Goat Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms

4 Generous Servings

Recipe from Martha Stewart

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

This was an easy-to-make, vegetarian, and elegant appetizer for a dinner party.  Make the filling and prep the mushrooms several hours in advance.  Fill the mushrooms an hour before the party and then just before your guests arrive, pop them in the oven.  Serve these with Sparkling Red-Wine Cocktails for a perfect party starter.

Olive oil, for baking sheet
(Or use parchment paper.)

3 slices sandwich bread (I used whole-wheat bread.)

1 garlic clove, coarsely chopped


1 log (5 ounces) soft goat cheese, crumbled


½ cup fresh parsley leaves


¼ teaspoon red-pepper flakes


Coarse salt


20 oz. white button or cremini mushrooms, stems removed

1.   Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly oil a rimmed baking sheet or line the baking sheet with parchment paper.

2.   In a food processor, pulse bread and garlic until fine crumbs form; scoop out ½ cup and set aside.

3.   To the food processor, add goat cheese, parsley, and red-pepper flakes. Season the filling with salt, and pulse filling until combined.

4.   Spoon filling into each mushroom. (I used a very small ice cream scoop.) Roll filled side in reserved breadcrumbs. Place on prepared baking sheet.

5.   Bake until mushrooms are tender and lightly browned, 15 to 20 minutes.

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Note:  When I made these, a few hours in advance, I quickly rinsed the mushrooms and set them aside on a towel to dry.  Then I sprayed the mushroom caps with cooking spray and covered them.  I made the filling a few hours in advance.  I placed it in an airtight container on the counter until it was time to fill the mushrooms.