Once you make these delicious Air Fryer Stuffed Mushrooms, you will understand exactly why I'm shouting from the rooftops that these are BEST stuffed mushrooms ever! The filling has a combination of a handful of ingredients that come together in harmony for the perfect bite! The mushrooms retain a great texture and that little drizzle of glaze at the end is the final finish to these delicious appetizers!
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Stuffed Mushrooms are a great make-ahead appetizer. Not only can you make the filling a few days before you want to serve them, you can also stuff them 1 day before serving. Once they are cooked, you want to let them cool down some before serving. They are best eaten slightly warm or at room temperature, so you can cook them a 30-60 minutes ahead of time and they will be perfect to eat when your guests arrive. Remember not to let them sit out for longer than 2 hours.
There are tons of different varieties of fillings for stuffed mushrooms and, as long as the filling is safe to eat uncooked or is already cooked, you can stuff the mushrooms with the filling in this recipe or use a different filling and air fry them using the timing in this recipe. Air fryer mushrooms are the perfect appetizer and are always a crowd pleaser. So make sure to whip up this easy recipe for a tasty finger food at your next party!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Mushrooms
Mushrooms, obviously, are an important part of this recipe and you want to choose mushrooms that are about 2" in diameter for the best ratio of filling to mushroom. The type of mushroom you choose to use is completely up to you, however it needs be shaped for stuffing with the filling. Oyster mushrooms, for example, wouldn't be a great choices because of their shape.
The three types of mushrooms most commonly used when making stuffed mushrooms are; white button mushrooms, Cremini mushrooms (also called baby bellas) and portobello mushrooms. It might surprise you that all three of these mushrooms are the same mushroom, just at different stages of growth. The white button mushroom is the baby and the cremini mushrooms would be the teenager. The larger mushrooms are simply the larger version of the cremini. The more mature the mushroom, the more earthy the taste.
You can use either button mushrooms, baby portobello or cremini without any changes to the recipe. if you want to use the larger mushroom caps (portobello), I do recommend making some changes to the way you cut the ingredients and layer them. I give directions for this under the heading labeled Dinner Size Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms.
Cheese
I have used both Boursin cheese and my homemade version in this recipe and both work great. If you have an extra 10 minutes, definitely make it yourself, because you will save money and the flavor is perfect! Here is the link for the recipe: Garlic & Herb Cheese Spread.
You could also use plain cream cheese, if desired. You may want to add a touch of garlic to the filling when using plain cream cheese just to give it a boost of flavor.
You can also use any other types of cheese that you like. Shredded sharp cheddar or an Italian blend of cheese would work fine in this recipe in place of the garlic and herb cheese.
Sausage
I used Italian mild sausage in this recipe, but any kind of sausage that you want to use is fine. You can even use breakfast sausage.
For the best results, you want to use raw sausage that you can remove from its casing, if it has one. Things like summer sausage or Kielbasa would need to be diced very small if you wanted to use them.
You could also skip the sausage if you wanted to make them vegetarian, but you would want to replace the sausage with something else and, more importantly, you will need to adjust the seasonings. Sausage is well-seasoned and a lot of the flavor in these stuffed mushrooms comes from the sausage.
A great vegetarian substitute would be finely chopped mushrooms seasoned with salt, black pepper, thyme, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning and a touch of sage. That would get you close to the flavors in the sausage. Or, of course, you could use something like beyond meat sausage.
Vegetables, Fruits, and Nuts
Spinach adds a nice pop of color to the stuffed mushroom, but it is optional. You could omit it and add in more of the other ingredients so you have enough filling for 12-15 mushrooms.
I love combining fruit with savory dishes to add that little hint of sweetness, and pears work perfectly in this recipe. You can use either a fresh, ripe pear or a canned pear. You can also omit the pear and use a different fruit, if you like.
Cranberries would be a tart option, but your filling will be pink, most likely. Another great substitution would be a finely diced apple.
You can use any type of nuts that you like or omit them. I have used both pine nuts and pecans with great results. Walnuts would be another great substitution. I don't think I would use peanuts, though. I'm not sure that the flavors would go well together.
Topping
I use a simple combination of panko bread crumbs and melted butter to make the topping. I love the texture of them and the crunch they give to this great appetizer.
You can certainly add different spices or herbs to the panko to change the flavor, if you want. You could even mix a little parmesan cheese into the panko, which I think would be delicious. Just make sure to omit the salt in the topping if you are using parm.
You can also use plain bread crumbs, which are finer. They won't give as much as a crunch and texture when you bite into the mushroom, but it will work just fine.
