Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms
If you’re looking for an elegant yet easy appetizer, these Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms are the recipe for you! Tender mushrooms are filled with a flavorful cream cheese sausage filling and topped with golden brown crispy breadcrumbs. They can be assembled completely in advance, so they’re perfect for entertaining!
When I’m entertaining, I love serving easy, crowd pleasing appetizers that can be made or at least assembled in advance.
My hot artichoke dip and crudités platter are two perfect examples, and one of my new favorites is these Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms!
I don’t know anyone that doesn’t love stuffed mushrooms, especially when they’re complete with a sausage and cream cheese filling, crispy breadcrumbs, and loads of flavor.
These are a party favorite and they never, ever last long! 🙂
Table of contents
Why you’ll love this recipe:
- These stuffed mushrooms with sausage have a flavorful cream cheese and sausage filling and they’re topped with buttery, golden brown breadcrumbs.
- They’re elegant yet easy, and are the perfect bite-sized appetizers.
- This recipe can be prepped and assembled completely in advance and baked just before serving.
- They can be customized a number of ways and can be easily made gluten-free or low carb.
Recipe ingredients
These stuffed mushrooms with Italian sausage are easy to customize based on what you have in the pantry or to suit a special diet.
Ingredient notes
- Mushrooms. Use white button or baby bella mushrooms with caps about 1 1/4 – 1 1/2″ in diameter as they will hold more filling and won’t be as tedious to work with. Also look for mushrooms with longer stems that can be removed easily. Costco sells a large package of Highline organic mushrooms for $5.99 and the mushrooms are typically the perfect size!
- Italian sausage. The Italian sausage is the flavor powerhouse in this filling. I purchase it with no casings because it’s less work that way. Use your favorite variety — pork, chicken or turkey all work great in this recipe.
- Cream cheese. The cream cheese adds creaminess and acts as a binder to hold the filling together. Be sure it’s softened to room temperature so that it’s easy to combine with the other ingredients.
- Shallot and garlic. The Italian sausage has plenty of flavor so these ingredients aren’t totally necessary, but I figure the more flavor the better! If you don’t have shallot, 1/2 a small onion diced finely is perfect.
- Lemon. A bit of lemon zest and juice heightens all of the flavors in the filling. If you don’t have it, I suggest adding a tablespoon of your favorite vinegar for some acidity.
- Parmesan cheese. The parmesan cheese can be substituted with your favorite cheese such as cheddar, mozzarella, etc.
- Parsley. The parsley adds freshness and a pop of color. It can be substituted with your favorite fresh herbs or a teaspoon of dried herbs.
- Butter. The butter adds flavor to the breadcrumbs and also promotes browning.
- Breadcrumbs. I used plain panko breadcrumbs, but you can use whatever you have on hand. Use gluten-free breadcrumbs to make these stuffed mushrooms gluten-free.
How to make sausage and cream cheese stuffed mushrooms
There are a couple of components in this recipe, including cleaning the mushrooms, preparing the filling, then stuffing the mushrooms.
The good news is that each component is quick and easy, and the prep can be done completely ahead of time and the mushrooms can be baked just before you’re ready to serve them.
Pro tip: Use larger mushrooms with caps about 1 1/4 – 1 1/2″ wide in order to hold as much filling as possible. Also look for mushrooms with longer stems that can be removed easily.
See the recipe card below for full instructions.
How to clean mushrooms
Mushrooms are like little sponges, so it’s best to clean the caps with a damp paper towel as opposed to rinsing them under running water.
Once they’ve been cleaned, the stems can be removed and prepped for the filling.
- Gently clean the mushroom caps with a damp paper towel.
- Cut off the tough bottom of the mushroom stems.
- Gently twist the mushroom stems to remove.
- Chop the mushroom stems finely and reserve for the filling.
Prepare the stuffed mushrooms
Once you’ve prepped the mushrooms, it’s time to prepare the filling and assemble the stuffed mushrooms!
- Cook the Italian sausage until browned, about 4-5 minutes, then drain excess grease and place in a bowl. Add the mushroom stems and shallot until the liquid from the stems has evaporated. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds longer. Add to the bowl with the sausage.
- Combine the softened cream cheese with the lemon zest, lemon juice and parmesan cheese until well combined.
- Add the sausage and parsley to the cream cheese mixture and stir until incorporated.
- Melt the butter in a small bowl, then add the breadcrumbs and stir until they’re well coated with the butter.
- Place the mushroom caps in a baking dish cap side down.
- Divide the filling evenly between the mushrooms, then top with the breadcrumbs. Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes. If the breadcrumbs have not browned, turn on the broiler and broil for 1-2 minutes until golden.
FAQs
I recommend using larger sized mushrooms with caps roughly 1 1/4 – 1 1/2″ in diameter if possible as they will hold more filling. They also tend to have longer stems, which makes it easier to remove them. For best results, use the same size mushrooms so that they are done cooking at the same time.
