Easy Cheesy Stuffed Mushrooms

Stuffed mushrooms disappear faster than almost any other appetizer we serve, and the reason is simple: a warm mushroom cap is the perfect little cup for something garlicky and cheesy. These are filled with cream cheese, Parmesan and mozzarella, seasoned with garlic and a pinch of smoked paprika, and finished with buttered panko so the tops bake up golden and crisp while the filling turns soft and melty underneath.

They sit in our Snacks & Sides collection next to party staples like our Baked Mozzarella Sticks — the kind of food you put out before dinner and have to defend from early snackers. The mushrooms can be stuffed hours ahead and kept in the refrigerator, then baked straight from cold when guests arrive, which is exactly what a good appetizer should let you do.

Use cremini mushrooms if you can find them. They are firmer and more flavourful than white buttons, and their caps hold up better in a hot oven. Whatever you buy, choose mushrooms of a similar size so they finish at the same time, and look for caps that are dry and unblemished — they roast instead of weeping.

Dry mushrooms make crisp mushrooms

Mushrooms are mostly water, and a wet cap steams its filling instead of roasting. Wipe the mushrooms clean with a damp paper towel rather than rinsing them under the tap, then let the cleaned caps sit stem-side down on a dry towel for ten minutes while you make the filling. Baking on a rack set over the pan, or simply on parchment, also helps — the caps roast in hot air instead of sitting in the liquid they release.

The stems are part of the filling

Do not throw the stems away. Finely chopped and cooked for two minutes with the garlic, they deepen the mushroom flavour of the whole batch and give the creamy filling a little body. Cooking them first matters: raw stems would release their water into the cheese as the mushrooms bake and leave the filling loose. Two minutes in a hot pan drives that water off and concentrates their flavour.

Ingredients

• 24 cremini mushrooms (680 g), about 1 1/2 to 2 inches (4 to 5 cm) wide
• 8 oz cream cheese (225 g), softened
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (50 g), divided
• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (55 g)
• 2 cloves garlic (10 g), minced
• 1 teaspoon olive oil (5 ml)
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika (1.5 g)
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt (1.5 g)
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper (1 g)
• 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs (30 g)
• 1 tablespoon melted butter (14 g)
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (8 g)

Amounts are for the yield below. US customary measures first, grams in brackets for scale users.

Step-by-step instructions

1. Prep the caps. Heat the oven to 400°F (204°C) and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment. Wipe the mushrooms clean, twist out the stems and set the caps aside. Finely chop the stems. Use a small spoon to gently scrape out a little of each cap if they are very shallow, so they hold more filling.
2. Cook the stems and garlic. Heat the olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped stems and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until their liquid has cooked off. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds more. Tip into a bowl and let cool for 5 minutes.
3. Mix the filling. Add the softened cream cheese, half the Parmesan, the mozzarella, smoked paprika, salt and pepper to the bowl and stir until smooth and evenly mixed. The filling should be thick and spoonable, not runny.
4. Fill and top. Spoon or pipe the filling generously into each cap, mounding it slightly. Stir the panko with the melted butter and remaining Parmesan, then sprinkle a pinch over each mushroom, pressing gently so it sticks.
5. Bake until golden. Bake for 14 to 16 minutes, until the mushrooms are tender, the filling is bubbling at the edges and the panko is deep golden. Scatter with parsley and serve warm, within a few minutes of coming out of the oven.

Nutrition estimate

Nutrition figures are estimates calculated from standard ingredient data for the yield stated. Your actual values will vary with brands, substitutions and portion sizes — treat them as a guide, not a guarantee.

Storage & reheating

Leftover stuffed mushrooms keep for up to 3 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Reheat in a 375°F (190°C) oven or air fryer for 5 to 7 minutes so the tops crisp again; the microwave softens the panko. Unbaked stuffed mushrooms can be assembled, covered and refrigerated for up to 24 hours — bake straight from cold, adding 2 minutes. Do not freeze the baked mushrooms; the filling separates on thawing. Nutrition figures are estimates from standard ingredient data and vary with brands and substitutions, and are per mushroom.

Easy Cheesy Stuffed Mushrooms

Recipe by Ahsan ul Haq, FryDaily editor · Published 19 October 2026

Garlicky, cheesy, crisp-topped — two bites and they are gone.

Yield: 24 mushrooms  ·  Scale: 1x2x3x

Prep15 minutes

Cook15 minutes

Total30 minutes

Servings24 mushrooms

Calories55 kcal

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Ingredients

• 24 cremini mushrooms (680 g), about 1 1/2 to 2 inches (4 to 5 cm) wide
• 8 oz cream cheese (225 g), softened
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (50 g), divided
• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (55 g)
• 2 cloves garlic (10 g), minced
• 1 teaspoon olive oil (5 ml)
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika (1.5 g)
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt (1.5 g)
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper (1 g)
• 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs (30 g)
• 1 tablespoon melted butter (14 g)
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (8 g)

Tick ingredients off as you prep, and tap a step below to mark it done as you cook. Scaling adjusts the listed amounts - seasoning to taste stays your call.

Instructions

1. Prep the caps. Heat the oven to 400°F (204°C) and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment. Wipe the mushrooms clean, twist out the stems and set the caps aside. Finely chop the stems. Use a small spoon to gently scrape out a little of each cap if they are very shallow, so they hold more filling.
2. Cook the stems and garlic. Heat the olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped stems and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until their liquid has cooked off. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds more. Tip into a bowl and let cool for 5 minutes.
3. Mix the filling. Add the softened cream cheese, half the Parmesan, the mozzarella, smoked paprika, salt and pepper to the bowl and stir until smooth and evenly mixed. The filling should be thick and spoonable, not runny.
4. Fill and top. Spoon or pipe the filling generously into each cap, mounding it slightly. Stir the panko with the melted butter and remaining Parmesan, then sprinkle a pinch over each mushroom, pressing gently so it sticks.
5. Bake until golden. Bake for 14 to 16 minutes, until the mushrooms are tender, the filling is bubbling at the edges and the panko is deep golden. Scatter with parsley and serve warm, within a few minutes of coming out of the oven.

Calories: 55 kcalProtein: 2 gCarbohydrates: 2 gFat: 4 gSaturated fat: 2 gSodium: 95 mgFiber: 0.5 gSugar: 1 g

Recipe by Ahsan ul Haq · FryDaily. Printing? This card is designed to print cleanly on its own.

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