For a low carb or gluten free version, omit the panko topping and make sure the sausage is gluten free because not all sausage is. The cooking instructions are the same. The mushrooms will look a little different, but are still delicious!
Fig Glaze
The fig glaze is the secret (or not so secret) final touch for these delicious, sweet and savory mushrooms. While it's certainly optional, it really adds a nice flavor. If you can't find it in your local grocery store, you can find it here on Amazon: (affiliate link)Fig Glaze.
You can also use a balsamic glaze, which is not the same as balsamic vinegar, but a thicker and sweeter glaze.
Air Fryer Stuffed Mushrooms Directions
Mise En Place
There isn't a whole lot of prep with this recipe, the most time consuming part is cleaning and preparing the mushrooms so they are ready to be stuffed. My favorite mushroom to use in this recipe is the baby bella mushrooms, also called Cremini. However, the cleaning and prep is the same for white mushrooms or even the larger portobello mushroom if you are making large ones as a side dish or as a complete meal.
Cleaning and Preparing the Mushrooms
While cleaning and getting the mushrooms ready for the stuffing is a little time consuming, it can easily be done 1-2 days in advance.
The first thing you want to do is clean the mushrooms. You can do this under running cold water or with a damp paper towel.
I usually use a damp paper towel to remove the loose dirt from the mushroom and then give a quick rinse under cold water. You will want to dry them a bit by either putting them into a colander to drain or laying them on a kitchen towel.
Once they are washed, remove the mushroom stems. Cut off the very end of the mushroom stem and you can dice it up to add to the filling. Or, you can simply discard the stem.
One of the most important things that I recommend doing is removing the gills from inside the mushroom. While the gills are completely edible and I add them into the filling, they take up a lot of room inside the mushroom.
I like to use a teaspoon; and the cheaper the spoon, the better. You know those really cheap dollar store spoons with kind of sharp edges? Those work perfectly.
Simply run the spoon around the inside of the mushroom and remove the gills. You want to do this carefully so you don't break the mushroom.
The reason that I remove the gills is to allow more room for the filling. You'll be amazed at the difference and it gives a better ratio of mushroom to filling in my opinion. It also makes it a lot easier to fill the mushroom. You can skip this step, though.
The rest of the prep is very simple. Dice up the pear and measure out the other ingredients. Remove the casing from the Italian sausage, if there is one.
If you are making your own garlic & herb cheese spread, make it up now and put it in the fridge until you are ready to use it. Here is my recipe: Garlic & Herb Cheese Spread.
Cooking the Filling
If you are using your Ninja Foodi Pressure Cooker & Air Crisper, Ninja Speedi, or the Instant Pot Duo Crisp (or Pro Crisp), you can use the inner pot with the sear/sauté function. If you are using an air fryer that doesn't have that function, use a sauté pan on the stove to cook the filling.
Sautéing
Turn the Ninja Foodi or Instant Pot on high sear/sauté (see directions below for stovetop cooking). Place your sausage (with the casing removed) into the inner pot of the Ninja Foodi (or whichever appliance you are using) and break it up.
Add in the chopped pecans or whatever nuts you are using.
Once the sausage begins to cook, I like to add a little olive oil to prevent it from scorching. Even though sausage contains a good amount of fat, it can still burn fairly easily.
Next, chop your pear if you didn't do that in the prep for the recipe. Add the pear to the pot and stir everything together. The sausage should be about 50% cooked now and you can turn down the heat to about level 2 or medium low and finish cooking the sausage so it is cooked 100%.
Add in the seasonings (salt and pepper) and the 2 cups of baby spinach. Turn the heat back up to high and stir constantly to wilt the spinach. Once the spinach is wilted, turn the heat off.
Processing the Filling
Using a food processor is the best way to chop up the filling, but if you don't have one, you can chop by hand with a knife or use a blender and the pulse function to chop up the mixture.
The filling should be finely chopped, but not overly processed to the point of being mush.
Stuffing the Mushrooms
Once the filling has been finely chopped, place it into a medium bowl with the garlic & herb cheese spread and mix together.
Assembling the Mushrooms
It's time to assemble the mushrooms and make the topping. I don't do this during the prep because you don't want the panko to get soggy.
Melt the butter and allow to cool while you fill the mushrooms.
Each mushroom (depending on size and if the gills are removed) holds about 1 Tablespoon of filling.
You want the filling to fill the mushroom cap and mound up a little on the top. I use my (affiliate link)small scoop from Pampered Chef, but you can use a regular spoon if you don't have a scoop.
Place one rounded tablespoon into the mushroom cap. Repeat for all the mushrooms.
Combine the panko with the butter. It shouldn't be too wet, but you also don't want it too dry.
