Stuffed Mushrooms
Stuffed mushrooms really are the perfect, last-minute holiday appetizer.
Stuffed Mushrooms
As a kid, I was notorious for eating as many of these things as humanly possible. My grandmother would go out of her way to make sure we had enough to feed me and the rest of my family. This is a recipe that my grandmother has passed down to all of her grandchildren. It comes to us in these adorable recipe books she makes by hand for our sixteenth birthday.
I know I know, everyone swears that they have the “best last minute holiday appetizer recipe”. But hear me out, stuffed mushrooms are the perfect appetizer for any get together because the mushroom caps are an edible vehicle makes them irresistibly poppable. Bonus points, this recipe comes together in less than an hour and can be scaled easily to suit the number of guests you’re expecting.
Consider this recipe as a guideline. I have seen many variations of stuffed mushrooms. Personally, I opt for the classic featuring Italian sausage with a little bit of a kick, however; here are some other variations that would be fantastic:
Some variations that I have seen in the past that would be fantastic:
Italian sausage stuffing with onions and a dollop of marinara on top
Seafood stuffing with crab, shrimp and cheese
Packaged stuffing mixed with the mushroom stems
Spinach artichoke dip stuffing
Ingredients for the Stuffed Mushrooms
24 oz whole button mushroooms
2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
2 teaspoons fresh thyme, stems removed
1 - 1.5 lbs hot Italian sausage, approximately five (5) links, casings removed
3/4 cup breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Makes approximately 20-25 stuffed mushrooms
Directions for the Stuffed Mushrooms
Remove the cap and stem from the mushrooms. Using a damp cloth, gently wipe away the dirt from the mushroom caps. Then, finely chop the mushroom stems with a knife or pulse them in a food processor until you get small pieces the size of a pea.
Heat a sauté pan up to medium high heat. Add two tablespoons of oil and sauté the mushroom stems with the thyme for about five minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
Remove the casing from the sausage and add to a bowl. Combine the sautéed mushrooms, breadcrumbs, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, Parmesan cheese, Kosher salt and pepper. If you would like, you can check the seasoning on the sausage filling by sautéeing a small piece and adjusting as needed.
Using a spoon, stuff a bit of the mixture into each mushroom cap. You can also use the spoon to remove any extra flesh from the mushrooms to make more room for the stuffing. Place the stuffed mushrooms onto a lined baking tray. Once all the mushrooms are stuffed, bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes.
Plate the mushrooms on a serving tray and enjoy!