Serves a Crowd

Creamy Sausage-Stuffed Mushrooms

by:
February  9, 2010
4.6
21 Ratings
  • Serves 15 to 20
Author Notes

This is a twist on my ex-boyfriend's mother's recipe which I couldn't help but think I could make so much better, and I did. This is something I make for Thanksgiving and even the children who don't like mushrooms love it. —ADRIENE

Test Kitchen Notes

Adriene's stuffed mushrooms are the kind of coveted hors d'oeuvres that go all too fast at a party -- so it's a good thing this recipe makes enough for a big crowd. The splash of balsamic that cloaks the mushrooms prior to their first go-round in the oven infuses them with a touch of sweetness and acidity that acts as a wonderful counterpoint to the savory sausage-laced cream cheese stuffing. We chose an aged Asiago and, though it didn't melt as well as a fresh one would, we loved the earthy, piquant accent it added to these rich, addictive little 'shrooms. —The Editors

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Ingredients
  • 5 pints button mushrooms
  • 4 Italian sausage links
  • 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 2 yellow onions, minced
  • 5 garlic cloves, minced
  • 5 ounces asiago cheese, shredded
  • 7 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • salt and pepper
Directions
  1. Preheat your oven to 350° F. Wipe mushrooms clean with a damp cloth and pull out the stems and discard. Toss the cleaned de-stemmed mushrooms with 5 tablespoons of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper. Spread out on a sheet pan and bake for 30 minutes. Set aside and cool.
  2. Slit the Italian sausage and remove casing. Crumble in a heated pan and sauté until golden brown. Break up into small pieces while it is cooking. Set aside and cool.
  3. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a sauté pan and add the onions. Cook until dark and caramelized, about 15 to 20 minutes. Then add in the garlic and cook for a minute.
  4. Now add the cooked sausage, onions and garlic, cream cheese, salt and pepper, and 3 oounces of shredded Asiago cheese to a bowl and mix well with your hands. Break apart any large pieces of sausage.
  5. Heat your oven to 375° F. Line up your mushrooms in a greased baking dish with the core side facing up. Stuff each mushroom with a generous portion of the creamy sausage mixture. Top the mushrooms with the remaining Asiago cheese.
  6. Bake your mushrooms for roughly 45 minutes or until the cheese on top is golden brown. (This dish can be made up to 3 days ahead of time and put in the cooler until you are ready to put it in the oven.)
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86 Reviews

Sonel February 10, 2024
Probably the best stuffed mushrooms I’ve had. Everyone loved them and still talks about them.
Mary August 24, 2023
Excellent! I catered a dinner for a family who insisted I make their favorite stuffed mushrooms and have making them for my family and clients ever since.
Always asked for the recipe and I send them to Food52!
anniette December 18, 2022
We've been making a pared down version of these for years. We call them beach mushrooms because they are the perfect hors d'oeuvre to make and serve with drinks while everyone is showering and thinking about dinner after a beach day. Just stuff mushroom caps, (baby bellas preferred, but button are fine — just seek out big ones — with sausage — Jimmy Dean or Italian — and bake on a sheet pan at 300 for half an hour. Top with cheddar for the sagey ones, or provolone for the Italian, for the last 5 minutes of baking.
For a full meal version: use portabellas and stuff with your choice of sausage. Bake in a 300 degree oven until done and top with your choice of cheese at the end. With a big salad, this makes a quick and scrumptious meal.
brandyk December 18, 2022
I may try these as a quicker easier take on sausage stuffed mushrooms from The Silver Palate cookbook I have made for years. The SP recipe uses a bechamel instead of cream cheese and also has the addition of chopped kalmata olives for that bit of acidity. Cant wait to try these!
cosmiccook August 25, 2023
I'll take a bechamel over cream cheese ANY day! I wish there was another product readily available in New Orleans as an alternative to cream cheese.
kberger2 December 17, 2022
I think I will make this appetizer this upcoming Winter Holiday. I like the idea of using Italian sausage. I bet it would go well with Chorizo as well. Thank you.
Darian January 2, 2022
These were a HUGE hit at my family Christmas gathering, even among the non-mushroom lovers. I used cream cheese that had jalapeno in it, partly to use it up, but I loved the little added kick. I also shortened both cooking times for the mushrooms based on other reviews and they were perfect. I had a little extra filling, but it was so good on its own, we had no trouble finishing it.
cosmiccook November 29, 2021
Not a review but a suggestion. Recipes that are published by everyone should have accompanying measurements.
Harper November 29, 2021
I made these mushrooms a few years ago for the 1st time. Ever since then, my nephew in-law always politely finds a way to ask if I can make them for Thanksgiving dinner. This Thanksgiving I changed the recipe a little by using Soy Chorizo. It gave them a nice little kick. I have a lot of the "stuffing" mix left over. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to use it for another dish or meal? Thanks
zoumonkie November 29, 2021
Use real sausage and there won’t be any left overs
Achefwannabe December 4, 2021
That made me laugh, touché.
Achefwannabe December 4, 2021
I use leftover filling for stuffed mushroom from a different recipe in stuffed shells. I add some ricotta cheese, more roasted garlic and some Italian seasoning.
Harper December 7, 2021
Thank you. Thats a great idea!
cosmiccook November 2, 2021
I just don't care for cream cheese. Has anyone tried this w Ribiolina cheese (for those fortunate enough to get it) --not to be confused w Bosina Robiola--? Or w a ricotta & mascarpone?
Ciao C. December 17, 2022
You read my mind. I was thinking of the same alternatives and would try any of your suggestions over cream cheese.
Achefwannabe October 1, 2021
I made the filling last night and and did the initial bake of the mushrooms early this morning. Finished them tonight and they were excellent. You could definitely taste the sweetness of the balsamic vinegar on the mushrooms.
I took the advice of earlier reviews and baked the the mushrooms for only 15 minutes the first time and 25 minutes for the final bake. I think the suggested bake times would result in small shriveled mushrooms.
Jc September 15, 2021
P.S. save those mushroom bottoms! I marinated them separately, chopped, browned and used them with the leftover stuffing to enhance a Moussaka.

