These savory and easy sausage cream cheese stuffed mushrooms are the perfect finger food appetizer! Made with Italian sausage, leeks, panko breadcrumbs, cream cheese, and thyme, these bite sized mushrooms are so flavorful! Every time I make them, every last one is gone!
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This stuffed mushroom recipe was inspired by Ina Garten's Sausage Stuffed Mushroom recipe. My version of stuffed mushrooms has leeks, red pepper flakes, cream cheese, and thyme.
Key ingredients
- Mushrooms- I bake them before stuffing them to help keep the moisture out. I use whole cremini mushrooms and incorporate the stem into the filling for extra musrhoom flavor.
- Sausage- use your favorite Italian sausage.
- Leeks- for a mild onion flavor. You can substitute regular onions if you can't find leeks (you may need to cook them longer than you would cook the leeks). Shallots would also be a great substitute!
- Cream cheese- to help bind the filling and add creaminess. Grab a block of cream cheese (not the whipped cream cheese you get in a tub).
- Bread crumbs- as these mushrooms bake, the bread crumbs will get crispy on the top. I use panko breadcrumbs but you can substitute these for regular breadcrumbs.
- Thyme- the thyme adds a fresh herbal flavor. You can substitute other herbs such as chives or parsley, if you prefer.
How do I keep stuffed mushrooms from getting watery?
My favorite trick for keeping stuffed mushrooms from getting watery is to bake them for just 3-5 minutes, hollow side down, before stuffing them. This will help evaporate some of the liquid at the bottom of the mushrooms before you stuff them.
Prep ahead tips
The filling can be made up to 3 days in advance. You could stuff them an hour or two ahead of serving but then wait to bake until right before serving.
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I've also finished baking these about 30 minutes before guests arrived. I put them on an oven-safe platter, covered them with foil, and kept them in a 200-degree oven to stay warm. When guests arrived, I simply took them out of the oven, pulled the foil off and served them! They are best warm but it is not worth stressing to get them piping hot!
What should I do with the extra filling?
You are likely to have extra filling with this recipe! You could certainly make less (just be sure to not use all the mushroom stems if you do!). The filling is so delicious though, that I love having extras! With the extras you can store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and:
- Stuff in large portabello mushrooms and bake for another dinnertime meal
- Mix in with scrambled eggs for breakfast
- Combine it with your favorite tomato sauce and serve with pasta (you could even try it in stuffed shells!)
Serving suggestions
I love serving these stuffed muchrooms at holiday cocktail parties! They would be great with:
If you make these sausage and cream cheese stuffed mushrooms, I'd love to know what you think in the comments below!
📖 Recipe
Sausage Cream Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms
Ingredients
- 36 whole cremini mushrooms
- 3 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil divided
- Kosher salt
- ½ cup thinly sliced leeks, white part only cleaned thoroughly
- 1 lb Italian sausage casing removed
- 2 teaspoon minced garlic
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped thyme
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 8 oz block of cream cheese
- ½ cup grated parmesan
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a large sheet tray with foil.
- Carefully remove the stems from each mushroom. Finely chop the stems and set them aside.
- Use a damp towel to wipe the mushrooms clean. Place the mushrooms hollow side down on the prepared sheet tray. Drizzle the mushrooms with 2 tbsp. of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Gently rub the oil over the mushrooms. Place them in the oven for 3-5 minutes, or until the olive oil has evaporated and just before they begin to brown.
- Meanwhile, make the filling. Heat a large skillet on medium heat and add a tbsp. of olive oil. Add the leeks and a pinch of salt. Saute until softened but not colored, about 5 minutes. Add the sausage and break it up with a wooden spoon into crumbles. Cook until lightly browned on the outside and almost fully cooked on the inside, about 5 minutes. Add the chopped mushroom stems and saute for another 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the garlic, red pepper flakes, and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 1 more minute. Add the panko and cook until just beginning to turn golden brown, about 2 minutes. Add the cream cheese and stir constantly until fully combined with the sausage mixture. Turn off the heat and stir in the parmesan. Taste the filling, adding more salt as needed.
- Turn the mushrooms over so that the hollow side is facing up. Stuff each mushroom with a small spoonful of the sausage mixture, gently patting down to make sure they are fully stuffed (it's okay if they are a slighly piled high!). Note: you will have extra filling, see above for ideas on how to use it.
- Place the stuffed mushrooms back in the oven and bake until the tops are golden brown, about 30 minutes. Serve immediately.
Notes
-
- Stuff in large portabello mushrooms and bake for another dinnertime meal
-
- Mix in with scrambled eggs for breakfast
-
- Combine it with your favorite tomato sauce and serve with pasta (you could even try it in stuffed shells!)
- The filling can be made up to 3 days in advance. You could stuff them an hour or two ahead of serving but then wait to bake until right before serving.
- I've also finished baking these about 30 minutes before guests arrived. I put them on an oven-safe platter, covered them with foil, and kept them in a 200-degree oven to stay warm. When guests arrived, I simply took them out of the oven, pulled the foil off and served them! They are best warm but it is not worth stressing to get them piping hot!
Want to save this recipe to come back to it?
I'll email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later!
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