Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms

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 Crockpot Hawaiian Meatballs. 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
• Easy Cinnamon Sugar Pretzels with White Chocolate Drizzle
• Punch Bowl Cake
• Cincinnati Chili
• Crowd Pleasing Healthy Appetizers for Game Day

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

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PS. If you make this recipe, leave a COMMENT AND A STAR RATING in the comments section at the bottom and be sure to take a photo and tag it #cravingcreative on Instagram! I appreciate you for taking the time to read about me and my family recipes.