Sarra Ina Garten’s sausage stuffed mushrooms are Marsala-soaked white mushroom caps packed with sweet Italian sausage, creamy mascarpone, crunchy panko, and sharp Parmesan, then baked low and slow at 325F (165C) until golden and crusty on top. This recipe serves 6 to 8 as a holiday appetizer or Thanksgiving side, and the whole thing takes about 1 hour and 20 minutes with only 15 minutes of hands-on prep.
This recipe comes from Ina’s Barefoot Contessa How Easy Is That? cookbook (2010) and appeared on her Back to Basics television show. She designed it to replace the soggy stuffing that comes out of a turkey. Ina writes that she prefers “stuffing that’s crunchy outside and moist inside,” so she roasts her turkey unstuffed and serves these sausage-filled mushrooms alongside instead. The mascarpone is what sets her version apart from every other stuffed mushroom recipe out there.
The technique that makes or breaks this recipe is tossing the mushroom caps in olive oil and Marsala wine before you fill them. That quick soak seasons the caps from the outside in and keeps them from drying out through a full 50 minutes of baking. Skip it and the mushrooms shrink, turn leathery, and lose their juice, so you end up with tough caps that fight the filling instead of melting into it.
Ina Garten Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms Recipe
Course: AppetizersCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy6
servings15
minutes1
hour5
minutes250
kcalFrom Ina’s How Easy Is That? cookbook, this Thanksgiving-ready side wraps savory Italian sausage stuffing inside tender mushroom caps with a crispy panko and Parmesan crust. Bake a batch for any holiday gathering or dinner party.
Ingredients
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16 extra-large white mushrooms, stems removed and reserved
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5 tablespoons (75ml) good olive oil, divided
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2 1/2 tablespoons (37ml) Marsala wine or dry sherry
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3/4 pound (340g) sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
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3/4 cup (75g) minced scallions, white and green parts (about 6 scallions)
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2 teaspoons minced garlic (2 cloves)
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1 teaspoon kosher salt
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1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
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2/3 cup (40g) panko breadcrumbs
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5 ounces (140g) Italian mascarpone cheese
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1/3 cup (35g) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
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2 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
Directions
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Prep the mushrooms: Trim the stems and chop them finely, then set aside. Toss the caps in a shallow bowl with 3 tablespoons of the olive oil and the Marsala wine. Set aside while you make the filling.
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Brown the sausage: Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage and break it apart with a wooden spoon. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring often, until completely browned with no pink remaining.
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Prep the mushrooms: Trim the stems and chop them finely, then set aside. Toss the caps in a shallow bowl with 3 tablespoons of the olive oil and the Marsala wine. Set aside while you make the filling.
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Brown the sausage: Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage and break it apart with a wooden spoon. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring often, until completely browned with no pink remaining.
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Cook the aromatics: Add the chopped mushroom stems to the skillet and cook for 3 minutes. Stir in the scallions, garlic, salt, and pepper and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes until fragrant.
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Add the panko: Stir the panko breadcrumbs into the sausage mixture until evenly combined.
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Stir in the mascarpone: Swirl the mascarpone into the hot filling and cook until it melts and turns the mixture creamy, about 1 minute. Remove from heat, stir in the Parmesan and parsley, and taste for seasoning. Let the filling cool slightly.
- Stuff and bake: Preheat the oven to 325F (165C). Fill each mushroom cap with a generous mound of the sausage filling. Arrange them in a baking dish in a snug single layer. Bake for 50 minutes, until the tops are browned and crusty.
Notes
- Look for mushrooms with caps that are completely closed where they meet the stem. Open caps are older and more likely to collapse during the long bake.
Ina suggests Marsala wine, but medium-dry sherry works as a substitute. Avoid cooking wine, which is loaded with added salt and tastes harsh.
Let the mascarpone come to room temperature before adding it to the hot filling. Cold mascarpone can seize and clump instead of melting smoothly.
FAQs
Why does Ina use mascarpone instead of cream cheese?
Mascarpone is richer and smoother than cream cheese, with a higher fat content and almost no tang. It melts right into the hot sausage mixture without adding any acidic bite, so the filling tastes buttery and savory rather than sharp.
Cream cheese works as a substitute, but the texture changes noticeably. It firms up more during baking, so the filling becomes denser and less creamy. If you swap it in, let it come to room temperature first and use the same 5 oz (140g) by weight.
Can you assemble stuffed mushrooms the day before?
You can fill the mushrooms up to one day ahead. Arrange them in the baking dish, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until you are ready to bake. Pull them out about 20 minutes before they go in the oven so they lose the chill and cook evenly.
Baked leftovers keep in the fridge for 3 to 4 days in an airtight container. Reheat in a 325F (165C) oven for about 12 minutes until warmed through. The microwave works in a pinch, but the crusty panko top turns soft.
What size mushrooms work best for this recipe?
Ina calls for extra-large white mushrooms, roughly 2 to 2.5 inches (5 to 6cm) across the cap. That size holds a generous mound of filling and keeps its shape through the full 50-minute bake.
Baby bellas or cremini are too small for this recipe because they shrink in the oven and leave almost no room for filling. If you want to go bigger, portobello caps work well as a dinner-sized version. Just scoop out the dark gills with a spoon first and cut the bake time to around 30 to 35 minutes.
Can you use hot Italian sausage instead of sweet?
You can, and it adds a nice kick of heat to the filling. The mascarpone and Parmesan mellow the spice, so the result is warm rather than fiery.
If you want something in between, mix half sweet and half hot sausage. Ina takes a similar approach in her Sausage and Mushroom Strudels from Cook Like a Pro (2018), where she combines sweet Italian sausage with chicken sausage wrapped in phyllo dough. If you like sausage-filled appetizers, her Lamb Sausage in Puff Pastry takes the flavor in a completely different direction.
What should you serve alongside stuffed mushrooms?
These pair best with other appetizers that do not compete for oven space. A cold dip, a cheese board, or a simple green salad balances the table so guests are not eating three hot heavy dishes in a row.
For Thanksgiving, serve them right next to the carved turkey, which is exactly how Ina designed them. For a cocktail party, set out a mix of hot and cold bites. Ina’s Spinach Puff Pastry makes a good partner because the flaky layers contrast nicely with the meaty mushroom filling, and both can be prepped ahead.
