Shrimp-Stuffed Mushrooms

When you turn them upside down and remove the stems, mushroom caps make the perfect vehicle for bite-sized appetizers. You can stuff them with almost anything, from simple soft cheeses to a medley of crispy bacon or spicy sausage, seasoned couscous, vegetables and finely chopped nuts. Among all the stuffed mushroom recipes, these shrimp-stuffed mushrooms stand out for their blend of caramelized sweet pepper and onion, two cheeses and shrimp. The filling is creamy and savory, a perfect combination with the umami-filled mushrooms.

After removing the stems, chop them up to mix into the filling to minimize waste and maximize flavor. Precooking the mushroom caps removes excess moisture so they don’t get too soggy once filled. Serve mushrooms stuffed with shrimp as party appetizers, or fill a platter to serve as a side dish or entree at lunch or dinner. The shrimp stuffing even works in larger mushrooms as a main course.

Ingredients for Shrimp-Stuffed Mushrooms

• Mushrooms: Mushrooms with firm caps that separate easily from their stems hold stuffing better than other varieties. Cremini and button are the best types of mushrooms for shrimp-stuffed mushrooms. Chestnut mushrooms also have nicely shaped caps for stuffing.
• Aromatic vegetables: Aromatics like sweet red pepper, chopped onion and minced garlic add flavor to the filling.
• Italian seasoning: Italian seasoning is so versatile that you likely already have a bottle among your herbs and spices. If not, it’s easy to make your own Italian seasoning. Before using a store-bought blend, check the label; some versions include salt, so you may not need to add any directly to the stuffing mixture.
• Cream cheese: Cream cheese gets gooey in the oven while holding the other stuffing ingredients together. Use whole-fat cream cheese for the most luscious filling, but reduced-fat cream cheese is fine if you want to lighten things up.
• Shrimp: This recipe calls for precooked shrimp, since raw shrimp won’t be in the oven long enough to cook through safely. Any size of shrimp works since it will be chopped into little pieces.
• Bread crumbs: Seasoned bread crumbs intensify this recipe’s herb flavors, give the filling structure and add a slight crunchiness. Making seasoned bread crumbs from scratch is a good option if you have bread that’s getting stale.
• Parmesan cheese: In contrast to the smooth tanginess of cream cheese, Parmesan adds nutty, salty bursts of flavor. Grate your own cheese to make this shrimp stuffing for mushrooms the best it can be.

Directions

Step 1: Bake the mushroom caps

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Remove the stems from the mushrooms and chop enough of the stems to measure 3/4 cup. Discard the remaining stems. Place the mushroom caps in a foil-lined 15x10x1-inch baking pan, stem side up, and bake them for 10 minutes.

Editor’s Tip: Don’t throw out those extra mushroom stems. Save them in a freezer bag and turn them into mushroom stock, or add a few to homemade vegetable broth or a meat-based stock for bonus flavor. When chopped finely, they enhance Hungarian mushroom soup or spinach risotto.

Step 2: Saute the vegetables

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the butter over medium-high heat. Add the sweet red pepper, onion, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt and chopped mushroom stems. Cook and stir the mixture for two to three minutes or until the vegetables are tender.

Step 3: Round out the filling

Add the cream cheese, cooking and stirring until it melts. Stir in the shrimp and bread crumbs.

Step 4: Stuff the mushrooms

When the prebaked mushroom caps are cool enough to handle, drain the liquid from the caps. Fill the caps with the shrimp mixture. Sprinkle them with the Parmesan cheese.

Step 5: Bake the stuffed mushrooms

Bake the stuffed mushrooms for 15 to 20 minutes longer or until the mushrooms are tender and the filling is heated through. If desired, sprinkle them with parsley.

ELLIE CROWLEY FOR TASTE OF HOME

Shrimp-Stuffed Mushrooms Variations

• Use leftover shrimp: Use any leftover shrimp to make the stuffing. Cajun shrimp would add some heat, and grilled shrimp would bring some char to the party. You could also chop up leftover popcorn shrimp and cut back on the bread crumbs in the filling.
• Add nuts: For extra crunch, finely chop a couple of tablespoons of almonds or pecans and stir them into the stuffing mixture when you add the shrimp and bread crumbs.
• Boost the bread crumbs: Toast the bread crumbs or use seasoned panko for more texture and flavor.
• Make stuffed portobellos: To turn this appetizer into an entree, stuff four large portobello mushrooms with the filling. As with the smaller mushrooms, first remove and chop the stems for the filling. Prebake the caps, but bump the heat up to 400°. Once stuffed with the shrimp mixture, bake the mushrooms until they’re tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Alternatively, grill the empty portobello caps until they’re tender, then spoon in the shrimp mixture and grill them for another three to four minutes until they’re heated through.

How to Store Shrimp-Stuffed Mushrooms

Shrimp-stuffed mushrooms taste best when just cooked, but leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator. To avoid food safety concerns, refrigerate any leftovers as soon as they’ve cooled. Arrange the mushrooms stuffed with shrimp in a single layer in an airtight container and then place the container flat on a fridge shelf. A mini muffin pan or deviled egg tray with a tight-fitting lid will keep the filled mushrooms separate and upright.

How long do shrimp-stuffed mushrooms last?

Shrimp-stuffed mushrooms last up to four days, but taste best after one day. The shellfish filling has a short shelf life, and the moisture in the stuffing will penetrate the mushrooms as they sit in the fridge, making the caps overly soft and potentially soggy.

How should you reheat shrimp-stuffed mushrooms?

An oven or toaster oven is best for reheating shrimp-stuffed mushrooms. The dry heat of the oven evaporates excess moisture and crisps the Parmesan cheese topping. Set the stuffed mushroom caps on a baking tray and reheat them, uncovered, at 350° until they’re warmed through, about 10 minutes.

Shrimp-Stuffed Mushrooms Tips

ELLIE CROWLEY FOR TASTE OF HOME

What’s the best way to cook shrimp for shrimp-stuffed mushrooms?

If you only have raw shrimp in the freezer, you can sear them in a hot skillet, poach them on the stovetop, grill them, or even bake them. Clean the shrimp, remove all the shells, then either cook them whole or chop up the meat first. They cook quickly; two to three minutes is enough to turn shrimp opaque and pink. Once the chopped shrimp has cooled, add the cream cheese and stir until it’s melted, and then add the bread crumbs.

How do you keep shrimp-stuffed mushrooms from becoming soggy?

Baking the mushroom caps before stuffing them is one way to minimize sogginess. Mushrooms are roughly 90 percent water, and heat brings some of that liquid to the surface so that you can drain it away. Mushrooms are also quite porous, so avoid one of the mistakes we all make when cooking mushrooms: washing them with water. Instead, brush them clean with a damp paper towel or a mushroom brush. Once cooked, eat the mushrooms straightaway; leftovers become mushier the longer they sit in the fridge.

What can you serve with shrimp-stuffed mushrooms?

For a gathering, set out an array of finger-friendly appetizers to go with shrimp-stuffed mushrooms. Prepare cold canapes, like marinated cheese on crackers or toasted baguette slices, and lay them out while the mushrooms are baking. Add brie-leek tartlets to the appetizer menu; they bake at the same temperature as these stuffed mushrooms with shrimp. Serve the stuffed mushroom caps as a side dish with grilled sirloin steak or roasted chicken and a tossed green salad. If the mushrooms are the featured dish, grill some asparagus or accompany them with a quick balsamic zucchini saute.