Recipe

unstuffed mushroom casserole

Here is a dish that resides in two of my favorite places to eat: in the land of side dishes and luxurious party snacks. I have nothing against stuffed mushrooms — I’ll always eat them — but anything that involves an often complex sauté of ingredients scooped tinily and mounded carefully into mushroom caps (that frequently get dry or leathery in the oven, I know you’re nodding in agreement right now) that need to be served warm is not exactly going to fall in the unfussy category. This recipe rejects the scoops, the caps, and even the fine chop of stems and homes in instead on the flavors that make stuffed mushrooms awesome, baked messily in a pan for scooping onto plates or toasts.

what you'll needquartersear then sautésauté but don't cook off all the liquidmix with all the cheeseadd the parsley

My friend Ang brought it to my place two Friendsgivings ago and I took the dish over this year because there would have been a riot without it. I’ve probably sent no fewer than 200 of you the link to the original recipe on the Food Network site but after making it this year, I realized there were some details that missing that help keep it from becoming chewy or overcooked, which brings it here today. The recipe as written is very simple — just cheese, garlic, parsley, and an abundance of crunch from breadcrumbs — but should you prefer your stuffed mushrooms with anything else [sausage, bacon, spinach, etc.] you could add that right to the mixture in the pan. Serve it right from the oven as a show-stealing side or at a party, scooped onto crackers or toast and vow with me to bring cozy cooking back in 2020.

unstuffed mushroom casserole

Previously

Six months ago: Simplest Spaghett a Limone
One year ago: Baklava Babka
Two years ago: Dutch Apple Pie
Three years ago: Homemade Irish Cream
Four years ago: Eggnog Waffles
Five years ago: Jelly Doughnuts and Endives with Orange and Almonds
Six years ago: Linzer Torte and Breakfast Slab Pie
Seven years ago: Cashew Butter Balls
Eight years ago: Peppermint Hot Fudge Sauce
Nine years ago: Iced Oatmeal Cookies and Broiled Mussels
Ten years ago: Vanilla Roasted Pears and Creamed Mushrooms on Chive-Butter Toast
Eleven years ago: Cranberry-Vanilla Coffee Cake and Seven-Layer Cookies
Twelve years ago: Espresso-Chocolate Shortbread Cookies and Peanut Butter Cookies
Thirteen years ago: Boozy Baked French Toast and Parmesan Black Pepper Biscotti

Unstuffed Mushroom Casserole

This is doubled from the original recipe and exactly as you see it here (filling a 2-quart baking dish) because the original makes way too little to share. You know that joke about spinach? It turns out white mushrooms reduce about 1/3 of their original volumes after cooking; don’t be disappointed.

Note: You can watch an Instagram Story demo of this recipe over here.

  • 6 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 pounds medium white button mushrooms, quartered
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 8 ounces cream cheese, cut into pieces
  • 1 cup grated gruyere, comte, or cheddar etc.
  • 2 cups panko-style breadcrumbs
  • 1 cup grated parmesan
  • 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Heat your oven oven to 350°F.

In a large frying pan (12-inch is ideal here) over medium-high heat, heat half (3 tablespoons) of the olive oil. Once it’s very hot, add half (1.5 pounds, but seriously, just eyeball this) of your mushrooms but don’t move them yet. Give them 1 to 2 minutes to brown underneath before adding 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, a few grinds of black pepper, and half the garlic, then moving them around, trying to get them to brown on more sides until they begin releasing their liquid. Some have a little, some have a lot; in both cases you can to cook the mushrooms, stirring, until the liquid mostly, but not fully, cooks off — a thin puddle should remain. Scrape these mushrooms into a large bowl and repeat the process with the remaining olive oil, mushrooms, and garlic, plus more salt and pepper.

Once the second half of the mushrooms have mostly cooked off their liquid, add everything in the pan to the first half of mushrooms in the bowl. Add diced cream cheese and stir just until combined (the remaining liquid from the mushrooms should help it get saucy), then half of the panko (1 cup), all of the gruyere, half of the parmesan (1/2 cup), and most of the parsley (reserve some for garnish) and stir to combine. Transfer to a 2-quart baking dish.

Combine the butter and remaining panko (1 cup) and parmesan (1/2 cup) in a bowl with a couple pinches of salt. Sprinkle over top of the mushrooms and bake until the breadcrumbs are light golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining parsley and eat right away.

