Stuffed Mushrooms

Stuffed mushrooms are a retro recipe favorite. Once a stalwart of restaurant appetizer menus, often alongside classics like crab cakes and deviled eggs, stuffed mushrooms are meaty, tender, and usually topped with a crisp and cheesy breadcrumb topping.

We pulled inspiration from those appetizer menus of yesteryear for this classic Stuffed Mushrooms recipe. But instead of cream cheese, we reached for a new favorite ingredient: Boursin cheese, a garlic-and-herb spreadable cheese you can usually find in the packaged cheese section at the grocery store. This secret ingredient amps up the savory flavor of each bite, and it cuts down on the recipe prep steps.

Here, get a recipe for Stuffed Mushrooms and find out how to change it up if you want to make it your own.

How To Wash and Prep Mushrooms

Mushrooms are often covered in bits of dirt and debris because they grow so close to the soil. Because they shouldn't be washed in advance, you'll want to make sure you wash and clean mushrooms just before making these appetizers.

The best way to wash mushrooms is to rinse them under cool water. Then, take a damp paper towel and wipe the tops and stems.

Gently tug on each stem, and it'll pop away from the mushroom caps. We're not going to use the mushroom stems in this recipe, though many recipes do. Instead, you can discard the stems, freeze them, or use them in something like Smothered Pork Chops or Spinach And Mushroom Frittata.

What if I Can't Find Cremini Mushrooms?

Whole cremini mushrooms are also called baby bella mushrooms. They look like mini (or baby) portobello mushrooms.

But if you can't find baby bellas, look for white button mushrooms or even the larger portobellos. You'll have to use a bit more filling and probably cook longer for the big portobellos, but the white buttons are about the same size as cremini mushrooms.

Do I Have to Use Boursin Cheese?

Boursin cheese packs a ton of flavor with no effort. (Other recipes call for softening cream cheese and then mashing in any number of spices and herbs to get a similar flavor.) Skip that step, and speed up prep with this pre-made cheese.

If you can't find Boursin or don't prefer it, go back to the old-school method and add your choice of herbs and spices to softened cream cheese. Use it in place of the Boursin in this recipe.

The creamy, rich filling is a classic pairing with a crunchy cheesy breadcrumb topping. Adding the red chili flake kicks up the heat and brings another element often missing from juicy stuffed mushrooms.

Can I Make Stuffed Mushrooms Ahead?

Yes, you can rinse, clean, and stuff the mushrooms then freeze them. Don't freeze baked mushrooms, however. They'll turn watery and soft when you thaw them.

Once you stuff the mushrooms, move them to a cookie tray, place in a single layer, and freeze them 2 to 24 hours until hard. Then, transfer them to a freezer-safe container or bag.

When you're ready to bake them, take the mushrooms directly from the freezer to a baking sheet, and bake as directed below. Just add a few more minutes so they warm through entirely.