Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms

Savory and herby, these sausage stuffed mushrooms make the ultimate appetizer for any gathering. Made with marinated mushrooms and filled with a creamy, sausage and mascarpone filling, this straightforward stuffed mushroom recipe will be requested again and again.

We have always been lukewarm about stuffed mushrooms. We mean, we'd eat them if they were served somewhere, and have had some better-than-average stuffed mushrooms, but we've never gotten EXCITED about them… until these babies showed up in our kitchen.

A number of years ago, our mom brought these as an appetizer on Thanksgiving, and they were absolutely DEVOURED. Sure, the Thanksgiving meal was great, but everyone and we mean everyone, was talking about the sausage stuffed mushrooms. These are a cut above the rest, and anytime our mom has shown up with them since then, there’s a chorus of “oooooh she brought those stuffed mushrooms!”

No question, you need these in your life.

How to Make Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms

• Prepare the oven: Preheat the oven to 325°F.
• Trim the mushroom (#1) stems (see tips above for how to clean and trim the mushrooms) and chop them finely. Set aside.
• Marinate the mushrooms: Place the mushroom caps in a shallow bowl and toss with olive oil and marsala. Set aside.
• Cook the sausage (#2): Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage crumbling it with a wooden spoon. Cook the sausage for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently until it’s completely browned.

• Add mushroom stems: Stir in the chopped mushroom stems and cook for 3 more minutes.
• Cook in the flavor: Stir in the scallions, garlic, salt, and pepper and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add the panko crumbs, stirring to combine with the other inredients.
• Stir in mascarpone (#3): Finally, swirl in the mascarpone and continue cooking until the mascarpone has melted and made the mixture creamy.
• Remove from heat (#4-#5): Off the heat, stir in the Parmesan and parsley and season to taste. Cool slightly.

• Stuff the mushroom caps: Fill each mushroom generously with the sausage mixture.
• Place in baking dish (#6): Arrange the mushrooms in a baking dish large enough to hold them in a snug, single layer.
• Bake for 50 minutes, until the stuffing is browning and crusty.

Common questions

Storing and Making Ahead

There are a few different ways to prep these stuffed mushrooms in advance and save time the day you plan to serve them.

• Making Ahead (Separately): Clean the caps and cook the filling up to one day in advance and store separately, covered, in the refrigerator.
• Making Ahead (Stuffed): Keep the unbaked, fully stuffed mushrooms in an air-tight container for up to 1 day before baking.
• Left-Over Mushrooms: Sausage stuffed mushrooms keep for up to 3 days in the refrigerator in an air-tight container.

• Yield: 30 mushrooms
• Prep: 30 minutes
• Cook: 50 minutes
• Total: 1 hour 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 16 ounces extra-large white mushrooms, caps and stems separated
• 5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 2½ tablespoons Marsala wine
• ¾ pound sweet Italian sausage
• ¾ cup minced scallions, white and green parts (6 scallions)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ⅔ cup panko bread crumbs
• 5 ounces mascarpone cheese
• ⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2½ tablespoons minced fresh parsley

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Trim the mushroom stems and chop them finely. Set aside. Place the mushroom caps in a shallow bowl and toss with 3 tablespoons of the olive oil and the Marsala. Set aside.
3. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage, crumbling it with a wooden spoon. Cook the sausage for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until it's completely browned. Add the chopped mushroom stems and cook for 3 more minutes. Stir in the scallions, garlic, salt, and pepper and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the panko crumbs, stirring to combine with the other ingredients. Finally, swirl in the mascarpone and continue cooking until the mascarpone has melted and made the mixture creamy. Off the heat, stir in the Parmesan and parsley and season to taste. Cool slightly.
4. Fill each mushroom generously with the sausage mixture. Arrange the mushrooms in a baking dish large enough to hold them all in a snug single layer. Bake for 50 minutes, until the -stuffing is browned and crusty.

Notes

Mushrooms: we used “large, gourmet stuffing mushrooms” that we purchased at our regular supermarket for these. If you use smaller button mushrooms, you will get many more from this recipe. Depending on the size and number of mushrooms, you may need to use a second pan. See the post above for tips on cleaning and trimming.

Marsala Wine: If you need to omit the Marsala wine, you can do so without any substitutions (just stick with the olive oil).

Sausage: For a different flavor or more kick, you can substitute mild or hot Italian sausage.

Breadcrumbs: If you cannot get Panko bread crumbs, substitute plain bread crumbs, not Italian seasoned.

Mascarpone: You can substitute cream cheese for the mascarpone cheese.

Make-Ahead: You can clean the caps and cook the filling up to one day in advance and store separately, covered, in the refrigerator. You can also completely assemble these, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for up to one day before baking. Simply remove the plastic wrap and bake as directed.

Storing: Leftover stuffed mushrooms can be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Recipe adapted from Barefoot Contessa

Photography by Lauren Grant.