To make this ahead of time, please read: Since I’m usually making this to entertain and like to get things out of the way, I pause the recipe (in the fridge until needed, covered with foil) where you transfer the mixture to a baking dish. To finish cooking, I first get the mushroom mixture warm without the crumbs, leaving the foil on, about 10 minutes, and then bake it the rest of the way with the crumbs on, until they’re a light golden brown, usually another 25 minutes. If you put the crumbs on sooner, they get too dark. If you finish baking the dish with crumbs and later rewarm it, the mushrooms get a little overcooked and the crumbs too toasty.

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117 comments on unstuffed mushroom casserole

    1. Megan Elliott

      I just made this mushroom dish for Christmas Eve prime rib dinner and it was fantastic – a real keeper! And not the slightest bit difficult:). Great option for vegetarians.

  1. Nancy

    Deb, I love how you have provided so many simplified recipes for the lazy person like me! Thank you! (I still like to do the traditional methods with the extra steps but for myself, simple is good)

  2. Callie

    Why not brown mushrooms? They are usually so much tastier, but I trust you when you are specific about ingredients. Have you tried it with brown?

  3. DeAnna

    I am SO making this for the holidays! And the half of my family that does not recognize the deliciousness of mushrooms will just be left out. I had a friend from Maryland suggest adding crabmeat, which might take this to a whole new level!

        1. Allie Conn

          I recently made this (so delicious!) and ended up using the leftovers the next night to top my white cheddar/gruyere Mac and cheese. It was UNBELIEVABLE. It was so good, I made that for dinner the next two nights (which I’m not proud of, but I am a little proud of). My husband also mixed some of these mushrooms in with scrambled eggs in the morning, which I would also highly recommend for a decadent breakfast treat. Thank you!

          1. On the east coast we love to make a recipe like this but use Lobster. I love the idea of repurposing it for mac and cheese though. It’s only 8 am right now but my mouth is watering.

  4. Kathleen Beirne

    My son-in-law does not eat melted cheese, but he loves mushrooms. Any suggestions for a different rendition?
    I really want to make this. I have been sick since Thanksgiving and off my usual appetite. So if I could adapt it for this guy we will have it for Christmas dinner

    1. Grace

      I have the same problem with my husband, I’ve tried over 45 yrs of marriage but he still hates cheese! I often add mustard and leave out the cheese, especially good with mushrooms. i also separate his portion into a separate small dish and put cheese over the rest of the dish.

  5. Julie Simpson

    This sounds fabulous…….non leathery mushrooms with the tasty filing I can eat by the spoonful…..you are brilliant my dear……BRILLIANT!

  6. jwgmom

    Going to add this to Christmas Brunch, along with your NY breakfast casserole, a ham, and some biscuits.Also fruit salad. That ought to keep the fussy eaters all satisfied and those of us who eat everything will have a ball.

    1. Whitney Murray

      Perfect for the holiday! I just made it and added bacon. I’m going to finish making second part with breadcrumbs after church, but before evening party. Perfect for Christmas Eve side with a warm baguette on the side! Great suggestion as I do not like stuffing mushrooms and everything is better warm!!! Thank you for suggesting a dish that allows mom to relax a little on Christmas. ;)

    2. nutmeg983

      I am thinking you could freeze it after you put it in the baking dish without breadcrumbs. Similar to how Deb said she prepares it ahead and keeps it in the fridge until close to when she needs it, heats it up part of the way, then tops with the crumbs and cooks until brown. I would put the mushroom mixture in a pan, cover well with foil and freeze. Maybe prep the breadcrumbs and put them in a separate ziploc bag, Then when you want to eat, take out and keep the foil on, bake until warm, then top with the crumbs and finish cooking until the breadcrumbs are golden brown. I am not sure how mushrooms freeze. But this seems the most likely way it would work.

  7. joy

    This sounds like a variation on gribnoi zhulyen, but in a big pan instead of little ramekins, and with breadcrumbs. If your husband/in-laws haven’t introduced you to gribnoi zhulyen yet, tell them to remedy the situation posthaste.

    1. alenahk

      Mascarpone is less tangy than cream cheese and sometimes used as a substitution. The only other things I can think of are ricotta cheese or cottage cheese, but it seems like they might be kind of weird in this.

