These cheese stuffed mushrooms are a simple to prepare, one-bite appetizer filled with creamy and cozy holiday flavors. This version features tender roasted mushrooms stuffed with savory leeks, tangy cream cheese and loads of nutty gruyere, baked until golden brown.
Ingredients
14white button mushrooms*
2cupssliced leeks, about 2 whole leeks
2clovesgarlic, minced or grated
2tablespoonsextra virgin olive oil
18 ounce packagesoftened cream cheese
5ouncesgruyere cheese, reserve about 1/3 of the cheese for topping
3-4sprigsItalian parsley, plus extra if desired for garnish
1/8teaspoonnutmeg, ground or freshly grated
1largeegg
kosher salt and cracked black pepper to taste
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350°. Line a cookie sheet with a cooling rack and set aside. Clean the mushrooms by wiping their caps with a damp paper towel. Remove the stems and finely dice.
Cut the root end and the dark green tops off of the leeks. Slice in half length-wise and then into thin, half-moon slices. Rinse the sliced leeks thoroughly in a colander and pat dry.**
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, sauté the mushroom stems in olive oil for about 10 minutes or until golden brown. Once, browned, add in the cleaned and chopped leeks and garlic with kosher salt and cracked black pepper to taste. Cook the leeks until they are soft and translucent and the garlic is fragrant,, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.
Using a hand mixer, beat the softened cream cheese to loosen it up. Then mix in the sautéd vegetables. Shred the gruyere on a box grater and then add about two thirds of it to the cream cheese mixture. Reserve the remaining third to eventually top the mushrooms before baking. Then add the nutmeg, chopped parsley and kosher salt and cracked pepper to taste. Taste the mixture before adding the egg and adjust seasoning if necessary. Then, crack in the egg and give it a final beat.
Using a spoon, piping bag or zip-top bag with the corner cut off, fill the mushroom caps with the cheese and leek filling. Arrange mushrooms on top of the cooling rack-lined baking sheet, and top each cap with a generous pinch of the reserved shredded gruyere cheese. Bake in a 350° preheated oven for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, the mushrooms should be tender and the filling, melty.
To add some additional brownness and toasty flavor, pop under the broiler on the top shelf of your oven for an additional minute or two, keeping a close eye. Once slightly golden, transfer to a platter and top with extra parsley if desired. Enjoy hot or warm.
Equipment
1 Hand mixer
Notes
*White button mushrooms are best choice for cheese stuffed mushrooms. Cremini or "baby bella" mushrooms can also work if you have them on hand, but the white buttons have a more desirable texture for this recipe. **Do not skip thoroughly rinsing your leeks. Leeks grow in a sandy environment, and a little bit of sand will quickly ruin these delicious mushrooms. Leeks are easiest to clean after they are sliced, as the sand can get up inside the layers of the stalk.