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New Year's Recipes

Holiday Party Food: Cheese and Spinach Stuffed Mushrooms with Crispy Herbed Breadcrumbs

Kim LaidlawWendy Goodfriend
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Cheese and Spinach Stuffed Mushrooms with Crispy Herbed Breadcrumbs (Wendy Goodfriend)

Stuffed mushrooms might be old-school, but we can guarantee they will be the hit of your next party—perfect for the pickiest eaters!

When I was a kid, my mom would always serve stuffed mushrooms whenever she and my dad threw a party (that and peach daiquiris!). Usually they were stuffed with a simple mixture of sausage and cream cheese, and not really anything else. But they were so delicious. The trick was to time it just right so you could eat them—whole, in one massive bite—while they were still hot (they were very hard to resist) but not so hot that they burned your mouth. I pretty much burned my mouth every single time.

I don’t know that we ever wrote that recipe down, but I’ve re-created it over the years. This is a slightly fancypants version of that 1970s classic cocktail party recipe, and sure to be a real crowd-pleaser.

I’ve added spinach to this updated version, and kept it vegetarian, but you can omit the spinach and mix in 8oz or so of bulk pork sausage (I think we always used sweet Italian sausage or something similar) before stuffing. Make extra sure if you use the sausage to cook the stuffing all the way through! If you want to keep these gluten-free, just omit the breadcrumbs.

And do let them cool slightly before you burn your tongue.

Fresh baked Cheese and Spinach Stuffed Mushrooms with Crispy Herbed Breadcrumbs.
Fresh baked Cheese and Spinach Stuffed Mushrooms with Crispy Herbed Breadcrumbs. (Wendy Goodfriend)

Recipe: Cheese and Spinach Stuffed Mushrooms with Crispy Herbed Breadcrumbs

Makes about 24 stuffed mushrooms

    Ingredients:
  • 1 1/4 lb cremini or button mushrooms (medium or large; about 24)
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 large or 2 small shallots, minced
  • Kosher salt
  • 3 oz fresh baby spinach
  • 8 oz cream cheese
  • 3/4 cup grated Parmesan
  • 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
  • 1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
Prepping to make Cheese and Spinach Stuffed Mushrooms with Crispy Herbed Breadcrumbs
Prepping to make Cheese and Spinach Stuffed Mushrooms with Crispy Herbed Breadcrumbs (Wendy Goodfriend)
    Instructions:
  1. Spray a large rimmed baking sheet lightly with cooking spray. Carefully remove the stems from the cap. Put the caps on the baking sheet in an even layer.
    2. Carefully remove the stems from the cap.
    Carefully remove the stems from the cap. (Wendy Goodfriend)
    Put the caps on the baking sheet in an even layer.
    Put the caps on the baking sheet in an even layer. (Wendy Goodfriend)
  2. In a frying pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the shallots and a little sprinkle of salt. Cook, stirring, until tender, about 3 minutes, then transfer to the mixing bowl. Add the spinach. Cook just until wilted, then transfer to a colander. Squeeze out the liquid, transfer to a chopping board, then chop finely. Add to the bowl with the shallot mixture. Let cool slightly.
    3. In a frying pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the shallots and a little sprinkle of salt. Cook, stirring, until tender, about 3 minutes, then transfer to the mixing bowl.
    In a frying pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the shallots and a little sprinkle of salt. Cook, stirring, until tender, about 3 minutes, then transfer to the mixing bowl. (Wendy Goodfriend)
    Add the spinach. Cook just until wilted, then transfer to a colander.
    Add the spinach. Cook just until wilted, then transfer to a colander. (Wendy Goodfriend)
    Squeeze out the liquid, transfer to a chopping board, then chop finely.
    Squeeze out the liquid, transfer to a chopping board, then chop finely. (Wendy Goodfriend)
    Add to the bowl with the shallot mixture. Let cool slightly.
    Add to the bowl with the shallot mixture. Let cool slightly. (Wendy Goodfriend)
  3. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
  4. Add the cream cheese and 1/2 cup parmesan to the bowl with the shallot mixture. Stir well to combine.
    5. Add the cream cheese and 1/2 cup parmesan to the bowl with the shallot mixture. Stir well to combine.
    Add the cream cheese and 1/2 cup parmesan to the bowl with the shallot mixture. Stir well to combine. (Wendy Goodfriend)
    Stir well to combine.
    Stir well to combine. (Wendy Goodfriend)
  5. Spoon the mixture into the mushroom caps, mounding the filling slightly.
    6. Spoon the mixture into the mushroom caps, mounding the filling slightly.
    Spoon the mixture into the mushroom caps, mounding the filling slightly. (Wendy Goodfriend)
  6. Melt the remaining 1 tbsp butter. In a bowl, stir together the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan, the panko, herb seasoning, and the melted butter. Top the stuffed mushrooms with the panko mixture, pressing it into the filling lightly. (I just turn the filled caps upside down into the panko mixture and it will stick easily to the filling.)
    7. Melt the remaining 1 tbsp butter. In a bowl, stir together the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan, the panko, herb seasoning, and the melted butter.
    Melt the remaining 1 tbsp butter. In a bowl, stir together the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan, the panko, herb seasoning, and the melted butter. (Wendy Goodfriend)
    Top the stuffed mushrooms with the panko mixture, pressing it into the filling lightly.
    Top the stuffed mushrooms with the panko mixture, pressing it into the filling lightly. (Wendy Goodfriend)
  7. Bake until the topping is golden and the mushrooms are tender, about 20 minutes. Serve right away.
    8. Bake the stuffed mushrooms at 375°F
    Bake the stuffed mushrooms at 375°F (Wendy Goodfriend)
    Bake until the topping is golden and the mushrooms are tender, about 20 minutes. Serve right away.
    Bake until the topping is golden and the mushrooms are tender, about 20 minutes. Serve right away. (Wendy Goodfriend)

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