Stuffed mushrooms are a real treat and can be pretty pricey when you get them in a restaurant. These meatless appetizers are perfect for vegetarians and easy to make at home. Using simple ingredients like Ritz crackers, Parmesan cheese, and butter, you can create restaurant-quality stuffed mushrooms for a fraction of the cost. Perfect for parties, these can be prepared and popped in the oven when guests arrive, making entertaining stress-free and budget-friendly.
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Table of Contents
Why This Recipe Works
If you have never made stuffed mushrooms before, you will find that they are very easy to make. The magic happens when buttery Ritz crackers meet savory Parmesan cheese, creating a crispy and creamy filling. The mushroom caps act as natural serving vessels, concentrating flavors while providing earthy depth. This meatless version proves that vegetarian appetizers can be just as satisfying and crowd-pleasing as their meat-filled counterparts, making them perfect for everyone.
Easy-to-Find Ingredients
Don’t you hate it when you find what you think is the perfect recipe and then discover it has difficult-to-find ingredients? This recipe uses only six common pantry staples that you likely already have at home. No special shopping trips or expensive specialty items are required.
For the Mushrooms:
- Fresh mushrooms – Choose large button or baby bella mushrooms that can hold generous filling portions
- Ritz crackers – Provide the signature buttery crunch and act as the filling base
- Yellow onions – Add sweet, aromatic flavor that complements the earthy mushrooms
- Parmesan cheese – Contributes sharp, nutty flavor and helps bind the filling
- Butter – Creates richness and helps achieve golden-brown tops
- Olive oil – Prevents sticking and adds subtle fruity notes
Storage & Reheating Instructions
- Refrigerator Storage: Store assembled uncooked mushrooms covered for up to 4 hours before baking. Cooked mushrooms keep for 2 days but are best served fresh.
- Reheating Method: Reheat cooked mushrooms in 350°F oven for 5-7 minutes until warmed. Avoid microwaving, as this can make them soggy.
- Freezing: Not recommended for this recipe, as mushrooms release water when thawed, affecting texture and flavor.
Ritz Cracker Stuffed Mushrooms Recipe
Ingredients
- 10 ounces mushrooms
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 2 tablespoons garlic minced
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 6 ounces Ritz Crackers crushed fine
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese Romano is ok
- 2 ounces butter melted
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Wipe mushrooms with a damp cloth or mushroom brush remove stems and scrape out gills, chop mushroom stems.
- Saute onion, garlic, and mushroom stems with olive oil until soft and tender.
- Remove from heat and add the Ritz cracker crumbs, cheese, melted butter, and pepper to taste.
- Stir ingredients until they are mixed together; if the mixture is to dry add more olive oil or butter.
- Stuff each mushroom with the stuffing mixture and place on a baking dish in a single layer.
- Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, remove foil and bake 10 minutes longer until golden brown on top! Enjoy!
Notes
- Add 1 teaspoon of minced garlic.
- Add a half teaspoon of curry powder to the stuffling.
- Top with a spinkling of Swiss cheese.
Just a small note for vegetarians. Make sure to check your Parmesan for *rennet*.
DOP Parmigiano Reggiano is the most likely to contain animal rennet which comes from scraping a calf stomach. Hence it’s basically not vegetarian.
I’d look for microbial rennet instead, mostly found in “cheaper” kinds of cheese, mozzarella included.
Not too shabby for a vegetarian stuffed mushroom.