Cheesy Stuffed Mushroom Recipe

Cheese has the characteristic of making just about anything taste better, and these cheesy stuffed mushrooms are no exception. If you're looking for a hot appetizer to serve at your next dinner party — or for a comforting weeknight dinner — this recipe has got you covered. Plus, it is the perfect jumping off point for making a number of cheesy stuffed mushroom variations. If you're planning to serve this to vegetarian diners, just skip the bacon and you're set.

Recipe developer Catherine Brookes from Blue Sky Eating created this tasty dish and describes it as "all fairly simple." She loves the way that the ingredients combine for the perfect balance of flavors and highlights "the saltiness of the bacon, the creaminess of the cheese, and the texture of the breadcrumbs." If that sounds pretty darn good to you, then tie up your apron and get to work. You'll be digging into these warm and satisfying mushrooms in under an hour. 

Start by gathering up the ingredients for these cheesy stuffed mushrooms. For four servings you'll need the same number of Portobello mushrooms. Next, the filling consists of two slices of bacon, two cloves of garlic (crushed), ½ cup of cream cheese, 1 cup of grated cheddar cheese, 3 tablespoons of bread crumbs (coarse or fine ground), and finally ½ teaspoon of onion powder to season. 

In case you want to make a few creative substitutions, Brookes suggests adding "some mozzarella, Parmesan, and seasoning-wise maybe Italian seasoning."

You'll be baking these cheesy stuffed mushrooms in the oven, so begin by preheating it to 400 F. Next, heat a pan and fry the bacon for a few minutes until it darkens and crisps to your liking. Transfer it from the pan to a cutting board and chop it up into small pieces. 

Next, carefully peel the mushrooms and remove the stems. Brookes warns, "Just make sure when cutting the mushroom stems off that you don't go all the way through and make a hole in the mushroom." Chop the stems up finely and add them back to the pan you used to fry the bacon — you shouldn't need any extra oil. Fry the mushrooms on medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes, until they soften. Toss in the crushed garlic cloves and cook the mixture for another minute, then remove the pan from the heat.

Set out a medium bowl for the filling and add the cream cheese, ⅔ cup of cheddar cheese, breadcrumbs, onion powder, and the cooked mushroom and garlic mixture. Mix everything together until it is properly combined into a creamy, uniform paste.

Set the Portobello mushrooms on a baking tray with the top side down. Scoop the filling into the mushrooms, distributing it evenly between the four. Sprinkle the rest of the cheddar cheese evenly over the top to finish.

Transfer the baking tray to the hot oven and cook the stuffed mushrooms for 15 minutes, until the filling is nice and gooey. Brookes shares, "I like to serve them as a starter, or they could go alongside soup or any other light meal." 

For best results make the portion size you'll be able to eat. However, if you end up with extras, Brookes says, "I think you could keep leftovers in the fridge for up to one day but just make sure to reheat [them] in the oven until piping hot." Realistically though, how could you not finish these deliciously cheesy stuffed mushrooms in one sitting?