Parmesan Mushroom Appetizers with only 2 ingredients are easy to make and ready in only 15 minutes! Baby bella mushrooms are stuffed with Parmesan cheese, then baked for an impressive looking healthy appetizer that will impress holiday guests!
Easy appetizer recipes like these mushrooms, cucumber appetizer bites and air fryer chicken wings are my best friend when hosting a party. Guests also love when I include these with a healthy cheeseball on a charcuterie board!
Table of contents
Easy Parmesan Mushroom Appetizers
With all the holidays, potlucks and game days that take place in fall-winter, these juicy Parmesan mushroom appetizers are a kitchen time saver. I have a more labor intensive stuffed mushrooms recipe, but this baby bella mushroom recipe requires only 2 ingredients (plus salt and pepper) and 15 minutes of my time! It’s become my new go to recipe when I need something fast!
Even better, you can make stuffed mushroom caps ahead of time and bake right before serving. And if you are asked to bring a ‘healthy side dish to pass’- they travel well too. Meaty, tender, naturally gluten-free and with a robust flavor, these roasted baby bellas are irresistible and will make a mushroom lover out of anyone!
Why Make These Parmesans Stuffed Mushroom Appetizers?
- Simple impressive appetizer: 2 ingredients and only 15 minutes, doesn’t get easier than that!
- Easy side dish: Perfect for serving with any ‘beefy’ recipe like pot roast or sirloin tip roast!
- Make ahead: Save even more time by prepping these ahead of time and baking later!
- Travels well: Retains shape and taste even after baking!
- Robust flavor: Baby bella’s are a mature version of a white button mushroom with so much flavor!
- Meatless main: A mini version of portobello mushrooms, they pack a meaty taste, serve over quinoa for a protein packed meal.
- Healthy: Mushrooms are low in calories, high in anti-oxidants/fiber and rich in B vitamins.
Ingredients for Mushroom Appetizers
- Brown mushrooms: AKA, baby bella mushrooms or cremini. I recommend paying a tiny bit more for brown (baby Portobello) mushrooms as they are more flavourful than white ones.
- Parmesan cheese: Freshly grated parm adds a sharp, complex savory taste to mushroom appetizers.
- Salt and pepper: To season and taste.
Nothing beats freshly grated Parmesan. No shakers with cellulose, please. Parmesan is flavourful and a little goes a long way. Buy a chunk at Costco and freeze.
How to Make Baby Bella Mushroom Recipe
1. How to Clean Mushroom Caps
- Rinse mushrooms with cold water or fill sink with cold water and add baby bella mushroom caps, soak for 10 minutes then scrub clean. Pat dry if desired. Alternately, if your mushrooms are relatively clean, you could opt to wipe with a damp paper towel.
- Remove each stem from the cap by simply pushing it to the side.
Save chopped mushrooms stems to make lentil casserole or chicken wild rice soup. Really, add to any dish that you can stir together, especially if you are sautéing an evergreen combo of onions+garlic.
2. Stuff and Cook Baby Bella Mushrooms
- On a large baking sheet (or two), place mushroom caps tightly packed and touching.
- Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Then top with Parmesan cheese, concentrating on filling up the cavities.
- Bake for 15 minutes or until mushrooms are golden brown on the outside and cheese has melted. Serve hot.
Optional Add-In’s and Variations
- White mushrooms: Can be substituted for baby bella’s in this mushroom appetizers recipe.
- Portobello mushrooms or larger ‘stuffing’ mushrooms: Especially great if using these as a meatless main!
- Vegetarian appetizer: Use a vegetarian friendly parmesan that can be grated like Violife.
- Forget to grab parmesan? Use freshly grated mozzarella, fontina or another robust cheese like smoked gouda!
- ‘Extra flavors’: After baking, sprinkle with additional black pepper or red pepper flakes.
- Garlic: Toss grated parmesan with garlic powder for additional savory taste. For an extra savory mixture, you could melt a small amount of butter then mix parmesan and garlic powder with the butter, proceed with stuffing mushrooms.
- Other dried herbs: Change up the flavor profile by sprinkling with Italian seasoning, oregano or herbs de Provence.
- Sprinkle with fresh herbs: After removing from oven, garnish with chopped fresh thyme, parsley or basil. Chives would also add a nice flavor plus pop of color!
- Bread crumbs: Not as low in carbohydrates, but panko breadcrumbs mixed with the parmesan will add an extra crispy topping!
Tips for Best Results
- Bake at high heat: 450 degrees F is the perfect temp for your roasting your mushroom appetizers so they are tender and juicy!
- Mushrooms size: Pick medium to large brown mushrooms for easier stuffing with Parmesan cheese.
- Extra dirty mushrooms: Fill sink with cold water, add mushroom caps and soak for 10 minutes. Then scrub well with a brush. I find mushrooms do not soak water if you don’t leave them in it for a day.
- Parchment paper is OK: It can smoke a bit but doesn’t burn. I do not generally use one for this recipe but you can.
- Parmesan crisps: It’s okay to overfill your mushrooms, the bits of parmesan around the bottom of the mushrooms will make a delicious parmesan crisp!
