Italian sausage stuffed mushrooms are bite-sized baby bella mushrooms filled with the same sausage-and-bread stuffing my family makes for Thanksgiving. The filling is made with Italian sausage, celery, onion, chopped mushroom stems, seasoned stuffing cubes, and chicken broth, so the centers stay soft while the tops bake crisp.
These Italian sausage stuffed mushrooms are especially easy to add to a Thanksgiving menu because the filling is based on our Italian Sausage Stuffing. It uses the same sausage-and-bread stuffing flavors in a bite-sized appetizer.
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Why This Recipe Works
- They're made with real stuffing, not a cheese filling. Many sausage-stuffed mushroom recipes use cream cheese or mascarpone, while these are filled with a traditional sausage-and-bread stuffing made with celery, onion, mushroom stems, and seasoned bread cubes.
- The filling stays soft while the top gets crisp. I love this stuffing because the inside stays soft and moist while the exposed edges of the bread get golden and crisp in the oven.
- My grandma has made them for decades. My grandma made stuffed mushrooms every Thanksgiving, and this version is built from the same style of sausage stuffing my family serves alongside the turkey. We use smaller baby bella mushrooms because they make these true one-bite appetizers. If you want something larger and more substantial, try our Baked Italian Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms.
Our family has always been the type to fill up on appetizers before Thanksgiving dinner even hits the table. We used to put out bigger starters like Pepperoni Bread and Italian Sausage Bread, but as our gatherings have gotten smaller, I've started leaning toward appetizers like these that are just one or two bites.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Sweet Italian Sausage: I use sweet Italian pork sausage because its fennel and garlic work well with the poultry seasoning without making the filling spicy. Hot Italian sausage works if you want more heat. You can also make your own ground sausage if you combine pork with Homemade Italian Sausage Seasoning.
- Cube Stuffing. I use Pepperidge Farm cubed stuffing for the same bread-stuffing texture my family uses at Thanksgiving. The cubes absorb the chicken broth while still leaving some distinct pieces in the filling. Avoid adding all of the broth at once, or the stuffing can turn pasty.
- Baby Bella Mushrooms. I use baby bella mushrooms because they're small and bite-sized. I can make about 20-24 stuffed mushrooms this way. Many people make stuffed mushrooms with "stuffing mushrooms," which are just large white button mushrooms, which work fine but are not bite-sized.
*Please see the recipe card below for more information on ingredients.
How to Make Italian Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms
Start by pouring the chicken broth into a pot and bringing it to a simmer. Remove all of the stems from the mushrooms. I like to chop them up and add them to the stuffing.
Step 1: Bring a large saucepan to medium heat. Add the butter. Once the butter stops frothing, stir in the chopped celery and onion. Sauté until soft, about 8 minutes. Then add in the garlic, poultry seasoning, and salt. Sauté for 1 more minute.
Step 2: Stir in the chopped mushroom stems and saute for another 3-5 minutes, or until the mushrooms soften. The mushroom stems will release some water, and once that evaporates, you can move on!
Step 3: Remove the sausage from the casing and add it to the pan. Break it apart with a wooden spoon into the smallest pieces possible. It has to be small enough to crumble and fit in the mushrooms. Brown it all the way through.
Step 4: Preheat the oven to 375 ℉. Add ½ cup of stuffing cubes to the mixture along with ½ cup of broth. Stir and combine until all of the broth is absorbed.
Step 5: Repeat this process, adding stuffing and broth together, until you use all of the broth and all of the stuffing. Once the stuffing comes together and the cubed stuffing is starting to mash together, remove the saucepan from the heat.
Step 6: Let the stuffing cool slightly. Spoon the filling generously into each mushroom cap, gently pressing it in and mounding a little above the rim. Place the stuffed mushrooms on a baking sheet and bake in the oven for 20 minutes.
Step 7: The edges of the stuffing should be crispy. Remove and serve immediately. This appetizer is perfect to serve along with some Homemade Shrimp Cocktail and Easy Steamed Artichokes.
Pro-Tips
- Use smaller baby bella mushrooms for an appetizer. Larger stuffing mushrooms can hold more filling, but they make for a much heavier bite. I prefer smaller baby bellas so these stay true one- or two-bite appetizers.
- Crumble the sausage as finely as possible. Large pieces of sausage make the filling harder to pack into smaller mushroom caps. Break it apart well while it cooks so the sausage is evenly distributed throughout the stuffing.
