Italian stuffed mushrooms is an appetizer that everyone loves! Mushroom caps are filled with a delightful blend of breadcrumbs, chopped mushroom stems, garlic, parsley, and Parmigiano Reggiano that has been lightly sauteed with white wine and lemon juice, and baked until tender. These are perfect to serve at any gathering but are so good you'll want to make them for quiet evenings in too!
Italian stuffed mushrooms are a dish I grew up eating.
They almost always appeared at every holiday either as an appetizer or with dinner.
I believe the main reason for their popularity, besides the fact that they're loaded with garlicky breadcrumbs and baked in white wine, is that they are quite possibly the easiest dish to make.
Way easier than the equally delicious stuffed artichokes that often shared our holiday table with the mushrooms.
Cleaning the mushrooms is probably the hardest part!
If you have aspiring young chefs in your home (yes, Nonnas and Nonnos of the world, I'm talking to you) get them involved in making stuffed mushrooms.
It's fun, easy, and one of the perfect dishes to get kids excited about cooking, plus engaging your grandkids, or kids in the kitchen can be an incredibly gratifying experience for all involved.
What type of mushrooms for Italian stuffed mushrooms?
The best types of mushrooms for stuffed mushrooms are white button mushrooms or baby Bellas. We used the same types for our sausage stuffed mushrooms as well.
These types of shrooms are the easiest for stuffing, and one might observe that perhaps they were designed specifically to be stuffed.
After all, they come with their own cavity, once you've removed the stem that is used to make the stuffing. Sounds serendipitous to me.
While other mushrooms, such as oysters, trumpets, cremini, or shitake are all fabulous, save those for other dishes, like this creamy garlic mushroom pasta, or chicken Valdostana, as they're not amenable to stuffing.
As far as size goes, it depends on what you like. I used a variety of sizes for this post as pictured below.
Some grocery stores will sell large stuffing mushrooms, especially during the holidays, which are great if you'd like a larger mushroom.
Personally, I love the smaller one-biter mushrooms that I can just pop in my mouth!
How to make it
Each number corresponds to the numbered written steps below.
- Preheat the oven to 425f and set the rack to the second-highest level. Chop off the very end of the stem and discard. Remove the remaining portion of the stem and mince. Save ¾ cups of the minced stems. Discard or save the remaining bits for another purpose.
- Saute the garlic in a ½ cup of olive oil over medium-low heat until golden (about 2-3 minutes). Once golden add in the hot red pepper flakes and cook for 30 seconds longer.
- Next, add in the minced mushroom stems, turn heat to medium, and continue to saute for another 5 minutes.
- After 5 minutes, add in the ½ cup of dry white wine (sauvignon blanc, pinot grigio, or chardonnay all work well) and cook for 2 more minutes.
- Add in all of the breadcrumbs, Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, parsley, 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, and ½ cup low sodium chicken stock. Turn off the heat.
- Also, add in the juice of 1 large lemon (roughly 3 tablespoons of juice) and mix the stuffing well.
- Taste test the stuffing and make any adjustments to salt, pepper, or lemon juice if needed. The stuffing should be very moist. It should stick to your fingers. If it's too dry, add in a bit more of the reserved chicken stock.
- Stuff the mushrooms by packing the stuffing into each mushroom cap and let it mound on top a bit. Pour the remaining chicken stock into the dish. Sprinkle a ½ cup of extra stuffing (if you have even more remaining stuffing, save it for another purpose) into the dish. It will mix into the chicken stock to make a sauce.
- Grate 2 more tablespoons of Parmigiano onto the mushrooms. Bake the mushrooms for 20-25 minutes until brown and cooked through.
- For extra color, broil for the last 60 seconds but watch carefully so they don't burn. The extra pan sauce can be spooned onto the mushrooms upon serving, or the stuffed mushrooms can be eaten as is. Serving with lemon wedges is definitely recommended. Enjoy!
Top tips for great stuffed mushrooms
It's pretty hard to screw up stuffed mushrooms, but the number one issue that can crop up is dryness.
Breadcrumbs can be a fickle thing so its important that the stuffing be kept wet enough so the mushrooms don't dry out.
When making the stuffing, add a bit more stock to moisten if needed.
I love using white wine with stuffed mushrooms as it adds another flavor dimension. I'd recommend using a Sauvignon blanc, or Pinot Grigio.
Chardonnay would work well too. I would not recommend using red wine for stuffed mushrooms.
To clean your mushrooms, simply wipe the dirt off the shrooms with a slightly damp paper towel. Don't wash them or submerge them in water.