FAQs
Cooked sausage could be stuffed inside the mushrooms first, then topped with parmesan if desired. This will be a bit more work, but will result in a delicious appetizer.
Olive oil dip with crusty bread, healthy spinach dip with whole grain crackers or easy stuffed dates would be delicious for an appetizer spread during Thanksgiving or the holidays.
For this recipe, you only need to cook them in the oven for 15 minutes! Oven temps may vary, though, so keep a close on them starting at 10 minutes.
This will not be as hands off as roasting your mushroom caps, but could technically be done. You will want to add a little bit of olive oil (or butter) to a skillet, when it has melted add your mushrooms stuffed with parmesan, cover skillet with lid and aluminum foil and cook over medium heat for 10-15 minutes until mushrooms are tender.
Serving Recommendations
Other than a party appetizer, try these easy mushroom appetizers in the following ways:
- As a ‘meaty’ option for salads: Try with savory salads such as baby kale salad, spinach salad or asparagus salad.
- With a bowl of soup: Like lentil spinach soup.
- In a warm grain bowl: Paired with quinoa and falafel or shredded chicken.
- Holiday side dish: With other favorite sides like honey garlic butternut squash, green bean casserole and mashed potatoes.
- Pizza night: Serve along with a slice of healthy almond flour crust pizza or include leftovers as a topping, yum!
How to Store and Make Ahead
Store: Easy mushroom appetizers leftovers (if any) can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days. I do not recommend storing these in freezer, it will diminish taste and texture.
Make Ahead: Prep step 1-4, tightly wrap baking sheet with plastic and refrigerate for up to 2 days. When ready to serve, if using ceramic baking dish make sure to warm it up on the counter for 30 minutes (to avoid shattering) and then bake by following Step 5.
More Recipes with Mushrooms
Parmesan Mushroom Appetizers
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs brown mushrooms
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese grated
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. While oven is preheating, wash mushrooms with cold water well, drain and place in a bowl.
- To remove stems, using your hands just pop it off the cap and use in other dishes (see notes).
- On a large baking sheet, place mushroom caps tightly packed and touching. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Top with Parmesan cheese, concentrating on filling up the cavities.
- Bake for 15 minutes or until mushrooms are golden on the outside and cheese has melted. Serve hot.
Notes
- Store: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Make ahead: Do Step 1-4, tightly wrap baking sheet with plastic and refrigerate for up to 2 days. When ready to serve, if using ceramic baking dish make sure to warm it up on the counter for 30 minutes (to avoid shattering) and then bake by following Step 5.
- White mushrooms? You can use white mushrooms however baby bella (brown) mushrooms are more flavorful.
- Mushrooms size: Pick medium to large mushrooms for easier stuffing with Parmesan cheese.
- Parmesan cheese: It is best to buy a hunk of Parmigiano Reggiano and grate yourself. It is fresh, tastes the best and doesn’t contain cellulose like shaker one.
- Use mushroom stems in: lentil casserole, chicken and peppers, or healthy chicken wild rice soup. Really, add to any dish that you can stir together, especially if you are sautéing an evergreen combo of onions+garlic.
I just made these as a side dish with a quick grilled meal. My hubby walked by the stove top as I took them out of the oven and I saw his eyebrows raise and I hear him softly say “fancy”. Ha! They were so easy and he and both enjoyed them. Thank you for sharing. We will be having again soon.
I am so happy to hear this, Tania!
Love these! Great with steak. Nice substitute for potatoes if you’re doing low carb.
So glad you enjoyed them Claudia!
Can you make these in a throwaway aluminum pan
Sure!
Sounds too easy but do NOT underestimate these!! Delicious!!
hahaha thanks Misty!
I can’t wait to try this. Thank you for the free recipes and nice job on your website, I love the “happiness” software.
Thanks so much Becky! Please don’t hesitate to let me know how you like the recipe 🙂
Great recipe, too many ads on blog!
I am glad you enjoyed my free recipe, Lynne! Ads are why you are able to enjoy our delicious recipes for free. They cover the cost of 4 people to run this website, food, hours of testing and web hosting that costs hundred of $s a month. Not to mention tens and tens other expenses a website like ifoodreal has to incur. I hope you keep enjoying food made with love and good for you that si free of charge. 🙂
Can you give more specifics on the nutritional info? It shows “serves 10” and 56 calories. Any idea how many mushrooms that is per person?
Hi Jackie. It would be hard because mushrooms come in different sizes. The best way after baking divide your mushrooms in 10 sections right on baking sheet, then you would know.
It’s a great idea for my Christmas supper! Will work with my turkey and salad. Thanks s o much,
Olga
Happy Christmas to you Olena!
Delicious! Made them for the Superbowl and they were gone in minutes.
Ooh, love gooey cheesy mushrooms! Delish 🙂
Haha, who doesn’t, right?! I assume they are not vegetarian though (but you are) or I have heard there is vegetarian kind of Parmesan cheese.
I can’t wait to try these! Love your recipes and was looking for a mushroom appetizer to include for a holiday party. If I were to add panko breadcrumbs, what ration to Parmesan cheese would you recommend?
You could mix about 1/4 cup with the parmesan or just sprinkle some on top of each after you ‘stuff’ them with the parmesan.