Jump to:
Sausage and Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms are an easy make-ahead appetizer made with spicy sausage, onions, garlic, Velveeta, and tender mushroom caps. Pre-bake the caps to remove excess liquid, then stuff and bake until the tops are bubbly, browned, and irresistible for holidays, game day, or parties.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Perfect party bite. Each mushroom is a neat, two-bite appetizer that is easy to eat while standing and visiting.
- Rich, savory flavor. Spicy sausage, onion, garlic, paprika, and Velveeta give you big flavor from a short ingredient list.
- Make-ahead friendly. You can prep the filling and even stuff the mushrooms earlier in the day, then bake right before serving.
- Flexible mushrooms. Use large white mushrooms or Baby Bellas, depending on what looks freshest at the store.
- Always a crowd favorite. These are the appetizers people ask for every year, and there are never leftovers.
Ingredients - Here's What You'll Need
Prep The Mushrooms
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a half-sheet pan or other large rimmed sheet pan with nonstick aluminum foil.
- Clean the Mushrooms: Gently wipe the mushrooms with a damp paper towel. Carefully twist out the stems and set the caps aside. Then arrange the mushroom stem, stem-side down, on the prepared baking sheet.
- Pre-Bake the Mushroom Caps to Remove Liquid: Bake the empty mushroom caps, stem-side down, for about 10 to 12 minutes, and transfer the mushrooms, stem-side down, to a paper towel-lined baking sheet. This simple step helps keep the finished stuffed mushrooms from becoming soggy. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F for the final bake.
Make the Filling
- Brown the sausage: In a 10-inch skillet over medium heat, cook and crumble the sausage until no pink remains. Transfer the sausage to a plate lined with paper towels, then press it gently with additional paper towels to remove as much grease as possible.
- Cook the aromatics: In the same skillet, add the chopped onion and sauté over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes, until it starts to soften. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds or until fragrant.
- Return the sausage: Return the drained sausage to the skillet. Add paprika. Stir and cook for about 3 to 4 minutes, until the onion is tender.
- Melt the cheese. Add the cubed Velveeta to the skillet. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook for about 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted. Stir until the mixture is smooth and evenly combined.
Stuff and Bake
- Stuff the caps: Place the pre-baked mushroom caps stem-side up on the foil-lined pan. Scoop about 1 teaspoon of sausage filling into each cap, mounding it slightly.
- Bake: Bake the stuffed mushrooms at 350°F for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted, the filling is hot, and the mushrooms are tender. Sprinkle with minced chives and serve.
These Sausage and Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms are the kind of appetizer that makes people hover near the kitchen, waiting for the pan to come out of the oven.
The simple sausage and Velveeta filling, combined with the extra step of pre-baking the caps, gives you a dependable recipe with rich flavor and great texture every time.
Whether you are hosting a holiday gathering, a game-day party, or a casual get-together, these stuffed mushrooms are the first to go and the most requested repeat. Yum!
Chula's Test Kitchen Tips
- Pre-baking the caps is worth it: Mushrooms are full of moisture. Giving the empty caps a quick blast at 400°F pulls out excess liquid, making the finished mushroom flavor more concentrated and less watery.
- Drain the sausage: After browning, let the sausage sit on paper towels and gently press to remove as much grease as possible. This keeps the filling rich but not greasy.
- Go with Baby Bellas for extra flavor. Large white mushrooms work very well, but Baby Bellas add a slightly "meatier" flavor.
- Make ahead. You can make the sausage and cheese filling up to a day ahead and refrigerate it. Bring it out while you pre-bake the caps so the filling is easier to scoop. I like to use the small end of a melon baller.
- Stuff, chill, and bake later. For a party, you can stuff the pre-baked caps, cover the pan, and refrigerate for several hours. Add a few extra minutes to the bake time if they go into the oven cold.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where I live, either Sams or BJ's is the best place to get the large mushroom caps?
Reheat leftovers on a foil-lined baking sheet at 325-350°F for about 10-15 minutes, until the centers are hot and the cheese is melted again. An air fryer at 300°F for a few minutes also works well. Avoid over-microwaving, which can make the mushrooms leathery.
Freezing is not ideal because mushrooms can become watery and the texture of the filling changes once thawed. For best results, enjoy them fresh or refrigerate and reheat within 3 to 4 days.
I know that some folks prefer not to use Velveeta in recipes. American cheese works well as a substitute.
Other Delicious Appetizers
If you're looking for some more great appetizers to take to your next gathering, check out these recipes:
Did you make this recipe? We'd love to know how it turned out! Leave a review below. Then, share a picture on Instagram and tag @pudgefactor so we can see it.
Don't forget to follow us on Pinterest, Facebook, YouTube, Flipboard, and Instagram.
Thank you so much for visiting PudgeFactor. We hope you'll come back!
Recipe
Want to Save This Recipe?
Enter your email & I'll send it to your inbox. Plus, enjoy weekly doses of culinary inspiration as a bonus!
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Pudge Factor.
Sausage and Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms
Equipment
- Half-sheet pan lined with nonstick aluminum foil
- 10-inch skillet with lid
- Melon baller for scooping the filling
Ingredients
- 20 large cap mushrooms, cleaned and stems removed (See Tip 1)
- ½ pound (8-ounces )Jimmy Dean Hot Sausage (See Tip 2)
- ½ small onion, finely chopped (about ¼ cup) a
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- 4 ounces Velveeta cheese, cubed (See Tip 3)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Line a half-sheet or large baking pan with sides with nonstick aluminum foil. Place mushroom caps, stem-side down, on the prepared pan. Bake at 400°F for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven; transfer the mushroom caps, stem-side down, to a paper towel-lined sheet pan. Set aside. (See Tip 4)
- Reduce oven temperature to 350°F.
- Brown and crumble sausage in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Drain well on paper towels.
- In the same pan, sauté the onion over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds or until fragrant.
- Return the sausage to the pan; add paprika. Stir well to combine, and continue cooking over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the onions are soft.
- Add the Velveeta to the sausage mixture. Cover and reduce the heat to low. Cook for 5 minutes, or until the cheese is thoroughly melted. Remove the cover, and stir well to combine all ingredients. (Stuffing may be prepared in advance and refrigerated until ready yo use.)
- Stuff each mushroom cap with about a teaspoon of the sausage/cheese mixture. Bake at 350°F for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the cheese is thoroughly melted. If desired, sprinkle with minced chives and serve.
- Yield: 20 stuffed mushrooms. (See Tip 5)
Video
Tips/Notes
- You can use either white button mushrooms or Baby Bella mushrooms in this recipe. I generally go with whichever ones look better.
- I always use Jimmy Dean Hot Sausage, but feel free to use your favorite breakfast sausage.
- If you prefer not to use Velveeta, substitute American, Monterey Jack, or Pepper Jack cheese.
- Mushrooms contain a lot of water, which is given off when they cook. Pre-baking the mushrooms, stem-side down, removes most of the water and concentrates the flavor.
- Leftover stuffed mushrooms can be refrigerated and reheated at 350°F for 10 to 15 minutes or until warmed through.
Leave a Reply