  8. I am so with you on unstuffing mushrooms. Just dump in a pan, bake, and have at it. You can even serve it in the same pan you baked it in. Just the kind of recipe I would try with gluten free bread crumbs.

  9. Karen Brown

    This was absolutely delicious! The only change I made was my usual trick when I’m faced with sautéing large quantities of shrooms (because I’m a lazy cook!) of first wilting the mushrooms in the microwave, until they exude their moisture. They brown so much quicker, and I added the concentrated mushroom liquor when the cream cheese etc was mixed in. Not a big fan of microwave ovens, I still jump back when it pings, in case I’m frying my own internal organs, but this works wonderfully well.I used a mix of brown and whites, cause that’s what my local greengrocer had in stock.

  10. Tundra

    When the weather drops below 40 Celsius (100 in your temps) and autumn comes creeping my way I’ll be making this. Love not having to stuff, do not enjoy fussy. I’m using your summer back catalogue now! Awesome.

  11. Ohmygosh, this looks delicious, drool! Mushrooms are my absolute favourite and I have never thought about making a mushroom casserole…it’s definitely going on the meal plan for this week!

  12. I made this for a holiday party. It was delicious, however, I would make changes if I made it again. As a dip, I think there was way too much. I would halve the recipe and instead of cutting the mushrooms in quarters, I would chop them more finely. (Honestly, I think that just having an actual stuffed mushroom is easier as party food because you don’t then need crackers or bread to put the mushrooms on.) As a side dish, I would still halve the recipe for a smaller group. Everyone loved the dish.

  13. Jen

    Made this last night. Very good. Mine was a tad dry but still had wonderful flavor. Might cut back on the panko a bit next time but I’ll definitely be making this again.

  14. Hilary

    Made this for Christmas dinner and it was a huge hit. It’s destined to become a regular for holidays in this family. The only change I made was using baby portabella mushrooms and half marscapone for half the cream cheese (because I was using it up from another recipe). Definitely recommend!

  15. Nikki

    Made this for Christmas Dinner, it was great. We added spinach to it. Next time, need to add more spinach and maybe add bacon. Loved the flavors.

  16. Flo

    V easy and good, thank you. Would chop the mushrooms smaller next time; mine seemed quite big so I did chop them into sixths but they still felt a bit too chunky.

  17. Pierre

    Made this and it was seriously tasty – only issue is that my mushrooms, which I cut smaller than Deb suggested, seemed too big to scoop nicely (although as a side dish it would be fine). I would try this again with a smaller chop.

  18. Pierre

    Made this and it was seriously tasty – only issue is that my mushrooms, which I cut smaller than Deb suggested, seemed too big to scoop nicely (although as a side dish I guess it would be fine). I would try this again with a smaller chop.

  19. Susan

    I made this as a side dish for dinner party and it was great. I definitely adjusted ingredients somewhat since people would not be eating it as a dip; I thought the cream cheese and gruyere was plenty of cheese (it was) and I reduced the panko in the casserole, too. Plenty rich as modified and no left overs. Thanks for all the great recipes, Deb!

  20. Karen

    Thank-you for the recipe! I made it for a family brunch alongside sausage pie, hash browns, and salad and it was a huge hit. I splurged on real Gruyère and it was well worth it. Thanks for the make ahead tips. I would add that I should have taken it out of the dishes before baking as it needed longer in the oven as it went in cold. So scrumptious!

  21. Susan

    this looks amazing – i wish i saw this recipe before christmas would have tried it. i guess i will just have to make it for myself and eat the whole thing!

  22. Vivian

    Would definitely make this again. I quartered the mushrooms and thought they were a nice size that way. Spinach was a great mix-in. It would be a nice side dish to bring to a potluck.

  23. Hi Deb – Thanks for the make-ahead instructions, but I still have a question. I want to make this for a potluck, and will have to make it 3-4 hours before folks eat it. Is it okay to bake it fully and then rewarm it before eating, maybe for 10 mins at 350F? Or maybe underbake it a bit to start with? What do you recommend?

  24. Audrey

    This is superb comfort food and an excellent side. We’ve made it twice so far and the second time around cut the cream cheese down to about 6 ounces and the parm to 3/4 cup (didn’t have enough on hand!). Could not tell the difference at all on either front. Those cuts certainly don’t make this **health food** but I’m telling myself the dish has been health-ified!

