Cheese and Bacon Stuffed Mushrooms
Stuffed mushrooms are a party classic for good reason: they are bite-sized, they hold a filling neatly, and the mushroom itself brings savoury depth that pairs with almost any cheese. They are also forgiving — the filling is a formula, not a fixed list.
The filling formula
Think of the filling in four parts:
- A base — cream cheese or ricotta for body
- A melter — grated Cheddar, Gruyère or mozzarella
- A punch — Parmesan, blue cheese or a little mustard
- A texture — cooked bacon, breadcrumbs, chopped nuts or herbs
Ingredients (makes about 20)
- 20 medium chestnut or button mushrooms
- 100 g cream cheese, softened
- 80 g Cheddar or Gruyère, grated
- 3 rashers bacon, cooked and chopped (optional; omit for vegetarian)
- 2 spring onions, sliced
- 2 tablespoons breadcrumbs
- Salt, pepper, a pinch of garlic powder
- Olive oil for drizzling
Method
- Remove the stalks from the mushrooms and chop them finely. Do not discard them — they go into the filling.
- Mix the chopped stalks, cream cheese, grated cheese, bacon, spring onions, breadcrumbs and seasoning.
- Fill each mushroom cap with the mixture, mounding it slightly.
- Place on a lined tray and drizzle with a little olive oil.
- Bake at 190°C / 375°F for 18–22 minutes, until the mushrooms are tender and the tops are golden.
Keeping them from going soggy
Mushrooms release water when cooked, and a wet filling sinks into it. Two fixes: use a fairly firm cheese and cream cheese rather than a very moist mixture, and do not overstuff. Roasting at a higher heat for a shorter time also helps. If the filling is loose, a little more breadcrumb will tighten it.
Make-ahead
Fill the mushrooms up to a day ahead and refrigerate, then bake to order. They can also be assembled and frozen, then baked from frozen with an extra 5 minutes.
Serve with cheese twists and a cheese board for a party spread.
