Description
Succulent Italian-inspired stuffed mushrooms blend savory cheese, crisp breadcrumbs, and tender mushroom caps in a delightful appetizer. Classic flavors dance across your palate, promising a crowd-pleasing starter you’ll crave at every gathering.
Ingredients
Scale
Main ingredients:
- 12 to 14 mushrooms
- 4 ounces (113 grams) cream cheese
- ⅓ cup (80 milliliters) mozzarella cheese, grated
- ⅓ cup (80 milliliters) pepperoni, chopped
Seasonings:
- 1 teaspoon (5 milliliters) Italian seasoning
Aromatics:
- 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) onion, finely chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees Celsius). Lightly coat a baking sheet or cast iron skillet with non-stick cooking spray to prevent mushrooms from sticking.
- Gently clean mushroom caps with a damp cloth, carefully removing stems. Pat dry with paper towels to eliminate excess moisture.
- In a mixing bowl, blend softened cream cheese, freshly grated mozzarella cheese, and Italian seasoning until smooth and consistent in texture.
- Finely dice pepperoni slices and red onion into small, uniform pieces. Fold these ingredients into the cheese mixture, ensuring even distribution.
- Use a small teaspoon to generously fill each mushroom cap with the prepared cheese and pepperoni blend, mounding the filling slightly above the mushroom’s surface.
- Arrange stuffed mushroom caps on the prepared baking sheet, leaving small gaps between each piece to ensure even heat circulation.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 15 to 18 minutes, allowing the mushrooms to become tender and the filling to heat through completely.
- Switch oven to broil setting and cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes, watching carefully to achieve a golden-brown, slightly crispy top without burning.
Notes
- Prep these mushrooms quickly as a crowd-pleasing appetizer that transforms simple ingredients into a pizza-inspired delicacy.
- Choose fresh, firm mushrooms with smooth caps to ensure the best texture and flavor absorption for your stuffed bites.
- Create the filling ahead of time and refrigerate for up to 24 hours, making party prep incredibly convenient and stress-free.
- Watch carefully during broiling to prevent burning, as the cheese can quickly go from perfectly golden to overdone in seconds.
- Serve immediately after cooking to enjoy the maximum crispy texture and melted cheese experience.
- Experiment with different pizza-inspired fillings like sausage, additional herbs, or alternative cheese blends to personalize your stuffed mushrooms.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 17 minutes
- Category: Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 145 kcal
- Sugar: 1.5 g
- Sodium: 320 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 3 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Cholesterol: 35 mg