  25. Maryse42

    Deb, this was wonderful even without cream cheese! (I did put in a glug of heavy cream and a little splash of wine though.) I only had a single pound of mushrooms so I made a mini casserole just for me (baked for 20 minutes to account for smaller volume) and I have enough left for lunch tomorrow! Thank you!! Bonus, I had time to clean the kitchen while it baked, so I could enjoy it in peace when it was done! I resolved to try more new recipes and eat more delicious food in 2020 and boy did this fit the bill!

  26. Agnieszka

    Thank you, this was a great idea. I made it for brunch (used regular breadcrumbs, cause I didn’t have panko) and it was still very good. I got lot’s of compliments.

  27. Caroline

    My Mom made a similar recipe when I was a kid. We only had it at Christmas though because it was, as I found out, quite the ordeal to put together. Her version included roasted eggplant, I know, I know, but I love eggplant. Also, she mixed a few tablespoons for Swiss cheese into the breadcrumbs. So good!

  28. Nikki

    I made no changes to this recipe, BEST THING I EVER ATE! I’m making it for the 3rd time today since Christmas, it has been requested for a party! It’s a super yummy dish!

  29. Joan

    If adding spinach as suggested, when and how do you add it? Clearly, it will release a lot of liquid too. And, it cooks quickly. Thanks for the assist.

  30. Paige D

    Wowza this was awesome!! My partner raved which is good since I didn’t halve it – we have tons of leftovers. I would be curious if anyone has tried freezing it?

    1. deb

      I’m not sure about freezing this one, I never know what will happen to straight cheese sauces when frozen then rewarmed — I think it might just split or get soggy.

  31. Ali

    Omg I love you. I am scrolling your site looking for ideas (I just decided that I’m taking a break from thekitchn and just entering every random vegetable that come in my Misfits box into your website from now on) and I came upon this recipe, stared at it for a second thinking, “Is this what I think it is? Why have I never thought of this MY GOD SHE’S BRILLIANT” then I said, out loud, “OMG I LOVE HER!” now I’m writing you this comment. Everylove.

  32. Tracy

    I am debating making this as a crepe filling. The more I think about it, the more excited I am about this idea! (Would add spinach, and perhaps reduce crunchy topping.) Has anyone tried this with crepes?

  33. Rigel

    Holy moly this is good! Rich and decadent certainly. I halved the recipe to make a side dish to go with our turkey dinner for two. I also followed the advice of another reviewer and added some diced bacon and regret nothing.

  34. Olivia

    A new staple! Made this for Christmas dinner and it really impressed me! We made it the day before using vegan cream cheese and vegan cheddar and it was delicious. I think we fought over who got to lick the dish clean.

  35. janeinbama

    This is a wonderful recipe. I followed your recipe initially, however, the second time I added hot breakfast sausage and it was over the top. Much easier to prepare and serve than stuffed mushrooms

  36. Andrea

    I only had 1.5lbs of mushrooms, but wanted to make this as a vegetarian main for dinner, so I halved the recipe, rough diced the mushrooms instead of quartering, and baked it in your galette crust instead of a casserole. It was SO GOOD! The breadcrumbs on top got a little too crispy baking at 400, so I will add those later on next time (there will be a next time), but it didn’t even matter. Everyone loved it!

  37. Carolyn Schiff

    This is an ideal dish to take to a summer rental cabin or cottage. I prepared it up to the baking phase, skipped the panko topping, ( although I’m sure it would be great), and added a pkg of frozen, chopped spinach. to the cooked mushrooms. Bake and serve in the cabin with bread or crackers.

  38. Kathi McClure

    My husband has to have meat. I want to add sausage, but do I need to cook the sausage before baking the whole thing together?

  39. Ashley

    Oh my gosh I made this as a dip and it was devoured very quickly at work ! I halved it since a lot of the comments said it was a lot which I regretted doing seeing how fast it was gone. I chopped the mushrooms finely to make them scoopable! Next time I might add some goat cheese or more cream cheese to get it creamier. I’m making it again tomorrow as an appetizer for my family thanksgiving and I’m already drooling. Thank you SK!!!

