or other meats.
When cleaning the mushrooms, it’s ok to rinse with water but do not soak them. The spongy texture can absorb too much water and make them soggy. Be sure to dry them off well after rinsing. When baking mushrooms, be sure to place them stem side down so that the liquid does not pool inside the cap.
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Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms
Ingredients
- 20 oz Baby Bella Mushrooms cleaned and cored, save ½ the stems
- 1 lb Italian Sausage
- 2 cloves Garlic minced
- ⅔ cup Yellow Onion finely chopped
- ⅔ cup Celery finely chopped
- ½ cup Plain Bread Crumbs
- ½ teaspoon Dried Basil
- ¼ cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
- 4-6 oz Swiss Cheese shredded (larger hole)
Instructions
- Clean and core the mushrooms. Save about half of the stems and very finely chop in a food processor or with a knife. Take a spoon and clean out the center of the mushroom caps to create more room for stuffing. Remove the excess liquid.
- Preheat Oven to 350 F. Place mushrooms stem side down on a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes or until liquid releases from the mushrooms.
- While the mushrooms are baking, prepare the stuffing. In a skillet over medium heat, crumble the Italian sausage and cook until no longer pink. Move the Italian sausage to a plate, leaving the drippings. To the pan, add minced garlic, basil, onion, celery, and reserved mushroom stems. Cook until soft and the onions are translucent.
- Remove from heat and stir in the sausage and Parmesan cheese. Stir in the breadcrumbs a little at a time to avoid using too much. The stuffing should look well coated and coarse, but not overly dry. If the stuffing looks too dry, you can add a bit of chicken broth to moisten it.
- With a spoon, pack the mushroom tops with the stuffing. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven. Top with shredded swiss cheese and put in a warm oven for a few minutes to melt. Serve hot.
Notes
- The stuffing consistency should not be too crumbly or it may make them harder to stay together in the mushroom. You can tell this by how well it sticks together if you form a ball in your hand. While it shouldn’t be too wet, if shouldn’t crumble in your hand. Adjust the bread crumbs and cheese if necessary. If too dry, add a bit of chicken broth or stock.
- Cutting up the onion, celery, and Italian sausage small makes it easier to stuff the mushrooms without the filling falling out. My trick to crumble the Italian sausage is to put it in the food processor for a few seconds when the sausage is about half way cooked. This creates a uniform texture and makes it super simple to crumble.
Cindy says
Thanks for the recipe Rachel! I have always loved these.
Roxanne says
Best stuffed mushrooms I have ever had!