Easy Appetizer Recipes like these Stuffed Mushrooms are AMAZING!

One of my favorite finger foods to grab at a party are stuffed mushrooms.

With this stuffed mushroom caps easy recipe it is a breeze to make an appetizer that is the hit at any party, and the sauteéed mushrooms and garlic add just the right flavor to this simple stuffed mushroom recipe.

For me, a critical must in any appetizer recipe is that it doesn’t take too long to prepare or to cook, and our stuffed mushrooms recipe fits the bill.

How To Clean Mushrooms

When you start working with the mushrooms, the first thing you’ll need to do is clean them. It probably sounds redundant to put in this simple step, but it is so essential. You want shiny mushroom caps for making stuffed mushrooms.

Use a damp paper towel or a soft mushroom brush (have you seen one of these?!) to wipe off each mushroom. You can lightly rinse the mushrooms with cool water and then pat dry with paper towels, but make sure you do not fully immerse or soak them!

How To Remove Mushroom Stems

The next step is to remove the stems from the mushrooms. This is easy once you’ve practiced on a few.

The trick is to loosen the stem. I do this by working my way around the base of the stem and pushing against the stem. You’ll hear a little popping sound and feel it come loose.

If you don’t loosen the stem prior to breaking off the stem, you run the risk of not breaking off the entire stem. And, the reason you want the entire stem off is so you have more room to stuff the mushroom.

Stuffed Mushroom Recipe You’ll Want to Indulge In

These stuffed mushroom caps are delicious and bite size. Even with the cream cheese, having one or two is pretty much guilt free, right?

I mean, you’ve got the healthy mushroom, the calcium…. and oh! it’s just so good. There is just something about cheesy appetizers that I love. Sharp Cheddar Cheese Fondue, Fried Mozzarella Sticks, and we can’t forget about Caprese Salad.

If you need more appetizer ideas, we love those we found in this fun cookbook from The Dating Divas.

Stuffed Mushrooms Recipe

Updated 11/18/17- I’ll go step by step with this recipe so you can see the process used to make these yummy stuffed mushrooms.

Chop up about 1/4 of the removed stems and a couple cloves of garlic nice and fine.

Then, cook this over medium low heat in a couple tablespoons of oil.

When they are nice and brown, like so…

It’s time to add in the cream cheese. Yum!

And some Parmesan cheese…

and most importantly–the spices.

After mixing all the stuffing ingredients together, put the filling in a zip bag or other plastic bag (a piping bag if you have one!) and fill each of the mushroom caps.

It’s good to brush them off so they are even with the top of the cavity so they aren’t overflowing.

After that, the next step is completely optional, but adds a nice bit of cheesy flavor. Slice up a hard Parmesan cheese into thin slices.

And then top each of the mushroom caps with a cheese slice prior to putting the pan of mushrooms into the oven.

How to Use a Piping Bag

Follow these tips and tricks to make filling and working with a piping bag easy:

Don’t completely fill the bag. Make sure to leave 1/4 – 1/3 empty to avoid mishaps.
Pinch and twist to close. Once the filling has been added, push it all down towards the tip of the bag. Then pinch and twist it shut right at the spot where the filling starts. This will keep it closed and eliminates air bubbles from forming in the bag.
Hold at the top. Hold the piping bag up toward the top, rather than the bottom. Use your other hand to keep it steady as you work.

Stuffed Cream Cheese Mushrooms

Stuffed mushrooms always seemed fancy and difficult to me… like something I couldn’t tackle. Until I tried making them the first time and I realized that it isn’t difficult at all.

Now that I’ve made them a few times, I know it’s a recipe I can throw together pretty quickly to serve at a party. Or just for an appetizer to dinner.

Other than a garlic press, you don’t need any special tools to make this tasty appetizer.

Why You Will Love Stuffed Mushrooms

They are so versatile! These Stuffed Mushrooms can be served throughout the year, and are suitable for all sorts of different occasions. Perfect for elegant cocktail parties and fancy holiday meals, yet light enough for bringing to summertime picnics and barbecues. I’ve even made them as a fun side to go with a basic weeknight dinner.
Make-ahead Ease! You can prepare these the morning of your event, or even the night before. Just mix up the filling, stuff the mushrooms, cover the baking dish and pop it in the fridge until it’s time to bake and serve.
Customize the flavors! Try adding your favorite herbs, such as thyme or tarragon, to the filling. Toss in some finely chopped nuts for a bit of crunch. Or swap some of the cream cheese (or even all) with another type of soft cheese like chèvre or feta.