Let’s talk about holiday appetizers. When hosting gatherings, I almost put more attention and thought into an appetizer then I do on the main dish. These mascarpone stuffed mushrooms are the perfect answer to an easy, delicious appetizer all your guests can enjoy!
If I can offer my people food right when they walk through my door – then I know it will keep away stress for the evening.
Running behind on the meal? No sweat, the people have the appetizer to hold them over. Something not going as planned? It’s fine, your friends and family are eating and chatting. I promise you, no one is as stressed out about the food as you are. And this is very good news!
I’ve made these stuffed mushrooms over the past few years for holiday gatherings and I want you to have it too. You can make it ahead of time and, bonus, your house smells amazing as they come out of the oven!
Watch this video of me bringing together these mushrooms and my other favorite holiday appetizer, Baked Fontina:
Mascarpone Stuffed Mushrooms: A Crowd Pleasing Holiday Appetizer
The stuffing for the mushrooms is a decadent mix of shallots, fresh sage, garlic, parmesan cheese and sweet Italian sausage. It is the ultimate savory flavor.
What binds the mixture together and makes these stuffed mushrooms extra is the mascarpone cheese! Mascarpone is just two ingredients: whole cream and citric acid which makes the cream thick and tangy. I can eat it by the spoonful. It has this velvety, creamy texture which just a touch of citrus.
I make the stuffing the day before my gathering and then I stuff the mushrooms and store them in the refrigerator. The next day, about 30 minutes before guests arrive, I pop them into the oven.
I serve them right out of the oven from the cast iron skillet.
Mascarpone Stuffed Mushrooms: A Crowd Pleasing Holiday Appetizer
Ingredients
- Two 6 oz packages of mushrooms (I like using baby bella mushrooms or white mushrooms)
- 2 TBS olive oil
- ¾ lbs (or 3 links) sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1 shallot, chopped
- 1 TBS fresh sage, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup dry white wine or chicken stock
- 5 oz mascarpone cheese
- ⅓ cup freshly grated Parmesan
- Fresh chopped parsley for garnish (optional)
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Remove the stems from the mushrooms and chop them finely. Set aside. Place the mushroom caps in a large baking dish or cast iron skillet. Set aside.
3. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Add the sausage, crumbling it with a spatula or wooden spoon. Cook the sausage for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until it’s completely browned.
4. Add the chopped mushroom stems and cook for 3 more minutes. Stir in the sage, shallots, garlic, salt and pepper and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Slowly pour in the white wine or chicken stock, stirring vigorously to deglaze the pan (be sure to get up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pan).
6. Add in the mascarpone and parmesan cheese. Continue cooking until the sausage mixture is creamy and the cheese has completely melted.
7. Fill each mushroom cap with the sausage mixture in the well where the mushroom stem used to be (about 1 TBS of the mixture per cap). Arrange the mushrooms in a baking dish large enough to hold all the mushrooms in a single layer (I also like to use my cast iron skillet). Bake for 30 minutes until the stuffing is crusty and the mushrooms have cooked through. Serve warm.
Notes
You can prepare the mixture and stuff the mushrooms one day ahead of time. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. When ready to cook, place the stuffed mushrooms in a large baking dish or cast iron skillet and bake.
I just made this and I had extra filling. Do you have any suggestions on how to repurpose it? Thanks!
I use extra filling over baked sweet potatoes or over pasta: (https://brimckoy.com/creamy-italian-sausage-pasta-with-mushrooms-and-peas/)
I made these tonight for dinner. Stuffed mushrooms are a complete meal, right? They were delicious! Thanks for sharing.