To make this dish vegetarian, simply use vegetable or mushroom stock in place of the chicken stock.
To make vegan stuffed mushrooms, in addition to using vegetable stock, omit the cheese.
Stuffed mushrooms go perfectly with a squeeze of lemon, and I highly recommend serving them that way!
More great mushroom (and other veggie) recipes
In addition to the mushroom recipes mentioned above, we think you'll love these other recipes as well!
- Mushroom Risotto - creamy risotto with mixed mushrooms, shallots, and Parmigiano Reggiano.
- Marinated mushrooms - The perfect addition to any antipasto platter!
- Mushroom meatballs - Meatless meatball option that everyone loves!
- Fried artichoke hearts - Crisp, bite-sized, and easy to make, these are a welcome addition to any appetizer spread!
- Balsamic portobello mushrooms - Earthy mushrooms sauteed in butter and balsamic vinegar.
- Sauteed garlic mushrooms - Browned mushrooms with olive oil, garlic, parsley, and a pinch of hot red pepper flakes.
- Baked artichoke hearts with breadcrumbs - Topped with breadcrumbs, lemon, garlic, and white wine, just like stuffed mushrooms.
- Baby broccoli with seasoned breadcrumbs - Roasted baby broccoli topped with breadcrumbs and toasted pignoli nuts.
If you’ve enjoyed this Italian stuffed mushrooms recipe or any recipe on this site, give it a 5-star rating and tell us about it in the comments below.
We would love to hear how you did and it’s nice to show others as well. Thanks!
Follow us on YouTube, Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook.
Ingredients
- 24 ounces white or baby Bella mushrooms see notes below
- ½ cup parsley minced
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup plain breadcrumbs
- ⅝ cup Parmigiano Reggiano divided. ½ cup for stuffing and 2 extra tablespoons for topping
- ½ cup olive oil
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 2 cups low sodium chicken stock divided
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 large lemon cut into wedges
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425f and set rack to the second highest level. Cut off the very end of the mushroom stems and discard. Remove the good part of the stem and mince. Save ¾ cup of minced stems. Use the remaining for another purpose.
- Saute the garlic in the olive oil over medium-low heat until golden. Add in the red pepper flakes and cook for 30 seconds. Next, turn heat to medium, add in the ¾ cup of minced mushroom stems, and cook for 5 minutes.
- Next, add in the wine and cook for 2 minutes to reduce slightly.
- Add in a ½ cup chicken stock, lemon juice, breadcrumbs, ½ cup grated cheese, salt, and parsley. Mix well, turn off the heat, and taste test. Make any adjustments to salt and pepper if required. If the stuffing is too dry add a bit more stock (it should be very moist).
- Stuff the mushrooms well and save any remaining stuffing.
- Place the stuffed mushrooms into a large baking dish and pour in the remaining chicken stock. Sprinkle no more than a ½ cup of the remaining stuffing mixture into the stock. Grate 2 tablespoons of Parmigiano Reggiano on top of the mushrooms.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until tender. If needed, broil for the last 60 seconds to brown the top. Spoon the sauce on top of the mushrooms or serve as is. Also, serve with lemon wedges. Enjoy!
Notes
- Cut off and discard just the very end of the mushroom stems. The remainder should be minced finely for the stuffing.
- Large stuffing mushrooms, small white button, and baby Bellas all work well for this recipe.
- Dry white wines such as pinot grigio, sauvignon blanc, and chardonnay all work well for this recipe.
- The stuffing should be wet to keep the mushrooms moist. When making the stuffing, add a bit more chicken stock to moisten if required.
- Leftovers can be saved for up to 3 days and reheated in the oven at 350f until warm or the microwave.
Hi Jim. Thanks for the recipe. I’m making them for Easter. Can I stuff them the day before & then bake them Sunday?
Thanks,
Maryann
Hi Maryann, yes you can stuff them the day before and bake them on Easter.
Any recommendations to swap out the white wine?
Hi Sierra, you can replace the wine with vegetable or chicken stock or water.
I use chicken broth. Came out great
Thank you for this recipe. Is it ok to use Japanese bread crumbs?
Hi Elaine. Japanese breadcrumbs work great for these mushrooms. Enjoy!
I would love to see the Stuffed Mushrooms recipe in a video. It’s not as easy as it reads. Thanks!
Hi Jax, thanks for the comment and the suggestion. We will do a stuffed mushroom video at some point soon!