Save the liquid off the roasted mushrooms- it can be your secret something in your next sauce or soup.
Jc September 15, 2021
This was good, the balsamic vinegar really works. On another occasion I might try sherry vinegar instead.

I reduced the cooking time for both baking periods and still felt the mushrooms were overdone so I will adjust further next time.

I used a pound of large, 2-3” cremini and a half recipe of filling - still had leftover filling which is a nice bonus.
tastysweet December 17, 2022
Jc, how long did you cook the creminis the first time, then when stuffed?
Jc December 17, 2022
Gosh, that was a year ago. Sorry, I don’t remember except I just tried monitoring what was going on. Also, we moved to a new place last year and I was - actually am still - getting used to the oven.
leal_luis August 13, 2021
So good! Reused leftover filling with some pasta!!
Laura S. December 23, 2020
I love these mushrooms and my family always requests them for parties. They are delicious!
1 major note- I only bake for 10min convection or 15 regular bake the first time. When I tried baking them for 30min, they shrunk way too much.
I use chicken sausage instead of pork for a lighter variation and they are fabulous!

Lastly- it makes a lot of filling and you will always have leftover. I either buy more mushrooms or use them as a decadent filling for stuffed shells!
Laura S. December 23, 2020
I love these mushrooms and my family always requests them for parties. They are delicious!
1 major note- I only bake for 10min convection or 15 regular bake the first time. When I tried baking them for 30min, they shrunk way too much.
I use chicken sausage instead of pork for a lighter variation and they are fabulous!
Elif December 18, 2019
I make this for almost every party I host. It's such a crowd pleaser. The best is, I usually make the filling and oven-cook the mushrooms the day before and put in the fridge (or just prep the filling the day before and do all the baking on the day of). On the day of the party, I stuff the mushrooms and do the final baking just before the party starts, so everything is still warm when the guests arrive with minimal work on the day of the party.
brian November 25, 2019
I've made this recipe a few times now as a Thanksgiving appetizer, and everyone loves them, plus they are gluten free.

I believe when the recipe calls for 5 pints (pint = 16 oz by volume) of mushrooms, it's really five 16 oz (by weight) packages of mushrooms. Yes, 5 pounds. Seems like a lot, but the mushrooms cook down before you stuff them, and there is enough stuffing for 5 pounds worth. At least in my experience anyway. Hope this helps.
Malka L. November 29, 2018
and one more question: Would it work to make the stuffing ahead of time and freeze it? I'd like to do this in two batches for two different gatherings. Thank you.
JR November 29, 2018
i honestly dont know how the sausage would be thawed out. i wouldnt do it. you could probably make the stuffing one day ahead and keep it in the fridge.
zoumonkie November 29, 2018
Sure you can freeze it; fresh is better. Frozen food is leftovers. If your guests aren't important, frozen is fine. It's like bringing a box of store bought cookies to a pot luck dinner.
JR November 29, 2018
Good luck, Malka. I think there are steps of this recipe that you can do ahead (a day maybe) but not much more. Dont freeze this one. If you end up making this dish, I promise that you will enjoy it.
Malka L. November 12, 2018
So my question is re: quantity of mushrooms. Is it 5 pints or 5 pounds of mushrooms?
zoumonkie November 12, 2018
Fill mushrooms until you run out of stuffing. By looking at the ingredients, 5 pints should be more than enough. Five pounds would feed an army.
Frank P. August 12, 2018
Very popular when I have served them. I would cut back on the cream cheese a little