Today I’m going to share a basic recipe for cheesy stuffed mushrooms with herbs which can easily be altered to suit your personal tastes and mood
How many cheesy stuffed mushrooms with herbs should I serve per person?
If you’re planning to serve these at a party, they can be prepared ahead of time and heated up as needed. Plan on serving 2 – 4 per person, depending on the rest of the menu.
The general rule of thumb for appetizers is 5 per person for the first hour and 3 per person every hour afterwards. If you’re planning to serve two or three more appetizers, prepare fewer stuffed mushrooms.
Or not.
The good news is you can store any leftovers and gently reheat them in the microwave or on the stove.
For a light meal or snack, as shown in the photos, 4 or 5 mushrooms per person plus a couple extra is a good amount.
How to prepare mushrooms for filling
After the stem is removed there may not be as much room as you’d think for the filling. Use a small spoon to gently enlarge the mushroom cap by scraping the edges and removing most of the gills. Removing the gills also helps to prevent them from coloring the dish or releasing moisture which can change the quality of the final product.
Start with about a pound of button or cremini mushrooms, some cream cheese, some grated hard cheese and a combo of fresh or dried herbs. Once the mushrooms are stuffed and placed in a hot oven the magic happens.
All the flavors meld together and the top forms a crust from the hot oven. You’ll smell the herbs, and the cheese…and it will smell good!
Let’s make stuffed mushrooms
Ingredients
- 1 lb large button or cremini mushrooms (you should have 9 – 12 mushrooms)
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise (more or less)
- 2 ounces grated cheddar or similar cheese (I used emmental)
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- salt and pepper to taste
- olive oil
Instructions
Prep the Mushrooms
- Gently remove any dirt or growing medium from the mushrooms with a damp paper towel.
- Remove the stems and trim the mushroom caps, scraping away most of the gills.
Make the Cheesy Mix
- Mix the cream cheese and mayonnaise together in a large bowl. Add the grated cheese, herbs and season as desired. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Fill Mushrooms and Bake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C
- Prepare a large casserole or baking tray with a little olive oil or cooking spray.
- Fill each mushroom cap with a generous tablespoon of cream cheese filling, adjusting the amounts to suit the number of mushrooms.
- Bake the mushrooms for 20 minutes or until the mushrooms are cooked through and the cheesy filling is golden brown.
- Garnish with more chopped chives or other herbs before serving.
Notes
Resist the temptation to bite into these morsels as soon as you bring them out of the oven lest you burn your mouth and tongue (ask me how I know…)
Rick and I enjoyed our stuffed mushrooms as part of a light meal with sliced clementines, walnuts and a hard cracker they sell in Spain called picos camperos. These particular ones were made with rye and quinoa; they caught my eye because normally they’re more like crunchy little breadsticks.
More stuffed mushrooms to try:
Love stuffed mushrooms, and your recipe looks particularly nice. I’d make a batch just for dinner!