  40. Kerri

    Absolutely delicious. I made this and Mom’s Apple Cake for our Friendsgiving this year. Despite misunderstanding the degree to which you’re supposed to cook the mushrooms before mixing them up with the other ingredients, it turned out beautifully.

    *HINT* I learned “cooking off” the liquid in the mushrooms doesn’t mean cooking them until the water content has evaporated off, as I misunderstood. It means cooking the ‘shrooms just enough so there’s a shallow layer of liquid in the bottom of the pan. The shroomies will still be ever so slightly firm!

    Because my sister in law has Celiac disease, I decided to make both this and the apple cake gluten free. BEAUTIFUL. I lucked out and found pre-made gluten free bread crumbs (Schar brand), and subbed vegan cream cheese to help cut down on the raw dairy content (gruyere and parmesan are both aged, so less lactose content).

    I also ended up accidentally getting smoked gruyere instead of standard, but it just added to the flavor profile. OMG.

  41. Beth

    I tried this recipe with Char GF breadcrumbs, delish! It ended up being a bit dry substituting 1 to 1; I’d suggest substituting with about 1 1/2 cups GF breadcrumbs instead of 2, and/or be sure not to cook down your mushrooms too much. That said, I also transported the dish from right out of the oven to an insulated container and it sat for an hour an a half, so it had time to absorb. I’ll get it right one of these times!

  42. Rachel

    This was delicious! So much easier than stuffed mushrooms. I used half Greek yogurt and half cream cheese to use up what was in my fridge. I love this as an additional easy vegetable side dish!

  43. Colette

    This phrase “vow with me to bring cozy cooking back in 2020,” aged so well. One of the good things (for me) of the pandemic was embracing cozy cooking again. Looking forward to making this recipe!!

  44. Gloria

    I finally made this tonight. Oh my goodness…talk about greater than the sum of its parts! I made a half-recipe using 1.5 lb brown mushrooms, ~5 oz neufchatel-style cream cheese, dried parsley (because I didn’t want to go to Wegman’s for just one thing), two cloves of frozen grated garlic, Target house-brand panko, Kraft grated parm, & pre-shredded sharp cheddar. I just sprinkled the top with more panko, skipping the butter treatment. It is truly one of the best things I’ve ever made. I had some leftover Amy’s boxed mac & cheese, so I loaded some of this on top and found comfort food heaven. I rough-chopped the mushrooms after cleaning them, then nuked ’em in a large glass bowl with evoo, thereby completely circumventing the stove top part. Lazy Cook Nirvana!

  45. You’ve created so many great articles here, that I’ve read yours a few times. Much of your point of view is in line with mine. This is great content for your readers. Please keep sharing!

  46. Beth Rankin

    The way you present recipes is SO approachable. The hints at the end on this one are a great example. Helping us achieve kitchen wonderfulness because you did the hard work figuring it out. Thank you thank you thank you.

  47. Toni McCormick

    What is an alternative to cream cheese–I’m just not crazy about it in these types of recipes. Goat cheese or other? Bechamel sauce? Creme Fraiche?

  48. jk

    Deb, definitely making for T-day. I want to add spinach would you suggest frozen or fresh? How much of each would you recommend thank you in advance for your help

  49. JoAnn Peroutka

    Delicious but beware the mushrooms you use. My grocer didn’t have button so I used larger white mushrooms. I guess the gills were too dark bc the dish was an unappealing grey…but so tasty if you ignored the color. Would use Bella or cremini next time if I can’t find button. Thanks!

  50. MC

    Made a half recipe for Thanksgiving. Followed the recipe but did add some lemon juice and a splash of hot sauce. I used Swiss and Gruyère. It was a hit, but a lot for 3 people!

    We had a couple of cups of leftovers so I made a soup of it. The leftover dip + about 2.5 cups of turkey stock, some water, chopped leftover turkey, and about a cup of cooked wild rice. Some extra black pepper. It sounds weird but was absolutely delicious.

  51. Miriam R Lewis

    Everybody loved this at our Thanksgiving dinner this year. At least three people asked for the recipe. My kid had some of the leftovers as an omelet filling, which was a brilliant mashup. You can bet that I’ll be making this again!

  52. I’ve made this twice and it’s a real hit but….. I’ve used it as a topping for crackers and it seems to be a bit thick for that if it sits on a warming tray for a bit.

    Any suggestions for thinning?

    Thanks