Sausage and Boursin-Stuffed Mushrooms: Creamy Party Appetizer

These sausage and Boursin stuffed mushrooms are savory, creamy, and irresistibly cheesy. The filling combines seasoned sausage, garlic, fresh herbs, and Boursin cheese, finished with melted fontina and parmesan and a golden panko topping. Bite-sized and easy to make, they’re ideal for holidays, parties, or a cozy appetizer any night.

Boursin adds a tangy, herb-studded creaminess to the mixture while fontina and parmesan boost the melty, savory cheese notes. Sage-forward sausage brings warmth and depth, and the panko topping delivers the necessary crunch to balance the soft filling and tender mushrooms.

If you want a heftier stuffed mushroom to serve as a main course, try a crab-stuffed portobello or swap proteins and cheeses to suit your taste. These mushrooms also pair well with other shareable starters like fried goat cheese balls, caramelized onion tart, herb-roasted olives, or cheese tartlets.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Crowd-pleasing appetizer — great for parties, game days, and holiday gatherings. Assemble ahead and bake before serving so they arrive hot.
• Cheesy, savory filling — Boursin, fontina, and parmesan with sage sausage create a rich, layered flavor.
• Crispy topping — panko provides a crunchy contrast to the creamy filling.
• Customizable — easy to adapt with different cheeses, herbs, or a vegetarian filling.

Ingredients

• Mushrooms: Button or cremini work best; choose similar-sized caps for even baking.
• Ground sausage: Sage sausage is recommended, but use your favorite variety.
• Aromatics: Finely diced onion and minced garlic cooked with the sausage.
• Herbs: Fresh thyme and parsley enhance the savory profile; add a touch of sage if your sausage is plain.
• Cheeses: Boursin for creamy, herby richness; fontina for melt; parmesan for nutty saltiness.
• Panko: For a crisp, golden topping.

See the recipe card below for exact quantities and the full ingredient list.

Substitutions and Variations

• Use flavored Boursin (like caramelized onion) or swap with goat cheese, cream cheese, or feta for a different tang.
• Replace fontina with mozzarella, gouda, or gruyère for alternate meltiness and flavor.
• Try hot or mild Italian sausage for more or less heat.
• To make vegetarian mushrooms, omit the sausage and use vegetarian sausage crumbles or add sauteed spinach, diced roasted peppers, or caramelized onions.

How to Make This Recipe

One: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Clean mushrooms and remove stems, placing caps opening-side up on a prepared baking sheet.

Two: In a large skillet over medium heat, brown the ground sausage, breaking it into small pieces. Add diced onion, minced garlic, thyme, and salt and cook until the onion is translucent and fragrant; avoid browning the garlic.

Three: Transfer the cooked mixture to a bowl to cool slightly.

Four: Stir in the Boursin until combined, then mix in shredded fontina and grated parmesan until smooth and evenly distributed.

Five: Spoon the filling into each mushroom cap, pressing down on the first scoop and then mounding slightly with a second scoop.

Six: Combine panko, chopped parsley, a pinch of salt, and olive oil until the panko is evenly moistened. Top each filled mushroom with the panko mixture, covering the filling completely.

Seven: Bake for 15–20 minutes at 400°F, until mushrooms are tender, the filling is hot and slightly bubbling, and the panko is golden brown. Transfer to a serving platter and garnish with extra parsley.

Expert Tips

• Choose medium-sized mushrooms that are uniform in size so they cook evenly.
• Mound filling, but avoid overfilling to prevent overflow while baking.
• Bake on parchment or foil for easy cleanup.
• Assemble ahead of time: fill mushrooms and refrigerate up to one day, then add panko and bake just before serving.

Testing Notes

• Sage sausage adds a distinctive savory note; if unavailable, add a little minced or ground sage to the mixture.
• Avoid overfilling; excess filling can spill during baking.
• Panko is essential for texture—skip it and the bite will be unbalanced. Use gluten-free panko if needed.

Recipe FAQs

Storage

Store baked mushrooms covered in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours. Reheat in a 400°F oven for 5–7 minutes until hot; note that the panko will lose some crispness after reheating. These do not freeze well—avoid freezing before or after baking.

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What to Know When Cooking with The Cozy Plum

• Recipes use Diamond Crystal kosher salt. If using Morton’s, cut the salt amount roughly in half because it is about twice as salty by volume.
• Switch between U.S. cups and metric in the recipe card if available. Baking by weight with a digital scale yields the most consistent results.
• Use the recipe card multipliers (1x, 2x, 3x) to scale ingredient quantities; adjust baking times as needed.

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Sausage and Boursin Stuffed Mushrooms

Callan Wenner

Equipment

• Large frying pan
• Mixing bowls
• Large baking sheet
• Parchment paper

Ingredients

• 18 button mushrooms, cleaned and stems removed
• 8 ounces ground sausage (sage sausage recommended)
• ½ cup finely diced yellow onion
• 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt (for the filling)
• 1 pack Boursin cheese
• ½ cup shredded fontina cheese
• ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
• ⅓ cup panko breadcrumbs
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley, plus extra for garnish
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt (for panko)
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and place mushroom caps opening-side up.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the ground sausage and brown, breaking it into small pieces.
3. Add diced onion, garlic, thyme, and ½ teaspoon kosher salt to the pan. Cook until the onion is translucent and fragrant. Transfer mixture to a bowl and let cool slightly.
4. Stir in the Boursin until combined, then fold in the fontina and parmesan until smooth.
5. Spoon the mixture into each mushroom cap, pressing down on the first scoop and then adding a small mound on top.
6. Mix panko, 2 tablespoons parsley, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, and 1 tablespoon olive oil until the panko is evenly coated. Top each filled mushroom with the panko mixture.
7. Bake 15–20 minutes, until mushrooms are cooked through, the filling is hot, and the panko is golden. Garnish with extra parsley and serve warm.

Notes