These poppable stuffed mushrooms are loaded with Italian sausage, ricotta and parmesan cheese, and fresh herbs. Make them as an easy, crowd-pleasing appetizer for your next gathering!
Stuffed mushrooms are often packed with fillers like breadcrumbs and can be a bit lackluster in the flavor department. These stuffed mushrooms are everything but that! Pass on the breadcrumbs and say “yes” to a meaty, mouthwatering stuffed mushroom recipe, with crumbled sweet or spicy sausage, creamy ricotta as a binder, parmesan cheese for more flavor, fresh herbs, and of course, sautéed shallots and garlic.
There’s no question that these little guys need to be on your holiday menu, along with other bite-sized appetizers like Salmon Croquettes and Spanakopita!
Why You’ll Love This Stuffed Mushrooms Recipe
There’s no better stuffed mushrooms than sausage stuffed mushrooms with cheese and herbs!
- Irresistible Italian flavors (ricotta, parmesan, and herbs please!)
- Perfect made ahead and reheated
- A great holiday gathering appetizer (easy to make a double batch)
Stuffed Mushrooms Ingredients
- Baby bella (cremini) mushrooms – baby bella mushrooms, AKA cremini mushrooms, are small, mild mushrooms that are great for stuffing.
- Italian sausage – I like to use spicy or sweet Italian pork sausage. You can also use chicken sausage if preferred or even chorizo.
- Whole milk ricotta cheese – whole milk ricotta adds creaminess and binds all the ingredients together.
- Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese – Parmigiano-Reggiano (or regular parmesan cheese if preferred) adds cheesy, nutty, saltiness that’s irresistible!
- Shallots – shallots add texture and a bit of sweet astringency.
- Garlic – garlic…because garlic!
- Fresh thyme – thyme adds herbaceous earthiness.
- Fresh Italian parsley – parsley adds brightness and freshness.
How to Make Stuffed Mushrooms
Full instructions in the recipe card; this is just an outline!
- Prepare.
Remove the stems from each mushroom. Wipe the mushrooms clean, using a damp cloth or paper towel.
- Arrange.
On a large baking sheet, either lightly greased or lined with parchment paper, place the mushrooms with the stem-removed side facing up.
- Cook.
Run a knife around the outer casing of each sausage to remove the meat into a pan. Cook the meat over medium heat, using a potato masher or a large spoon to break into small crumbles as it cooks.
- Transfer.
After cooking the meat, use a slotted spoon to transfer it to a medium-sized bowl.
- Sauté.
Sauté the shallots and garlic in the remaining sausage juices for 3-4 minutes until they’re hot and fragrant.
- Transfer again.
With the slotted spoon, transfer the shallots and garlic to the same bowl with the cooked sausage.
- Mix.
Add parsley, thyme, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, ricotta, salt, and pepper to the bowl, and mix until everything is well combined.
- Stuff.
Use a teaspoon to stuff each mushroom, packing the filling tightly into each mushroom “cup.”
- Bake.
Bake in the oven at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes, or until the filling is heated through. Cool for at least 5 minutes before serving.
Pro Tips
- There is enough filling to stuff 1 ½ to 2 pounds of mushrooms, depending on their size and how generously you stuff each one.
- The key is to firmly pack the stuffing into each mushroom to prevent the filling from spilling out during baking. Allowing the stuffed mushrooms to cool for 5-10 minutes, before serving, helps the filling set.
- I like Italian pork sausage the best for this recipe, but chicken sausage or chorizo also works.
- Crumble the sausage into small pieces. If the pieces are too big, each mushroom will have big pieces of sausage instead of the delicious mixture of cheese, herbs, etc.
- Don’t want to use parmesan? You can use mozzarella or gruyere instead!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
While baking, the mushrooms will start to release some of their juices. If you are worried about them being soggy, let them cool for 5 minutes out of the oven before transferring them to a paper towel lined plate to soak up extra juices. I find, though, that this stuffed mushrooms recipe is never soggy!
You can give the mushrooms a quick, cool rinse if they’re really dirty. Pat them dry really well. If they aren’t super dirty, you can use a damp paper towel or cloth to dab any dirt off the mushrooms.
These stuffed mushrooms only take 15-20 minutes to bake. Details are below!
Storage
- To make ahead: You can absolutely make stuffed mushrooms ahead! Prepare them as directed and store in the fridge, covered, up to 3 days in advance, reheating when you’re ready.
- To store: After the mushrooms have cooled completely, store in the fridge, covered, for 3-4 days.
- To reheat: If possible, take stuffed mushrooms out of the fridge and leave them at room temperature for 30 minutes. Reheat on a baking sheet at 375 degrees for 5-10 minutes until warm.
- Can I freeze stuffed mushrooms? I don’t recommend freezing these stuffed mushrooms. The ricotta can separate when frozen and then thawed.
More Appetizer Recipes You’ll Love!
Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms
Ingredients
- 2 pounds baby bella (cremini mushrooms), (roughly) between 1 ½ – 2 pounds
- 1 pound Italian sausage, spicy or sweet
- ⅔ cup whole milk ricotta cheese
- ½ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano (or regular parmesan cheese), coarsely grated
- 2 medium shallots, finely chopped
- 2 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
- 1 tablespoon fresh Italian parsley, finely chopped
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375℉. Pop off each mushroom’s stem (you can use them for something else like stocks, sauces, stuffing, etc.!). Use a damp cloth or paper towel to clean mushrooms.
- Place mushrooms, stem-removed side up, on a large, lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Run a sharp knife along the outside of each sausage, popping the meat out of the casings into a medium pan. Over medium heat, use a potato masher or a large spoon to cut up the meat into small crumbles while it cooks.
- Once the meat is cooked, use a slotted spoon to remove it from the pan, placing in a medium bowl.
- Add the shallots and garlic to the pan and sauté in the leftover sausage juices for 3-4 minutes until hot and fragrant.
- Use the slotted spoon to remove the shallots and garlic from the pan, placing in the bowl with the sausage.
- Add parsley, thyme, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, ricotta, and salt and pepper to the bowl. Mix until well-combined.
- Use a teaspoon to stuff each mushroom. I like to add as much filling as possible, making sure to tightly pack the stuffing into each mushroom “cup”. If the filling isn’t compact, some will fall out during the baking process!
- Bake for 15-20 minutes until filling is hot. Let cool for at least 5 minutes before transferring to a plate to serve.
Video
Notes
- There will be enough filling for 1 ½ to 2 pounds of mushrooms, depending on how big the mushrooms are and how much you “stuff” each mushroom!
- The key is to really pack the stuffing into each mushroom so the stuffing doesn’t fall off when baked. Also, letting your stuffed mushrooms cool for 5-10 minutes before serving will let the filling set.
- I like using Italian pork sausage or even really good-quality chicken sausage.
- The mushrooms will release some of their juices when baked. If you’re worried about the mushrooms being soggy, feel free to transfer them to a paper towel-lined plate once they’ve cooled on the baking sheet for 5 minutes.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
