FARGO 鈥� A buffet of hearty appetizers is our Christmas Eve tradition, and I love to feature dishes with a touch of holiday flair, like these colorfully festive sausage stuffed mushrooms. Italian sausage, onion, garlic and a medley of cheeses are combined to create a savory and delicious filling for the mushrooms, and I added fresh parsley and roasted red peppers for a pop of seasonal color.
You can use either baby bella or white button mushrooms, and my recipe will make 20 to 24 stuffed mushroom caps, depending on their size. I pick out mushrooms that are similar in size so that they will bake evenly.
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When cooking with mushrooms, there is always the question about how they should first be cleaned. Mushroom afficionados will tell you that water should never be used, and you should instead brush them with a paper towel, dry toothbrush or a pastry brush. I used to do that, but it took forever, and I never felt that the mushrooms were fully clean.
Last year, I caught Tony rinsing mushrooms with tap water and I asked him why he would ever do that. He rolled his eyes at me and said, 鈥淏ecause people don鈥檛 want to eat sand.鈥� Huh 鈥� tough to argue with that reasoning. I now give the mushrooms a quick rinse and wipe them dry with a paper towel and they always turn out well, however I am using them.
To create the mushroom caps, simply remove the stems and any extra bits from inside the cap. These scraps can be saved to use in other dishes, like sauces and soups. Once they are hollowed out, I place the caps on a parchment lined baking sheet, top side down, to air out while I prepare the filling.
To make the filling, first I saut茅 finely chopped onion and garlic until the onion just begins to caramelize. I remove the mixture from the pan and add the Italian sausage. I use mild Italian sausage for this recipe, but you could also use spicy or sweet Italian sausage, as well as chorizo or even turkey sausage. I cook the sausage until it is lightly browned and use a wooden spoon or rubber spatula to break it up into small pieces as it cooks.
Finally, I combine the cooked sausage and onion mixture with softened cream cheese, fresh parsley, roasted red peppers, Parmesan cheese and shredded cheese. On this occasion, I used a blend of cheddar, mozzarella and provolone cheese, but any good melting cheese will work well.
I use my hands to pat the filling into heaping mounds inside each mushroom cap and then roll them in a mixture of panko breadcrumbs and melted butter for a crispy finish. The mushrooms can be prepared up to 24 hours in advance and refrigerated until you are ready to bake them.
Elegant and easy to make, these bite-sized appetizers are the perfect food for holiday gatherings and always a crowd-pleaser. As we head into this weekend, I wish you a very merry and delicious Christmas holiday.
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Sarah鈥檚 10th Anniversary Holiday Giveaway: Congratulations to Joanie Gronso, the final winner of my weekly holiday giveaways and the lucky recipient of one of my signature SarahBakes frozen quiches. Thank you to everyone who entered the contest and Merry Christmas, Joanie!
Festive Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms
Makes: 20 to 24 stuffed mushrooms
Ingredients:
20 to 24 baby bella mushrooms, cleaned and stems removed
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
陆 cup yellow onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 ounces (陆 pound) Italian sausage, mild or hot
4 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
陆 cup shredded cheese (melting cheeses like cheddar, Monterey Jack, mozzarella or a blend are best)
录 cup grated parmesan cheese
录 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped, divided
录 cup roasted red peppers, finely chopped
陆 teaspoon kosher salt
录 teaspoon black pepper
1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or grease with cooking spray. Place the mushrooms top-down on the baking sheet.
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Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a pan over medium-low heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until softened, stirring often, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the mixture from the pan and set aside.
In the same pan, add the sausage and cook over medium heat until browned, about 6 to 7 minutes, until the meat is lightly browned. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to break the meat into small pieces as it cooks.
In a medium bowl, combine the cooked sausage, onion mixture, cream cheese, Parmesan cheese, shredded cheese, parsley, roasted red peppers, salt and pepper. Stir until fully combined, about 1 minute. Taste the mixture and adjust seasoning as needed.
Fill each mushroom cap with a heaping mound of filling, then use your hands to firmly pack the mushroom. In a small bowl, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and toss with the breadcrumbs until evenly coated. Roll the top of each stuffed mushroom cap in the breadcrumb mixture until covered and then place it on the baking sheet, spaced about an inch apart. The stuffed caps can be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 24 hours before baking.
Bake until the tops are golden brown, and the mushrooms are tender and fully cooked, about 25 to 30 minutes. Garnish with a light sprinkling of the remaining parsley, serve and enjoy.
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