My wife has digestive issues, with cheeses made from cow’s milk. I drive myself crazy trying to make good substitutions. Do you think Pecorino Romano would be a suitable replacement for Parmsean in this recipe? Love the videos
Hi James, yes, Pecorino Romano would be great here. So happy you're enjoying the videos!
Great recipe. The wine and the lemon juice really add to the flavor and my stuffed mushrooms went from good to delicious. I love the bits of stuffing in the pan after baking. Great for dipping bread. Thanks.
Hi Laurie, so happy you enjoyed the mushrooms! Thanks for the comment!
Just finished making these and I’m not sure, my flavor seems off, i followed the recipe to a T, used Chardonnay wine as mentioned though. The flavor of the stuffing seems a bit spicy, salty with too much wine. Not sure why. I used kosher salt as well, and I did 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper since I doubled the recipe. Will the flavor of the wine reduce a bit after I bake them tomorrow?
Update to my last comment, once I actually baked the mushrooms, the flavor was delicious! I was referring to the stuffing before actually baking. I did eliminate the chicken stock and the stuffing on the bottom of the baking dish though because I was nervous it was going to add too much salt or flavor. I just drizzled olive oil on the bottom of the dish and they were delicious.
Hi Graziella, I'm so happy this worked out for you! Thanks for the comments!
Jim, I've been making my mother's stuffed mushrooms for 40+ years and never thought any other recipe would come close. She was 1st generation Calabrese and used Marsala in her mushrooms so when I saw white wine and lemon juice I thought "Hmm...these might be a nice change at Thanksgiving". I sent your recipe to my sister and niece who both said "Go for it!" and so I did and ... they were a huge hit! The pop of lemon really adds a wonderful brightness to the mushrooms and while I didn't add the crushed red pepper flakes (because I'm a wimp), I followed the rest of your recipe to the "T" and am so pleased with both you and you, your recipe and your video that I'm posting it on my Facebook page. From the Bronx to Long Island, I thank you!
Hi Judy, I'm so happy you liked this recipe and that your family had enough faith in it to deviate from your mom's recipe. Thank you so much for this comment!
Made vegan version for Thanksgiving using vegan Parmesan and veg broth and they came out great. The lemony sauce was the perfect complement! Thank you for an easy, flavorful addition to our holiday table.
Hi Lourdes, I'm so happy you enjoyed this and that you made it your own by adjusting the ingredients! Thanks for the comment!
I made these for Thanksgiving dinner as a side dish. I did not get A mushroom. They were gone before I got to the table. Needless to say, it was a hit. I just made a batch for dinner tonight. This time, I will get at least 2 next to my roast chicken dinner.
Hi Georgina, I'm sorry you didn't get any for yourself on Thanksgiving, but so happy your guests enjoyed them and that you made them again! Thank you for the comment!
Jim, you're the best buddy... Thoughts on finely chopping 2 small premio sausage into this recipe?
Hi Andrew, thanks for the comment! Yes, you can definitely add some sausage here. Also, I do have a recipe for sausage stuffed mushrooms (linked within this post) if you want to look at that for reference. It's slightly different (in a pizzaiola sauce) but you may want to give that one a try too.
Made these as part of Christmas Eve dinner. A big hit!
Hi Ann, I'm happy to hear you enjoyed this for Christmas Eve and appreciate the comment!
Love your recipes and videos
Thanks for the comment, Donna! So happy you're enjoying the videos and recipes.
These were incredible. They were a lot more work than I anticipated (my knife work needs, well, work) but worth every second. I didn’t change one thing about the recipe and it was all I could do not to eat all the stuffing while I was stuffing the mushrooms. Absolutely delectable. Stellar recipe — I can’t say enough about it. Thanks so much. All your recipes that I have made have been huge hits at our home.
Hi Grace, I'm so happy to hear you enjoyed the stuffed mushrooms and really appreciate this comment!
These mushrooms are incredibly delicious! As soon as I saw the video in November, I couldn’t get them out of my mind. I was finally able to make them for Christmas, and have just prepared them a second time for Sunday dinner. My father’s response to them back in December: “You can make those any time!” I’ve adapted the recipe to our tastes: I cut back on the red pepper flakes and lemon juice, double the cheese, and use 1.5-2x the garlic (we’re a family of Italians AND garlic zealots 😄). Thank you so much for the recipe!
Hi Erica, thanks for the comment and so happy you enjoyed!
Love your show. Your son is adorable. Wife is sweet. I try many of your recipes mmmmmmmm
Thanks so much and so happy you're enjoying the recipes!