Italian Stuffed Mushrooms

Recipe Ingredients

• Mushrooms: Several options work so long as they're whole, including white button and baby bella mushrooms (also known as cremini). Some stores will also sell "stuffing mushrooms" which are a bit larger and more uniform in size. These stuffing-sized mushrooms are pictured here in the portobello variety.
• Pecorino Romano: Freshly shredded will be the most flavorful, though a good pre-shredded option can be found in the refrigerated deli case. Another hard cheese like Parmesan can be used, too.
• Breadcrumbs: Using Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs is an easy way to provide salt and seasonings all in one step.
• Garlic: Fresh garlic is recommended for its punchier flavor than jarred minced garlic.
• Olive Oil: One of the stars of the show! It's used for sautéing the mushroom stems and in moistening the breadcrumb filling. Use extra-virgin for its distinctive flavor.

You'll notice that salt isn't a listed ingredient. I find the saltiness sufficient from the breadcrumbs and Pecorino.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Prepare mushrooms. Clean mushrooms then remove the stems from the mushroom caps. Finely dice the stems.
2. Sauté. Heat 2 Tablespoons of the olive oil and sauté the diced mushroom stems, then the garlic.
3. Mix filling. Stir the sautéed mushroom stems and garlic together with the rest of the olive oil, breadcrumbs, Pecorino, parsley, and pepper.
4. Stuff and bake. Stuff each mushroom cap with the filling, then bake on a greased sheet pan for 25 minutes or until golden-brown and tender.

Make-Ahead Notes

When entertaining I most often make these Italian stuffed mushrooms the day before serving. They hold up perfectly and this makes day-of prep a breeze.

1. Follow the recipe all the way through stuffing the mushrooms. Do not bake them.
2. If you have space in your fridge for a sheet pan, go ahead and grease it and arrange the mushrooms on it. If not, simply place them in a baking dish or on a plate.
3. Wrap the pan/plate in plastic wrap, then a layer of aluminum foil. Refrigerate overnight unbaked.
4. When ready to serve, take the mushrooms out of the fridge then preheat the oven. Remove the plastic wrap and aluminum foil, then bake according to the recipe. They may need an extra minute or two in the oven but the cook time shouldn't deviate much.

Expert Tips and Tricks

• Buy fresh mushrooms. Cartons of store-bought mushrooms can get slimy/go bad really quickly. For the best experience I recommend buying mushrooms for this recipe as close to when you cook them as possible.
• Prevent sogginess. Don't soak the raw mushrooms in water to clean them as they're very absorbant. Likewise don't use frozen and thawed mushrooms as they'll be quite watery. If preparing these Italian stuffed mushrooms ahead of time, refrigerate unbaked and bake them when ready to serve.
• Consider oven rack placement. In my experience these mushrooms turn golden-brown within the bake time just from being on the middle rack in the oven. If you might want to broil them briefly at the end to ensure a nice top crust, arrange an oven rack near the top of the oven before preheating to make for an easy transfer later on. If doing so ensure your pan or baking dish is broiler-safe and you are not using parchment paper or aluminum foil.
• Freeze stuffed mushrooms. It's better to freeze unbaked stuffed mushrooms as cooked stuffed mushrooms can be mushier and release considerable moisture when reheated. When ready to bake there's no need to thaw, simply bake and extend the cook time at least 15-20 minutes (or as needed).