Wow your guests and make Italian stuffed mushrooms! This holiday go-to is made easy in 40-mins with cheese, pecans, & baby bell mushrooms!
Crunchy and Cheesy Italian Stuffed Mushrooms
Who here used to get down on Olive Garden or Red Lobster stuffed mushrooms? lol I can’t be the only one! Darden Restaurants definitely know what they’re doing! For me, it was at Olive Garden that I fell in love with stuffed mushrooms – and I was not a fan of mushrooms back then.
So, when I hosted a New Year’s party for both sides of my family a few years ago, I took on the task of making ALL the appetizers and the main course. Solo. Like, with no one else’s help at all. It was crazy, but I was excited to make a variety of appetizers and the first one that came to mind was this delicious Italian Stuffed Mushrooms recipe. I hadn’t made it in awhile, but I quickly remembered how easy it was to whip up. If you’re making multiple dishes/appetizers at once, this is an easy one to add into the mix.
I personally wouldn’t consider this recipe a copy-cat recipe of Olive Garden’s version, but it is equally, if not more delicious than Olive Garden’s stuffed mushrooms. These can be made as cheesy or crunchy as you want – just add or subtract the amount of parmesan and/or pecans you add in. Because the mushrooms once cooked naturally get a bit “wet,” having extra pecans helps with the overall texture.
Italian Stuffed Mushrooms For The Win
Of all the appetizers I made that New Year’s Eve, this was the one I received the most compliments on. From young to old, it was devoured and I felt pretty proud about that. If you’re looking for a super easy recipe that will wow your guests and it takes less than 45-minutes to make, this is your girl.
If you make this recipe and love it, please consider leaving a 5-star review below. This helps our growing community of homemade chefs know this is a recipe to make. If you made any adjustments or additions that I don’t notate here, share them, too! The wealth of knowledge we all have to bring to the table is welcome here 馃檪
Italian Stuffed Mushrooms
Ingredients
- 20 baby bella mushrooms (or cremini)
- 3 tbsp butter
- 3 tbsp garlic, minced
- 1/2 yellow onion finely diced
- salt to taste
- pepper to taste
- 4 oz softened cream cheese
- 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese (I put up to 1/2 cup if I want it real cheesy)
- 1/3 cup chopped pecans
- 1/4 cup parsley, fresh or dried
For Topping Mushrooms
- 2 – 3 tbsp parmesan cheese
- 1 – 2 tbsp chopped pecans
Instructions
- PREP: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. (NOTE: While mushrooms are just naturally a bit wet/soggy when you cook them, if you'd like you can place a wire rack on top of the parchment, to allow the juices from the mushrooms to drain down away from the mushrooms.)
- MAKE THE STUFFING: – Take the mushrooms and remove the stems. Chop the stems into the smallest pieces possible, set them aside.– In a skillet over medium heat, melt the butter and add the chopped mushroom stems, cooking for about 5 minutes. Add the onion, garlic, salt/pepper, and cook for 2 to 3 more minutes, until onion is softened and garlic is fragrant. Remove this mixture from the skillet and place into a bowl to cool for 5 minutes. – Add cream cheese, parmesan cheese (the 1/3 to 1/2 cup), parsley, and pecans (the 1/3 cup). Stir to combine.20 baby bella mushrooms, 3 tbsp butter, 3 tbsp garlic, minced, 1/2 yellow onion, salt, pepper, 4 oz softened cream cheese, 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese, 1/3 cup chopped pecans, 1/4 cup parsley,
- STUFF THE MUSHROOMS: – Take the mushroom caps, lay them all on the heads with the bottoms facing up. Fill each one with the cheese stuffing. Sprinkle the grated parmesan and chopped pecans over the tops of the uncooked stuffed mushrooms. (I like to press this into the stuffing just a bit so it sticks and doesn't fall off).2 – 3 tbsp parmesan cheese, 1 – 2 tbsp chopped pecans
- BAKE MUSHROOMS: Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the tops are golden and the mushrooms have softened. Sprinkle with a bit of parsley and serve warm! Enjoy 馃檪