Mushrooms are like sponges as they absorb excess liquid, so it’s best to clean them with a damp paper towel as opposed to rinsing them under running water.
Italian sausage makes a wonderful filling for stuffed mushrooms as it has a ton of flavor. You can use your favorite variety — pork, turkey or chicken all work perfectly.
Be sure to purchase Italian sausage with the casings removed as it is a huge time saver!
The stuffed mushrooms are done when they start releasing their liquid. You can tell when this happens as the mushrooms will become wet. Larger mushrooms will take roughly 20-25 minutes to cook at a temperature of 375 degrees.
These sausage stuffed mushrooms can be made gluten-free very easily by using gluten-free breadcrumbs, or you can omit the breadcrumbs altogether.
Recipe variations
There are a number of ways to change up these stuffed mushrooms with sausage based on what you have on hand or to suit any special diets.
- Swap the sausage out with your favorite ground meat. Just be sure to add appropriate seasoning as it will not have the flavor that the Italian sausage has.
- Omit the sausage to make these vegetarian. Simply add more grated cheese and possibly caramelized onions, sautéed chopped spinach, chopped artichoke hearts or even roasted red peppers.
- Make these gluten-free stuffed mushrooms by using gluten-free breadcrumbs. Make them low carb by omitting the breadcrumbs entirely.
- The filling can be changed up with your favorite herbs and seasonings, or add some umami by adding a splash of Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce or coconut aminos.
Recipe notes
- Pro tip: Use larger mushrooms with caps about 1 1/4 – 1 1/2″ wide in order to hold as much filling as possible. Also look for mushrooms with longer stems that can be removed easily.
- Assemble the stuffed mushrooms and store covered in the refrigerator 1-2 days in advance. Allow them to come to room temperature for 20-30 minutes then bake!
- Cooking time will vary based on the size of your mushrooms. If they are on the smaller size, check for doneness after 15 minutes.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
More appetizer recipes you’ll love:
- Air fryer jalapeno poppers
- Antipasto skewers
- Cheese board
- Maple rosemary roasted nuts
- Mini goat cheese balls
- Stuffed mini peppers by Fifteen Spatulas
Did you try this recipe? If so, be sure to leave a review below and tag me @flavorthemoments on Facebook and Instagram
Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms
Ingredients
- 24 baby bella mushrooms larger sized, about 1 1/4 – 1 1/2" in diameter; sub with white button mushrooms
- 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1 lb. Italian sausage casings removed
- 1 large shallot chopped fine
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons freshly chopped Italian flat leaf parsley plus more for serving, optional
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs regular or gluten-free
Instructions
- Gently clean the mushroom caps with a slightly damp paper towel, then cut off the tough end of the stems. Gently remove the stems, then chop them finely and set aside.24 baby bella mushrooms
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and place the mushrooms cap side down in a baking dish.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the Italian sausage and break up into small pieces. Cook until browned and cooked through, about 4-5 minutes. Drain any excess grease and place the sausage in a bowl. If there are any large pieces, break them up with your fingers when they're cool enough to handle.2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 lb. Italian sausage
- In the same skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped mushroom stems and shallot and cook until softened and the liquid from the stems have evaporated, about 3 minutes, then add the garlic and cook 30 seconds longer. Place in the bowl with the sausage.1 large shallot, 3 cloves garlic
- In a medium bowl, combine the cream cheese with the lemon zest and juice, then stir in the parmesan cheese. Add the sausage mixture and the parsley to the cream cheese mixture and stir well to combine.4 ounces cream cheese, 1 tablespoon lemon zest, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese, 2 tablespoons freshly chopped Italian flat leaf parsley
- Melt the 2 tablespoons butter in a small bowl. Add the breadcrumbs along with a pinch of salt and pepper and stir to combine.2 tablespoons butter, 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- Using a teaspoon, pack a teaspoon of the filling into each mushroom, then mound another teaspoon or so on top, patting it down so that it's compact. All of the filling should be gone…it's ok to pile on a bit more.
- Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the top, patting them gently into the filling. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the mushrooms release some of their moisture and the tops have browned. If the breadcrumbs have not browned enough, turn on the broiler and broil them for 1 minute or until golden. Remove from heat.
- Place the mushrooms on a serving platter and sprinkle with additional chopped parsley. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Notes
- Pro tip: Use larger mushrooms with caps about 1 1/4 – 1 1/2″ wide in order to hold as much filling as possible. Also look for mushrooms with longer stems that can be removed easily.
- Assemble the stuffed mushrooms and store covered in the refrigerator 1-2 days in advance. Allow them to come to room temperature for 20-30 minutes then bake!
- Cooking time will vary based on the size of your mushrooms. If they are on the smaller size, check for doneness after 15 minutes.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.
