When I’m feeding skeptical meat-eaters vegetarian cuisine, mushrooms are one of my favorite magic tricks. Mushrooms are one of the few vegetarian ingredients that are included when chefs talk about umami. Umami is a savory, rich, “meaty” taste sensation that’s one of the five basic tastes, and these Stuffed Mushrooms are packed with it. I stuff button mushrooms with a herby cream cheese filling, which is made even more delicious thanks to the garlic, parmesan cheese, sun dried tomatoes, and crispy breadcrumbs. Everything comes together in one savory, bite-sized package. These make the best appetizer, Christmas or game-day snack, or veggie side dish on a budget!
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“These Stuffed Mushrooms are a fantastic vegetarian appetizer! The herby cream cheese filling combined with garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, and crunchy walnuts makes each bite full of flavor. Easy to make, budget-friendly, and perfect for any gathering. Definitely a must-try for mushroom lovers.”
PRB
Easy Stuffed Mushrooms
I love making these stuffed mushrooms because they’re such a crowd-pleaser and so easy to whip up. I take simple white button mushrooms and stuff them with a creamy, herby filling loaded with garlic, Parmesan, sun-dried tomatoes, and a crispy breadcrumb topping. Every bite is savory, cheesy, and packed with flavor—perfect as an appetizer, a Christmas or game-day snack, or even a veggie side that won’t break the bank.
Fun tip from my kitchen: white button mushrooms are actually the same mushroom as crimini and portobello—it’s just a matter of age! White buttons are younger, milder, and almost always cheaper than baby Bella or portobello mushrooms, which makes them my go-to when I’m feeding a crowd on a budget.
Recipe Success Tips
- I clean my mushrooms using a dry towel to gently wipe off any dirt or debris. If your mushrooms are particularly dirty, you can wipe them with a damp (not soaking wet) cloth or a mushroom brush. Avoid submerging mushrooms in water as they’re extremely porous and will absorb liquid, making them soggy when cooked. This is one of the reasons why they are so great for marinating.
- Make this stuffed mushrooms recipe an omnivore’s delight. Use ground Italian sausage instead of sun dried tomatoes or add some chopped bacon to the filling.
- Vegan? No problem! You can easily substitute dairy-free cream cheese and cheese in this recipe to make these stuffed mushrooms completely plant-based.
- For a make-ahead option. Prepare the filling and mushroom caps, stuff, cover, and refrigerate. When ready to bake, continue with the recipe as directed. I’d use the pre-prepared ingredients within 2 days of refrigeration.
- Don’t throw out the mushroom stems! I like to chop them up and stir them into homemade mushroom soup for extra depth. They also work beautifully in mushroom rice, adding a subtle umami punch to each bite. They can also be added to stocks and broths for extra flavor.
Stuffed Mushrooms
Cost $7.96 recipe / $1.32 serving
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp salted butter ($0.20)
- ½ yellow onion (diced small, $0.35)
- 1 sprig rosemary ($0.29)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced (minced, $0.24)
- 1 tsp parsley (minced, reserve a pinch for garnish, $0.05)
- 2 Tbsp walnuts (crushed, $0.42)
- 8 oz. cream cheese ($1.56)
- ½ tsp salt ($0.01)
- ½ tsp black pepper (freshly cracked, $0.08)
- ½ cup Italian breadcrumbs (or plain panko, $0.16)
- ⅓ cup shredded Parmesan ($0.61)
- 3 Tbsp sun dried tomatoes (in oil, minced + 1 Tbsp oil reserved, $0.55*)
- 16 oz. fresh button mushrooms ($3.44)
Instructions
- In a medium size skillet, melt butter and sauté diced onion with rosemary sprig over medium heat until soft and translucent, about 4 minutes.
- Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
- Remove the rosemary leaves from the sprig and discard the stem. Add the rosemary leaves, cooked onions, garlic, and butter from the pan to a food processor on top of fresh minced parsley (reserve a pinch for garnishing), walnuts, cream cheese, salt and pepper.
