This post is a collaboration with Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner. On behalf of the Beef Checkoff. I received compensation, but all opinions are my own.
It’s the holiday season and having a really special appetizer that you can serve is key to
entertaining. These Beef Stuffed Mushrooms are relatively easy to make and have just a few ingredients, but they have huge flavor and are kind of a show-stopper of an
appetizer.
These mushrooms would be great as an appetizer for Thanksgiving or December
holiday season or you can just stack them up for a game-day celebration.
What Ground Beef Works Best?
Any ground beef will work okay for these stuffed mushrooms. If you use a beef with a
higher fat content, the fat will probably absorb into the mushrooms. Personally though, I
prefer to use leaner ground beef for these since the recipe also includes cheese.
While you are cooking the ground beef, make sure to break it up so it’s in small pieces
with the mushrooms. You don’t want any huge chunks of beef in the stuffed
mushrooms.
How to prepare mushrooms for stuffing
I like to use medium-sized cremini mushrooms for these stuffed mushrooms. Use a
paring knife to carefully remove the center from each mushroom, making sure to not
break the mushrooms in half. Clean the mushrooms well and reserve the stems. Chop
up the stems and add them to the filling!
Making the mushroom filling
The trick to making this filling really delicious is to reserve some of the stems from the
mushrooms, chop them, and cook them with the ground beef. This makes the filling
have a lot of umami flavor and also is a great use for the stems from the mushrooms!
Cook the mushroom stems with some shallot, garlic, and the ground beef in a skillet
until it’s browned. Season the filling really well with salt, pepper, basil, and red pepper
flakes.
Once the filling is done, let it cool a bit before stirring in cheese and then stuffing the
mushrooms.
Tips for making this dish perfect
- Take your time hollowing out the mushrooms to make sure they don’t break and
you have a nice even hollowed mushroom. - When stuffing the mushrooms, stuff them completely full, mounding the filling up
over the top of the mushrooms. It will shrink down a bit as it bakes. - Don’t forget to add some breadcrumbs to the mushrooms so they get browned
and a bit crispy on top.
Substitutions for these Beef Stuffed Mushrooms
Feel free to try these substitutions for this recipe.
- For a dinner version of this recipe, fill four large portobello mushrooms with the
- filling mixture.
- Use white button mushrooms instead of cremini if those are easier for you to find.
- Change up the cheese from swiss. You could use gouda or a sharp cheddar.
- Make the filling spicier with some hot sauce or minced jalapeno added to the filling.
What to serve with these stuffed mushrooms
These mushrooms should be served as a hearty appetizer. They could be served
alongside a vegetable platter or just chips and dips.
You could also make a meal out of these stuffed mushrooms with 3-4 mushrooms as a
serving.
Leftovers
The stuffed mushrooms keep well in the fridge for 4-5 days. You can reheat them in the microwave until the filling is warmed through, about 45-60 seconds. You can also reheat them in a 350˚F oven until the filling is bubbling and warmed.
Beef and Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 18 medium cremini mushrooms, hollowed
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup mushroom stems, chopped
- 1 shallot, minced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 pinch salt and pepper
- 8 ounces Swiss cheese, grated
- ¼ cup breadcrumbs
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400˚F. Use a paring knife to remove the core from your mushrooms. Chop the stems and measure out 1 cup of the chopped stems.
- In a large skillet, add olive oil over medium heat. Add chopped stems, shallot, and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 3-4 minutes and then add ground beef.
- Continue to cook filling for 6-8 minutes until beef is browned and cooked through, the USDA states ground beef is cooked properly at 165 F. Season the filling with dried basil, red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper. Taste and adjust to your liking. Remove filling from stove and let cool briefly. Then stir in cheese.
- Lay out hollowed mushrooms on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper for easier cleanup. Stuff each mushroom with a heaping amount of filling. Stuff them very full.
- Sprinkle each mushroom with breadcrumbs.
- Bake the stuffed mushrooms at 400˚F for 20-25 minutes until mushrooms are tender and top is browned.
- Let mushrooms cool briefly before serving and garnish with parsley.