Dip each of the filled mushrooms into the panko mixture and it will stick to the filling. If you have leftover panko, you can add more to the tops of the mushrooms, if desired.
If you are assembling the mushrooms ahead of time, I recommend refrigerating without the panko topping and adding the topping just before air frying. To refrigerate, place the mushrooms on a tray and cover with plastic wrap or foil.
If you are going to freeze the mushrooms to cook later, add the panko topping now. Freeze on parchment lined trays and once the mushrooms are frozen solid, you can put them into an airtight container and freeze. If layering the mushrooms in a container, separate each layer with parchment. I don't recommend using a freezer bag because the topping can get knocked off in the bag.
Air Frying Stuffed Mushrooms
When you are ready to air fry the mushrooms, preheat your air fryer to 400℃/200℃ for a full 10 minutes with the basket of the air fryer ( or whatever your cooking surface is) inside the appliance.
Once preheated, place the mushrooms in the air fryer in a single layer. The amount you can get into your air fryer at once will depend on the size of your air fryer. I can fit 10 mushrooms into the Ninja Foodi PC & AC air fryer basket.
Air Fry (or Air Crisp) on 400℉/200℃ for 5 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.
Remove from the air fryer and place on a cooling rack.
Stuffed mushrooms are best served warm or room temperature. You can leave them out for up to 2 hours, but after that they need to be discarded or refrigerated.
Just before serving, drizzle with fig glaze.
To reheat you can either put them back in the air fryer at a low temp (around 300℉/175℃) or in the oven at 325℉/160℃ for a few minutes to warm them through. If the tops are getting too brown, reduce your heat.
Stove top/Oven Stuffed Mushrooms Directions
The only difference from using an air fryer or the oven is the temperature and time when cooking the mushrooms.
You will prep the mushrooms as described above in the previous section.
Using a pan on the stove on medium high heat, follow the instructions above for cooking the filling.
Preheat the oven on 450℉/230℃. Once the mushrooms are assembled and topped with the panko topping, place them in a single layer on a sheet tray and bake for 8-10 minutes or until they are golden brown.
Allow to cool and top with a drizzle of the fig glaze. Serve & Enjoy!
Large Portobello Mushroom Directions
If you wanted to make a larger stuffed mushroom(s) to serve as a meal or a side dish, then you would use the same ingredients, but stuff them a little differently.
Wash and dry your mushrooms. Remove the stem and gills. Chop the stem and gills up to add to the filling or discard.
Cook the Italian sausage in the casing. I usually air fry it at 375℉/190℃ for about 10-12 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165℉/74℃.
I also precook the mushroom for about 5 minutes. You can do this right in the air fryer, by placing the mushroom cap upside down on top of the sausage for the last 5 minutes of cook time.
Slice the sausage.
In a small pan or the inner pot of the Ninja Foodi, add in 2 teaspoons of oil. Add the pecans, chopped pear, salt and pepper and spinach. Cook on high until wilted.
Fill the portobello mushroom with 2 Tablespoons of Garlic & Herb cheese spread (or Boursin cheese) and put half of the sliced sausage on top. Put 2-3 Tablespoons of the spinach mixture on top.
Mix together the panko and melted butter. Spoon the panko mixture on top of the stuffed mushroom.
Air Fry at 400℉/200℃ for about 6-8 minutes or until the top is golden brown or Bake in preheated a 450℉/230℃ for 10-12 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, this recipe can be made up to 3 days before you want to cook and serve them.
While you can even assemble the stuffed mushrooms ahead of time, I wouldn't do that much more than a day in advance. This is so the filling doesn't have time to release much liquid.
You also want to add the topping just before air frying for the best results.
Yes, you can freeze them, but the texture of the mushroom may change a bit. I would suggest stuffing them, including the panko topping, and freeze them in a single layer on a parchment lined sheet tray.
Once they are frozen, you can store them in an airtight container. You may not want to use a freezer bag because the topping could come off if they are jostled around in the bag.
Yes, of course! You can make as many or as few stuffed mushrooms as you like. Simply increase all of the ingredients accordingly. The cooking time stays the same no matter how many mushrooms you are cooking at once.
Air Fryer Appetizer Recipes
Using your air fryer to cook up delicious appetizers is a great way to get restaurant quality "fried" food without having to deep fry anything! Here are some recipes to get started with.
