Mushroom-Stuffed Mushrooms

Homemade Stuffed Mushrooms

I really wanted stuffed mushrooms at our wedding. But I'm always really scared to order them because I hate sausage and fear they'll be stuffed with sausage. So when it came to planning the wedding menu, I asked our caterer what he put in his stuffed mushrooms. He looked at me like that was the silliest question he'd ever heard. "Mushrooms," he said. (He also told me this wasn't his first rodeo and I had nothing to worry about, but that's another story.)  

I was sold on the mushrooms. And I was happy to find out the morning after the wedding that I'm not the only one who contemplates the stuffing in stuffed mushrooms.

As the brand-new husband and I sat around drinking coffee with a few of my out-of-town family members, I was asked about the stuffed mushrooms. Apparently one of my great-uncles doesn't really like mushrooms and told my other family members at the wedding that the mushrooms had to be stuffed with something good because the mushrooms were really good.

Well, we all got a laugh out of my great-uncle's newfound love of mushrooms when I said those mushrooms were only stuffed with simple stuff - including mushroom pieces.

I thought about that morning while I made the husband stuffed mushrooms last night. And I had to laugh to myself when he asked me what I was putting in the stuffing and I told him not much: bread crumbs, cheese, mustard, olive oil, a little salt. And guess what? Mushrooms. I knew he was skeptical. He raised his eyebrows and said, "OK, if you say so."

But as we sat around enjoying a nice happy hour together after work yesterday, his mushroom hesitation dwindled. 

"Mushroom-stuffed mushrooms? That's really all you put in there? " He asked. "They're really good."

So, there you have it. Stuffing mushrooms with mushrooms isn't a crazy idea.

Mushroom-Stuffed Mushrooms

Inspired by 125 Gluten-Free Vegetarian Recipes

Serves 3

8 ounces button mushrooms

1/4 cup Italian bread crumbs

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

1 garlic clove, minced

a dash of salt

a dash of mixed-up pepper

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1/2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1-2 tablespoons water

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and spray a baking dish with cooking spray. Clean the mushrooms.

Cut the stems off the mushrooms and scoop out a little of the inside of the mushroom, if possible, to make room for the stuffing. Chop the mushroom stems and put them into a bowl. Mix in the bread crumbs, cheese, garlic, salt and pepper, mustard, oil and about 1 tablespoon water (to help the mixture come together).

Scoop the mushroom mixture into (and onto) the mushrooms as best as possible.

Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until mushrooms are soft and heated through. (Allowing the mushrooms to brown a little is a nice touch.) Enjoy on the porch with a nice brew with your husband!