- Pulse in food processor until combined but still chunky.
- Fold in breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, and minced sun dried tomatoes.
- Clean mushrooms with a dry towel to remove any dirt. Remove stems and use a spoon to scoop out the gills. Discard the gills and stuff mushrooms gently with a spoon so they are overflowing.
- Drizzle with reserved sun dried tomato oil and rub the bottom of each mushroom in any oil that is leftover or has dripped onto your baking sheet. (See note)
- Bake the mushrooms in a 400°F oven on a lightly greased, parchment-lined baking sheet for 15 minutes.
- When done, garnish with the reserved minced parsley and a crank of salt and pepper on top! Enjoy.
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Equipment
- Deep Stainless Steel Skillet
- Food Processor
- Baking Sheet
Notes
Nutrition
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Cook the onion: Melt 2 Tbsp salted butter and sauté ½ a diced yellow onion with 1 rosemary sprig over medium heat in a medium skillet until soft and translucent, about 4 minutes.
Add garlic: Stir in 3 minced garlic cloves and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
Make the cream cheese filling: Take the rosemary leaves off the sprig and discard the stem. Add the leaves, cooked onions, garlic, and butter from the pan to a food processor to which you’ve added 1 tsp fresh minced parsley (reserve a pinch for garnishing), 2 Tbsp crushed walnuts, one 8 oz. package cream cheese, ½ tsp salt, and ½ tsp pepper.
Pulse in food processor until combined but still chunky.
Fold in ½ cup breadcrumbs, ⅓ cup shredded Parmesan, and 3 Tbsp minced sun dried tomatoes.
Get the mushrooms ready: Clean 16 oz. of fresh button mushrooms with a dry towel to remove any dirt. Remove stems and use a spoon to scoop out the gills, discard the gills, and stuff the mushrooms gently with a spoon so they are overflowing.
Drizzle the mushrooms with 1 Tbsp reserved sun dried tomato oil and rub the bottom of each mushroom in any oil that is leftover or has dripped onto your baking sheet.
Bake the mushrooms: Bake the mushrooms in a 400°F oven on a lightly greased, parchment-lined baking sheet for 15 minutes.
Garnish and serve: Garnish with the reserved pinch of minced parsley and a crank of salt and pepper on top! Enjoy.
serving suggestions
If I’m putting together a fun appetizer spread, I’ll serve these stuffed mushrooms with other finger foods like Thanksgiving potato skins. I also love including bruschetta—it adds a bright, zesty bite to the table. Then I like to add a batch of baked zucchini fries, which are light, crunchy, and perfect for dipping. To round out the spread, I include mini broccoli cheddar quiches, with their creamy, cheesy filling and golden crust—everything together creates a colorful, irresistible platter that guests can’t stop nibbling on.
Storage and reheating
Once baked, you can keep these vegetarian stuffed mushrooms in the fridge for 3-4 days. Let them cool completely before storing in an airtight container. Reheat them in the oven before serving.
I did this mostly by the book, but i had to goof around with bake time time to travel. Huge hit. Do you think subbimg peanuts for walnuts would hurt the flavor?
One guy is allergic to tree nuts…
I do think that peanuts have a pretty distinct flavor that i’m not sure would pair well with the mushrooms, but you never know! I think next time I would try pumpkin seeds if they can have those!
Great recipe! Tastes somewhat like Thanksgiving turkey stuffing. I heavily loaded three portobello mushrooms and cooked at 375 for 20 minutes.
Making these for New Years Eve….thanks for the recipe! I am sure they are delish.
Awesome! Hope you enjoyed, Catherine!
These Stuffed Mushrooms are a fantastic vegetarian appetizer! The herby cream cheese filling combined with garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, and crunchy walnuts makes each bite full of flavor. Easy to make, budget-friendly, and perfect for any gathering. Definitely a must-try for mushroom lovers
Awesome! Thank you for the feedback! Glad you loved them.
I love mushrooms! These are SO good.
So glad you loved them, Sarah! Thanks!