- Cook the moisture out of the mushroom stems. Chopped mushroom stems release quite a bit of water as they cook. Let that moisture evaporate before adding the sausage so the finished stuffing doesn't become overly wet.
- Add the stuffing cubes and chicken broth gradually. Add a little stuffing and broth at a time, stirring often and waiting until the liquid is absorbed before adding more. The finished stuffing should be moist enough to hold together when pressed, but you should still be able to see distinct pieces of bread. If you add everything at once or use too much broth, the filling can become mushy and one uniform texture.
- Let the stuffing cool before filling the mushrooms. Give the stuffing a few minutes to cool after cooking. It will be easier to handle and much easier to pack into the mushroom caps.
Using ground pork? You can turn plain ground pork into Italian sausage using our Homemade Italian Sausage Seasoning.
FAQs about stuffed mushrooms
Yes, make the stuffing and stuff the mushrooms a night in advance and bake the next day.
Cook the chopped mushroom stems until the moisture they release has evaporated, and don't over-hydrate the stuffing mixture. I also clean the mushroom caps with a damp towel instead of soaking them in water.
Yes, stuff them and freeze them prior to baking. To thaw, place in the refrigerator for 12 hours and then bake. Frozen mushrooms will be more soggy than freshly made.
I bake them at 375 degrees F for 20 minutes for a crispy exterior, but if you are using a large mushroom, I'd increase the temperature to 400.
More Delicious Mushroom Dishes
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Italian Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms
Equipment
- 1 large saucepan
- 1 medium pot
- 1 baking sheet
Ingredients
- ½ lb sweet Italian Sausage
- 6 oz Pepperidge Farm Cube Stuffing
- 1 stalk celery, chopped
- ½ medium onion, chopped
- 12 oz Baby Bella mushrooms
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 2 tbsps butter
- ½ tablespoon poultry seasoning
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Pour the chicken broth into a pot and bring to a simmer. Remove all of the stems from the mushrooms. I like to chop them up and add them to the stuffing.
- Bring a large saucepan to medium heat. Add the butter. Once hot, stir in the chopped celery and onion. Sauté until soft, about 8 minutes. Then add in the garlic, poultry seasoning, and salt. Sauté for 1 more minute. Stir in the chopped mushroom stems and sauté for another 3-5 minutes, or until the mushrooms soften.
- Remove the sausage from the casing and add it to the pan. Break it apart with a wooden spoon. into the smallest pieces possible. It has to be small enough to crumble and fit in the mushrooms. Brown it all the way through.
- Preheat the oven to 375 ℉. Add ½ cup of stuffing to the mixture along with ½ cup of broth. Stir and combine until all of the broth is absorbed. Repeat this process, adding stuffing and broth together, until you use all of the broth and all of the stuffing.
- Once the stuffing comes together and the cubed stuffing is starting to mash together, remove the saucepan from the heat.
- Let the stuffing cool slightly and then use a spoon to stuff the mushrooms with the mixture. Place the stuffed mushrooms on a baking sheet and bake in the oven for 20 minutes. The stuffing should be crispy. Remove and serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- Use smaller baby bella mushrooms for an appetizer. Larger stuffing mushrooms can hold more filling, but they make for a much heavier bite. I prefer smaller baby bellas so these stay true one- or two-bite appetizers.
- Crumble the sausage as finely as possible. Large pieces of sausage make the filling harder to pack into smaller mushroom caps. Break it apart well while it cooks so the sausage is evenly distributed throughout the stuffing.
- Cook the moisture out of the mushroom stems. Chopped mushroom stems release quite a bit of water as they cook. Let that moisture evaporate before adding the sausage so the finished stuffing doesn't become overly wet.
- Add the stuffing cubes and chicken broth gradually. Add a little stuffing and broth at a time, stirring often and waiting until the liquid is absorbed before adding more. The finished stuffing should be moist enough to hold together when pressed, but you should still be able to see distinct pieces of bread. If you add everything at once or use too much broth, the filling can become mushy and one uniform texture.
- Let the stuffing cool before filling the mushrooms. Give the stuffing a few minutes to cool after cooking. It will be easier to handle and much easier to pack into the mushroom caps.
Malinda Rossi says
Easy and delicious!
Vincent DelGiudice says
These are my favorite bite-sized appetizer for the holidays! If you give it a try, leave a comment here!