Stuffed Mushrooms

Ingredients & Substitutions

Here I explain the best ingredients for my stuffed mushrooms recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.

• Mushrooms – Cremini mushrooms, also called baby bella mushrooms, are my favorite for their earthy flavor. Feel free to use white button mushrooms if you prefer. I recommend medium caps that are similar in size, so they have space for the filling and soften at about the same rate. My ideal is 1.5 inches in diameter, but larger 2-inch caps are good too.
• Ground Italian Sausage – Feel free to use mild, sweet, or hot. If you have raw sausage links, you’ll need to remove the casings first. I’ve also made these stuffed mushrooms with ground beef or turkey, but you’ll need extra seasonings since they don’t come seasoned. If you use unseasoned meat, I recommend adding 3/4 teaspoon of salt, 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon of Italian seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder, and 1/4 teaspoon of paprika for the 3/4 pound of meat in this recipe.
• Cream Cheese – I use full-fat block cream cheese for a thick, creamy filling that holds together without breadcrumbs. Cut it into small chunks to help it melt evenly. Reduced-fat cream cheese or Neufchâtel also works, but I would avoid whipped spreads here.
• Mozzarella Cheese – This goes into the filling and over the tops. Cheddar or Gruyere makes a great swap if you want a sharper flavor.
• Bacon – Adds smoky flavor to these sausage stuffed mushrooms. The skillet method also gives you bacon grease for cooking the garlic and sausage. If you prefer air fryer bacon or oven bacon, save some of the drippings or add a little cooking fat to the skillet.
• Grated Parmesan Cheese – Adds salty, nutty flavor and helps hold the filling together. I used pre-grated Parmesan for convenience, but freshly grated melts more smoothly.
• Garlic – Fresh minced garlic is the best here! For a shortcut, you can use 2 teaspoons of jarred minced garlic.
• Fresh Parsley – A little freshness balances the rich filling. You can substitute fresh basil or thyme if you like. Dried herbs work too but you’ll need less, only 2 teaspoons dried to replace the 2 tablespoons fresh.

How To Make Stuffed Mushrooms

I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.

1. Prep the mushroom caps. Preheat the oven and line a rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper or foil. Remove the stems, then arrange the raw caps open side up with space between them.
2. Cook the bacon. Arrange the bacon in a single layer in a cold large skillet. Cook over medium heat, turning occasionally, until browned and crisp. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate, leaving the bacon grease in the skillet.

3. Saute the garlic. Add the garlic to the skillet and cook until fragrant. Move on to the sausage before the garlic gets dark, so it doesn’t turn bitter.
4. Brown the sausage. Add the sausage and increase the heat to medium-high. I break it into small crumbles as it cooks, so the filling is easy to spoon into the caps. Once it’s browned and cooked through, drain the grease from the skillet.

Meal Prep Options

For the freshest texture, I recommend baking stuffed mushrooms just before serving. You can still get most of the work out of the way in advance:

• Make the filling ahead: Cook and combine the filling 1-3 days ahead, let it cool, and refrigerate in an airtight container. You can also clean the mushroom caps and keep them separate. Stuff and top them when you’re ready to bake. The chilled filling will be firmer, so use a small spoon to press it into the caps.
• Stuff the mushrooms ahead: Fill and top the mushrooms, then cover and refrigerate the tray for 1-2 days, until you’re ready to bake. They may need a little longer in the oven when chilled.
• Stuff, pre-bake, and freeze: Assemble the sausage stuffed mushrooms and bake for 10 minutes. Cool completely, then freeze on a lined baking sheet. Once solid, transfer to a freezer container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge, then finish baking until tender. You can also freeze them fully baked if you prefer, but I don’t recommend freezing them totally raw because this makes the texture worse after thawing.

More Stuffed Mushroom Filling Recipes

I love the bacon-and-sausage filling here, but mushroom caps are a good excuse to play with other flavors! If you’re up for something different, try one of my other stuffed mushroom filling recipes and ideas:

• Spinach Feta – My spinach stuffed mushrooms have a Greek-inspired filling with spinach, tangy feta, garlic, and Parmesan. Squeezing the spinach dry is the key to keeping them from getting watery.
• Crab – For something a little more special, try my crab stuffed mushrooms. They have a creamy crab filling with Parmesan, lemon, and Old Bay.
• Garlic Herb – For a simple meatless filling, finely chop the mushroom stems and saute them with garlic until their moisture cooks off. Mix with softened cream cheese, Parmesan, and fresh parsley. A little panko on top adds crunch!
• Jalapeno Popper – Make the filling from my jalapeno poppers, but also mix in some chopped jalapenos, then make stuffed mushrooms with it. Remove the seeds and ribs for less heat.
• Pizza – Think marinara, mozzarella, and chopped pepperoni. My portobello mushroom pizza has the full method for larger caps, plus more topping ideas.
• Buffalo Chicken – Mix up my buffalo chicken dip and stuff it inside the mushrooms, then bake as usual.
• Sausage & Marinara – If you want to turn sausage stuffed mushrooms into dinner, my stuffed portobello mushrooms have a saucy Italian sausage filling and a melty cheese topping. The larger caps make room for a much heartier portion.