The Ultimate Show-Stopping Stuffed Mushroom Stuffing
A savory and rich bread stuffing with all the flavors of classic stuffed mushrooms. This casserole features a base of day-old bread cubes mixed with browned Italian sausage, sautéed mushrooms, bell peppers, and scallions, all bound together with broth, Parmesan, and eggs. The dish is uniquely topped with large mushroom caps that are themselves filled with a portion of the stuffing, coated in a crispy panko-Parmesan crust, and then baked along with the rest of the casserole until golden brown.
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours (includes cooling time)
- Yield: 10-12 servings
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Baking, Sautéing
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for the baking dish
- 1 pound white mushrooms, cleaned
- 1 pound sweet Italian sausage, removed from the casings
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 bunch (about 6) scallions, white and green parts separated
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken or turkey broth
- 16 cups cubed crusty day-old white country bread with the crusts removed
- 1 cup grated Parmesan
- 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- Nonstick cooking spray
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
- Prepare the Mushrooms: Select the 12 largest mushrooms from the pound. Remove their stems and set the 12 caps aside. Finely chop the stems. Slice the remaining smaller mushrooms and combine them with the chopped stems.
- Cook the Base: Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of butter. When melted, add the sausage and cook, breaking it up into crumbles, for about 4 minutes until browned.
- Add 6 tablespoons of butter to the pot. When melted, add the chopped mushroom mixture, bell pepper, the white parts of the scallions, thyme, 1 1/4 teaspoons of salt, and several grinds of pepper. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring, until the vegetables are softened.
- Add the broth and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat. Add the bread cubes and toss well to moisten the bread.
- Stir in 3/4 cup of the Parmesan, the green parts of the scallions, and 1/2 cup of the parsley.
- Prepare the Topping: Remove 1 1/2 cups of the stuffing mixture and finely chop it. In a small bowl, combine the panko, the remaining 1/4 cup of Parmesan, and 1 tablespoon of parsley.
- In a separate bowl, toss the 12 reserved mushroom caps with the olive oil and 1/4 teaspoon of salt.
- Press a portion of the finely chopped stuffing into each mushroom cap. Dip the stuffed tops into the panko mixture to coat them.
- Assemble and Bake: Transfer the main stuffing from the Dutch oven to the prepared baking dish. Pour the beaten eggs into the Dutch oven, scrape up any remaining bits, and pour over the stuffing in the dish, mixing well.
- Arrange the stuffed mushrooms in a grid on top of the stuffing. Sprinkle any leftover panko mixture over the top. Dot the mushrooms and stuffing with the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter.
- Spray a piece of foil with cooking spray and cover the dish, spray-side down. Bake for about 35 minutes, until the mushrooms are tender.
- Uncover and bake for another 20 to 25 minutes, until the topping is browned and crisp.
- Let cool for 10 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon of chopped parsley.
Notes
- This recipe creatively uses a portion of the stuffing itself to create the stuffed mushroom topping for the casserole.
- Using day-old, crusty bread is ideal as it will absorb the liquid without becoming overly mushy.
- Spraying the foil with cooking spray before covering the dish is a helpful tip to prevent the cheesy, crispy topping from sticking.
- The casserole is baked in two stages—covered first to cook through, then uncovered to brown and crisp the top.