Brushing mushroom caps with balsamic vinegar before filling and baking enhance the depth of flavor. Chevre, sausage, shallots make this a deliciously savory Italian stuffed mushrooms appetizer.
The recipe was first published September 2011 and updated January 2021 with new photos and enhanced instructions.
About This Recipe and Why It Works
Stuffed Mushrooms. Always a wonderful treat and with so many recipe variations, any of these bite size offerings are delicious.
We happen to think they make a wonderful side dish for steak and that’s exactly what I served for Sunday dinner.
I’ve talked ad nauseam about our wonderful local market who spoils us with fine offerings of seafood, the best aged beef in town, deli meats and cheeses, and gourmet take home dinners, my beloved Tony’s Market.
Tony’s also spoils us with a fabulous selection of mouth-watering recipes. Like this Italian Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms recipe.
It’s wonderful and actually the only stuffed mushroom recipe that I’ve permanently added to my recipe database.
I served these with Beef Tournedos with Mushroom Wine Sauce and baked potatoes. I must say this was a fabulous dinner. The tenderloin was cooked so perfectly, and topped with out of this world red wine reduction sauce, we’ll probably brag about the meal for years.
Why it works? The Italian flavor combination Italian sausage and shallots make a perfect platform for crunchy toasted panko bread crumbs, soft creamy tart goat cheese. The icing on the cake is the addition of balsamic vinegar.
Let’s take a look at this special stuffed mushroom recipe.
Ingredients
Mise en place. Always gather ingredients before starting any recipe. It will save you time and organize your mind.
- Mushrooms: Use either white button mushrooms, or darker baby bella mushrooms, depending on how you want them to look. The darker mushrooms give this dish a more rustic feel.
- Italian Sausage: Either sweet Italian Sausage or Hot Italian Sausage will work here.
- Panko Bread Crumbs
- Shallot
- Chevre: Choose a brand of the softest goat cheese you can find. Little Friar is a good example. It’s soft and it’s spreadable. Using a high quality milk gives this cheese it’s fantastic creaminess.
- Parmesan Cheese
Ingredient Swaps
- Balsamic Glaze: I’ve made these mushroom many times, and have substituted balsamic glaze for the balsamic vinegar. This recipe instructs to brush or dip the mushrooms in the vinegar before cooking. Use vinegar for brushing the mushrooms and the glaze to drizzle on top before baking. Balsamic glaze adds a deeper layer of flavor to the end result.
- Italian Bread Crumbs: Substitute Italian bread crumbs for the Panko bread crumbs. If you choose to do this, don’t omit the Italian seasoning. It will still add a not too strong extra savory flavor
- Olive Oil: Substitute butter for olive oil to add a buttery flavor to those sauteed ingredients.
How To Make Italian Stuffed Mushrooms
Step 1: Add chopped mushrooms stems, Italian sausage and shallots to a fry pan. Once the sausage has started to brown, add half of the panko bread crumbs and cook until they start to turn golden. Set aside.
Step 2: Using a spoon, fill the mushroom caps with the Italian Sausage mixture.
Step 3: Placed a dollop of the cheese on top of each of the stuffed mushrooms.
Step 4: Sprinkle on the panko, parmesan, Italian seasoning mixture. They’re ready to bake. 420 degrees for 10 minutes.
Tips For Success:
To make panko bread crumbs topping more manageable to stay in place on those mushrooms grind the crumbs in a small food grinder, along with the parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning. Just pulse a few times to combine.
If after the cook time, the mushrooms seem a little soggy, simply put them under a broiler for about a minute.
Choose mushrooms that have a wide area around the stem. This will make filling the mushrooms much easier.
Recipe for Goat Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms
These Italian stuffed mushrooms are extremely flavorful. The sautéed stems and onions made for a wonderful base and topped with the salty cheese and Italian toppings the package provided a creamy, savory flavor with a perfect crunchy topping.
So if you’re looking for stuffed mushroom ideas, give this one a try.
I hope you give this recipe for Italian Stuffed Mushrooms a try and if you do, please come back and leave a comment about what you thought about the recipe. Yay or nay, I love hearing from my readers.
And if you have a favorite stuffed mushroom recipe, please let me know, I’d love to give it a try.
More Mushroom Appetizer Recipes
And if you’re looking for more appetizer recipes, don’t miss my appetizer category, you’ll find lots of small bite recipe ideas, including the most popular appetizer recipe on my site for Pear and Blue Cheese Crostini.
And if you’re looking for even more recipes, follow on my social platforms.
Italian Stuffed Mushrooms Balsamico
Ingredients
- 6-8 large white button mushrooms or baby bella mushrooms
- 2 teaspoons minced shallot
- pinch of fine sea salt
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons Chèvre purchase the creamiest you can find
- 3 tablespoons Panko bread crumbs divided
- 1/8 pound Italian Sausage broken into very small chunks
- Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
- Balsamic Vinegar for drizzling or balsamic glaze
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- Wipe mushrooms clean with a wet towel. Remove steps and chop. Combine stems with Italian Sausage and shallots and a pinch of salt, and then sauté with a scant drizzle of olive oil until very soft and sausage is cooked through. Sprinkle with the 1/2 of the panko bread crumbs. Cook until bread crumbs are just starting to turn golden and remove from heat, stirring well.
- Dip or brush mushroom caps with balsamic vinegar. Divide sautéed mushroom caps and Italian sausage mixture between mushroom caps – do not overfill!
- Top each mushroom with chèvre cheese (the amount you use really depends on the size of the mushrooms).
- Mix grated Parmigiano Reggiano with some more Panko bread crumbs and Italian seasoning and sprinkle on top of the cheese. Use a small food grinder to combine this mxture if you'd like. It will make it more manageable to fill the mushroom caps.
- Place on a sheet pan or jelly roll pan and drizzle or mist lightly with olive oil and a small drizzle of Balsamic vinegar or balsamic glaze.
- Roast on top rack of a preheated 425-degree oven for 10 minutes or until sizzling and cheese starts to melt. Broil if additional browning is desired.
Nutrition
Italian Stuffed Mushrooms Balsamico …It’s What’s for a Side Dish with Steak.
