Spinach & Parmesan Stuffed Mushrooms
A half batch of Katie's favorite event appetizer, with garlicky mushroom-stem filling, spinach, cilantro, and dried parsley.
Makes approximately 12–16 stuffed mushrooms, depending on mushroom size; about 4–6 appetizer servings.
Ingredients
• 16 oz whole button or cremini mushrooms
• 1 shallot, finely diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon olive oil or avocado oil, plus a little for the baking dish if needed
• 4 oz cream cheese, softened; regular or reduced-fat
• 1 large egg
• 1/4–1/2 cup cooked, finely chopped spinach, squeezed very dry
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley, in addition to the cilantro
• 1/4 cup breadcrumbs: Italian-seasoned, whole-wheat, or gluten-free
• 1/3–1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan or Parmesan cheese blend
• 1/4 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest, optional
• Black pepper, to taste
• Salt, only as needed
Instructions
1. Heat the oven to 375 F. Lightly grease a baking dish or line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment. Clean the mushrooms and pat dry. Remove the stems and finely chop them; keep the caps whole.
2. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a skillet over medium heat. Saute the chopped stems and shallot until softened and their released moisture has cooked off, about 6–8 minutes. Add garlic and cook about 30 seconds more. Let cool.
3. Squeeze the cooked spinach very dry and chop finely. Start with 1/4 cup for a version closer to the original; use up to 1/2 cup for more spinach.
4. Mix softened cream cheese, egg, spinach, cooled stem mixture, cilantro, dried parsley, breadcrumbs, 1/3 cup Parmesan, optional lemon zest, and black pepper until evenly combined. Add the remaining Parmesan if you prefer a cheesier filling. Season lightly; Parmesan and Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs can already be salty. Do not taste the filling after adding raw egg.
5. Divide filling among the mushroom caps, gently mounding it on top. Arrange in the prepared dish.
6. Bake about 20–25 minutes, or longer for large mushrooms, until the caps are tender and the filling is set and cooked through. Rest 5 minutes before serving warm.
Katie’s Notes
• For the original double batch, double the ingredients and use 32 oz mushrooms. Use two pans if needed to avoid crowding.
• Chop and freeze leftover fresh herbs in small portions for future cooked dishes.
A Little Plant Variety
Shallot, garlic, spinach, cilantro, parsley, and the grain in your breadcrumbs bring variety alongside the mushrooms. Different plant foods provide different fibers and other compounds. Research has linked eating a wider variety of plants with a more diverse gut microbiome; it has not established a magic weekly number everyone needs. Small amounts of herbs broaden variety, but contribute little total fiber. This is a plant-variety note, not a claim that this appetizer is high in fiber.
Research background: The Microsetta Initiative, University of California San Diego, explaining the American Gut findings:
