I’ll admit that sausage is usually not my favorite, but this recipe for sausage stuffed mushrooms is delicious every time.
The taste and texture of sausage make a great filling for tender mushrooms. Combine that with some cheese and Italian seasoning, and you have a stuffed mushroom recipe that’s a hit at every gathering.
I once saw these mushrooms gobbled up so fast at a Christmas party that the latecomers were out of luck. (So much for being fashionable). Beware of roving gangs of hungry partiers if you make this.
Many people love making stuffed portobello mushrooms, filling the giant caps with mountains of stuffing. For this recipe, I prefer the smaller white button or cremini for an easier appetizer, although it also makes it easier to eat a million of them!
Whatever you choose, it’s hard to mess up this sausage stuffed mushrooms recipe. Feel free to experiment with the mushrooms, seasonings, and cheeses.
Recommended mushrooms: Cremini and white buttons, but portobello mushrooms also work well.
Ingredients:
- 2 pounds white button mushrooms, cleaned with a damp cloth
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound sweet Italian sausage, casing removed
- 1/4 cup yellow onions, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2/3 cup breadcrumbs (I prefer Panko)
- 2/3 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
- 1/2 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley
- Salt and pepper to taste
Begin by preheating your oven to 400 degrees.
Carefully remove the stems from the mushrooms, chop them finely, and set them aside. Place all the mushrooms cap side down in a baking dish.
Next warm the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Heat the sausage for 5 to 7 minutes until brown, crumbling it apart as you go.
Add the onions, minced mushroom stems, and garlic and cook the whole mixture for 3 more minutes.
Move the sausage stuffing to a large bowl and toss in the cheese, breadcrumbs, seasoning, salt, and pepper. Mix well to combine all the ingredients. Taste it to see that it’s to your liking.
Stuff each mushroom cap with about a teaspoon of the mixture. If you have any left over, go back and add more to each cap. You’d be amazed how much stuffing you can cram in there!
Sprinkle each cap with a light layer of Parmesan cheese. Then bake in the oven for 15 – 20 minutes, to the point where the mushrooms are tender but the stuffing is brown and crusty.
Remove from the oven and let them cool for as long as your patience will allow. A great stuffed mushroom recipe!
Variations:
- Add 3 tablespoons or Marsala wine or sherry when you add the onions and garlic.
- Feel free to experiment with the cheese. An addition to Parmesan you could use Mascarpone or Romano. Or you can make a combination of each.
- For a spicier filling, use 1/2 lb of sweet Italian sausage and 1/2 lb of hot Italian sausage instead of all sweet.
Remember to always try to know where your sausage comes from. There’s probably someone near you who raises meat humanely and locally. Support them!
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