Years ago, my family nixed the idea of the traditional Christmas dinner and instead, we do an appetizer buffet. Every family brings an app or two, plus a dessert. It ends up creating this incredible spread of deliciousness that is creative, casual, and fun! Because we’ve been doing this for so long, a few Christmas appetizers have become staples.
I usually make my mini quiche, my sister smokes a salmon, and my Dad always makes his much-loved sausage stuffed mushrooms recipe. Sausage stuffed mushrooms are straightforward to make—you seriously can’t get any easier than this! Let’s get cooking!
To make these sausage stuffed mushrooms, you’ll need…
- Large button mushrooms. The larger, the better!
- Mild Italian sausage. Try to get good quality sausage if you can, because you’ll really be able to taste the difference.
- Shredded Parmesan cheese. No offense to the stuff in the shaker, but freshly shredded Parmesan is vital to these poppable Christmas treats.
- Garlic
- Sage and parsley. Use fresh herbs instead of dried ones. There are so few ingredients in this recipe that the freshness of the herbs will really stand out.
Do I need to use ground sausage?
Yes, ground sausage is what the majority of the filling is made of. If you’re having trouble finding ground Italian sausage at the grocery store, there are a few things you could use instead.
Fresh Italian sausages is probably the best substitute for ground sausage, and it’s pretty easy to find. Italian sausages may have a thin casing around it, but the casing is easy to remove. Then all you have to do is use a fork to break it up, and voila, you have ground Italian sausage!
If you know some of your guests would be okay with sausage stuffed mushrooms that pack a bit of a punch, you could always use spicy Italian sausage. Let your tastebuds guide you in picking out your sausage!
How do I clean my mushrooms?
Mushrooms act like little sponges, and they’ll soak up water if they’re left sitting in it too long—so we don’t want to rinse or soak them to wash them. To clean your mushrooms, brush off any visible dirt with a soft brush. Then, wipe them gently with a damp cloth or paper towel.
I have leftover sausage filling! What can I do with it?
Unless you happen to find the world’s largest button mushrooms, you’ll probably have some of the flavorful sausage filling kicking around once all is said and done. You can always use it to fill up a few more mushrooms, but the leftover filling also makes for some insanely delicious meatballs. Just sauté them up, toss them with some tomato sauce, and put them on a bed of hot spaghetti. Yum. Dinner is made.
Can these sausage stuffed mushrooms be made ahead of time?
Yes! Although these sausage stuffed mushrooms are super easy, you can prep them ahead of time if you’d like. Just prepare the whole recipe in advance—stopping before they head into the oven—then cover the mushrooms with plastic wrap, and store them in the fridge for up to a full day before cooking. This would allow you to make the sausage stuffed mushrooms the day before your dinner or party.
Can I freeze these mushrooms?
Yes! You can even make a huge batch a month or two in advance if you want to freeze them. All you need to do is follow the recipe up to the point of cooking. Place your uncooked mushrooms on a baking sheet in the freezer for roughly four hours. Then transfer your sausage stuffed mushrooms to an airtight freezer-safe container or bag. You now have a quick and easy appetizer to serve at your next holiday get-together! You can bake them straight from frozen, adding 10-15 minutes to the cooking time.
How do you store stuffed mushrooms with sausage?
If you happen to have leftovers—and I’ll be shocked if you do—you can store them in an airtight container in the fridge for four or five days. To reheat them, simply pop them on a baking sheet and bake at 350°F for five to ten minutes.
Parmesan and Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms
These savory stuffed mushrooms are easy to prepare. Serve them as appetizers during the holidays to be the veggie star of the party.
Ingredients
- Cooking spray
- 1 1/2 pounds (24 ounces) large button mushrooms
- 1 pound bulk mild Italian sausage
- 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh sage
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley, plus more for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.
- Wash the mushrooms by wiping them with a damp paper towel or cloth. Remove and reserve the stems, trimming the bottoms if needed. Dice the mushroom stems.
- Using clean hands and a medium mixing bowl, mix the chopped mushroom stems, sausage, cheese, garlic, sage, and parsley until thoroughly combined.
- Overfill each mushroom cap with the stuffing mixture, mounding a pile on top. Arrange the mushrooms on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the sausage is browned on top and cooked through. Sprinkle with additional parsley and serve hot.
Notes
- To make meatballs using any remaining filling, divide the sausage mixture into balls and sauté over medium-high heat in a large skillet with a little olive oil until browned on all sides. Drop the meatballs into a pot of hot tomato sauce and simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until cooked through.
- Feel free to substitute hot Italian sausage if you like things spicy!
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 36 Serving Size: 1 stuffed mushroomAmount Per Serving: Calories: 49Total Fat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 8mgSodium: 113mgCarbohydrates: 1gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 3g
At Wholefully, we believe that good nutrition is about much more than just the numbers on the nutrition facts panel. Please use the above information as only a small part of what helps you decide what foods are nourishing for you.
