Air Fryer Stuffed Mushrooms
Air fryer stuffed mushrooms are delicious bite-size appetizers featuring baby portabella mushrooms stuffed with a creamy filling of sausage and two different kinds of cheese, loaded with seasoning, and topped with Panko breadcrumbs, which add a crispy golden finish. I could seriously eat these by the plateful. They are so addicting!
As much as I love air-frying stuffed mushrooms as an appetizer, I’m going to let you in on a little secret. These little gems are not reserved for fancy gatherings in my house—oh no. I make stuffed mushrooms in the air fryer for any reason or no reason at all. They are that good!
They’re the best for nibbling on during movie night with kids or game night with friends. And because they’re so easy to make ahead of time, they’re one of the first things that come to mind when I’m asked to bring something to a potluck.
They’re super easy to customize because, as delicious as this filling is, you can swap it out for whatever filling you’d like. With some simple swaps, you can make them low-carb, dairy-free, or gluten-free. You could also add a few different fillings and offer people a variety of flavors!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- They are an easy and elegant way to serve a crowd as a fantastic starter. They’re small enough for everyone to sample a couple, and they’re portable, so people can enjoy them while they mingle.
- As impressive as they are, they’re also super easy to make!
- They take up no room in the oven, which is great if I’ve got the main meal on the go.
- Stuffed mushrooms are delicious and flexible. Add whatever filling you want to suit your taste preferences.
Ingredients Needed
- Mushrooms – For this recipe, I use 2 pounds of cremini (aka baby Bella or baby portabella) mushrooms. Substituting white button mushrooms or a combination of both is fine, too.
- Ground sausage – Italian sausage, I find, has a ton of flavor, so I don’t need to overdo the seasoning, which is great.
- Garlic cloves – Freshly minced garlic is a wonderful aromatic that goes so well with the mushrooms, the cheese, and the onion.
- Large onion – Another aromatic that works in tandem with the garlic to bring maximum flavor to every bite of these babies.
- Salt & pepper – A bit of seasoning goes a long way.
- Cream cheese softened – Remember to take it out of the fridge early enough or microwave it and let it cool to room temperature. Otherwise, it’ll be too solid to become nice and creamy.
- Grated Parmesan – I’m a big believer in freshly grated cheese wherever possible. Grating it from a block melts better and tastes better.
- Panko breadcrumbs – I enjoy the texture and crispness of Panko breadcrumbs, but you can use whatever breadcrumbs you have on hand.
- Fresh parsley – A lovely fresh, vibrant finish!
Please scroll ⬇️ to the recipe card to see the full ingredient amounts and instructions.
How to Make Stuffed Mushrooms in Air Fryer
- Clean mushrooms, then remove stems. Finely chop mushroom stems and set them aside.
- In a medium bowl, soften the cream cheese in the microwave for 30 seconds. Stir and let it cool to room temperature. Add mild Italian sausage, onion, garlic, salt, pepper, parmesan cheese, and half of the panko bread crumbs (save the remaining for later). Stir until well combined (it might be easier to use your hands to mix).
- Use a small spoon to fill the mushrooms with the mixture and gently press to fill the cavity. Add a little more to create a small mound on top of the mushroom. Sprinkle panko bread crumbs on top of the mushroom and then press down to help it stick on. Shake off any excess.
- Repeat with the remaining mushrooms. Spray some cooking oil on the bottom of the air fryer tray and place the stuffed mushrooms spaced out on the tray. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to do multiple batches. Air fry at 350°F for 12-14 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
- Garnish with a sprinkling of fresh parsley, if desired, and enjoy!
Helpful Tips
– The easiest way to clean your mushrooms is to dunk them in water and use your hands to scrub the dirt off. You could also use a colander. Mushrooms naturally have a lot of water in them, so to avoid an excess of water (i.e. soggy mushrooms), it’s important to pat them dry with paper towels before air frying.
– Use your hands to mix the stuffing ingredients together.
– To make the filling look neater, use a piping bag with a large tip or a ziplock with the corner cut off.
– Spray cooking oil on the tray to prevent the mushrooms from sticking. This is unnecessary but spraying cooking oil or brushing butter on top of the assembled mushrooms before placing them into the air fryer will give it a nice golden brown finish.
Substitutions and Variations
- Swap out the filling for any of your favorite thick, chunky dips. Think buffalo chicken dip or spinach and artichoke.
- Swap the sausage for crumbled bacon, shredded chicken, or crab meat for something of a different taste and texture.
- Use regular seasoned breadcrumbs instead of panko.
- Top with grated cheddar cheese.
- Add in some jalapeno for heat.
FAQs
I love the portability of white button mushrooms and baby bella mushrooms, but if you’re looking to make a bigger version, try portobello mushrooms. They’re great! They will require more stuffing per mushroom and maybe a knife and fork for eating.
You bet. Make the filling the day before or even the morning of and keep it chilled in the fridge. Then, when you’re ready to serve, just stuff them, air fry them, and 12 minutes later, they’re ready!
Storage Suggestions
The great thing about making more than enough is that you’ll have leftovers that can last for up to 3 days in the fridge. Store covered in an airtight container and reheat in the air fryer for about 5 minutes to enjoy a quick snack.
What to Serve it With
Stuffed mushrooms make a great appetizer or side dish and pair well with a variety of other dishes, such as tangy, spicy cucumber salad, Instant Pot spaghetti, Instant Pot fettuccini alfredo, Air Fryer Brussels sprouts, or Air Fryer garlic bread.
RECIPE
Air Fryer Stuffed Mushrooms
Equipment
- Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 2 pounds baby Bella (or white button) mushrooms
- ½ pound ground mild Italian sausage
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ large onion, finely diced
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 4 ounce cream cheese, softened
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup panko bread crumbs, divided
- minced fresh parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Clean mushrooms, then remove stems. Finely chop mushroom stems and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, softened the cream cheese in the microwave for 30 seconds. Stir and let it cool to room temperature. Add mild Italian sausage, onion, garlic, salt, pepper, parmesan cheese, and half of the panko bread crumbs (save the remaining for later). Stir until well combined (it might be easier to use your hands to mix).
- Use a small spoon to fill mushrooms with the mixture and gently press to fill the cavity. Add a little more to create a small mound on top of the mushroom. Sprinkle panko bread crumbs on top of the mushroom and then press down to help it stick on. Shake off any excess.
- Repeat with the remaining mushrooms. Spray some cooking oil on the bottom of the air fryer tray and place the stuffed mushrooms spaced out on the tray. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to do multiple batches. Air fry at 350°F for 12-14 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
- Sprinkle minced parsley (if using), and serve.
Notes
- The easiest way to clean your mushrooms is to dunk them in water and use your hands to scrub the dirt off. You could also use a colander. Mushrooms naturally have a lot of water in them, so to avoid an excess of water (i.e. soggy mushrooms), it’s important to pat them dry with paper towels before air frying.
- Use your hands to mix the stuffing ingredients together.
- To make the filling look neater, use a piping bag with a large tip or a ziplock with the corner cut off.
- Spray cooking oil on the tray to prevent the mushrooms from sticking. This is unnecessary but spraying cooking oil or brushing butter on top of the assembled mushrooms before placing them into the air fryer will give it a nice golden brown finish.