Air Fryer Stuffed Mushroom Recipe (Air Fryer and Oven Directions)
Equipment
- Air Fryer or Oven
Ingredients
- 12-15 medium mushrooms
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 4-5 ounces Italian sausage any kind or breakfast sausage
- ¼ cup chopped pecans
- 1 pear fresh or canned
- ½ teaspoon fine grind sea salt or kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups baby spinach
- ¼ cup Garlic & Herb Cheese Spread or Boursin Cheese
Topping
- 1 cup Panko Bread Crumbs
- 3 Tablespoons salted butter
- fig glaze drizzle
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Instructions
Preparing the Mushrooms
- Wash and blot dry the mushrooms. Remove the stems and using a teaspoon, remove the gills. This will give more room for the filling. You can chop the stems and add them to the filling if desired.
Making the Filling
- Using the inner pot of the Ninja Foodi on high sear/sauté or a pan on the stove over medium high heat, add in the sausage with the casing removed and break it up with a spatula.
- Drizzle olive oil over the sausage. Add the pecans to the side of the sausage so they toast and release the oils. This takes about 3 minutes. Make sure they don't burn.
- Add in the chopped pear and salt and pepper. Mix the sausage, pecans, and pears together. Turn the heat to low to allow the sausage to cook completely. This takes about 5 minutes.
- Once the sausage is cooked, add in the spinach and turn the heat back to high. Stir constantly until the spinach has wilted. This takes about 2 minutes.
- Place the filling into the bowl of a food processor or blender cup and pulse blend until finely chopped.
- Mix the filling with the cheese spread in a medium bowl until well combined.
Stuffing the Mushrooms
- Place about 1 Tablespoon of filling into each mushroom. The amount of filling used will depend on the size of your mushrooms, but you want them to be slightly rounded on top with the filling.
- Mix together ½ cup panko and 3 Tablespoons of melted butter in a small bowl. Dip the top of each mushroom into the panko and the mixture will stick to the mushroom.
Air Frying the Mushrooms
- Preheat the air fryer on 400℉/200℃ with the air frying basket or cooking surface inside for 10 minutes.
- Place the mushrooms in a single layer into the air fryer.
- Air fry (or Air Crisp) on 400℉/200℃ for 5 minutes or until they are golden brown on top. Remove from the air fryer and let cool on a cooling rack. The amount of mushrooms that you can fit a once depends on your airfryer, you may need to cook multiple batches.
- Drizzle with fig glaze just before serving.
Oven Directions
- Preheat the oven on 450℉/230℃. Place the mushrooms on a sheet pan and bake in the oven for 8-10 minutes or until they are golden brown. *If using a convection oven, reduce heat to 425℉/220℃.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly. Drizzle with fig glaze just before serving.
Notes
Make Ahead Directions
If you are assembling the mushrooms ahead of time, I recommend refrigerating without the panko topping and adding the topping just before air frying. To refrigerate, place the mushrooms on a tray and cover with plastic wrap or foil. If you are going to freeze the mushrooms to cook later, add the panko topping now. Freeze on parchment lined trays and once the mushrooms are frozen solid, you can put them into an airtight container and freeze. If layering the mushrooms in a container, separate each layer with parchment. I don't recommend using a freezer bag because the topping can get knocked off.Nutrition
About the Recipe Author, Louise Long
Louise is a full-time recipe creator and food blogger @ The Salted Pepper. She has over 30 years of experience with cooking and recipe development. She owned a restaurant for several years and was a full-time RN until retiring to blog full-time.
She published her first cookbook in the Fall of 2018 and is very interested in writing several more.
Louise is also the creator of an online Ninja Foodi Pressure Cooking Course with over 100 instructional step-by-step videos. People absolutely rave about the course and all the value they have received from it.
Louise has several very active Facebook groups that help people with the basics of cooking and learning more about the appliances they love.
Ninja Foodi Pressure Cooker & Air Crisper 101
Ninja Woodfire Outdoor Grill & Smoker
Louise is also a YouTube creator and you can find most of her recipes in video format on The Salted Pepper YouTube channel.
She is very responsive to messages and eager to help in any way she can. Get more Information about Louise & contact information
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Kik
I will be making these tomorrow night! You mention switching out the mushrooms for portobello, do you know what the cook time would be like for larger mushrooms?
Louise
The directions are in the post, look at the table of contents at the top and you'll see it.
Susan
I haven’t tried these yet but wanted to ask where you got that grey spatula scoop that you used in the video. I looked at your Amazon store and couldn’t find it. I noticed that you have a few other of these grey kitchen aides. Where can I get them?
Shawn
I didn’t see spinach in the ingredients for the stuffed mushrooms. What the quantity and is it chopped, frozen fresh or pre cooked?
Louise
Oh no! I just fixed it. It's 2 cups of baby spinach and you can put it in whole. It gets wilted with the sausage/pear mixture.