These Spinach Stuffed Mushrooms show how easy finger food is for a picnic.
Whip these creamy stuffed mushrooms up in under an hour for a delicious and healthy appetizer you can serve hot or cold.
Filled with a creamy spinach and cheese filling, they make a very elegant and easy-to-eat appetizer, which is why I like them for a romantic date picnic menu. They are also perfect if you are looking for low-carb or keto finger food ideas.
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Why I Love This Recipe
From dips to antipasto platters or even wine and cheese picnics, picnic finger food is so portable and knows no culinary bounds, and these vegetarian stuffed mushrooms with spinach and cream cheese make great picnic finger food for so many reasons:
- Serve them hot or cold (I give you the know-how for keeping food hot for a picnic here)
- They can be made the day before and thrown in the oven just before leaving for your picnic.
- They are easy to manage in their own bite-size container – no mess.
- You can mix up the fillings however you please.
Ingredients
See my recipe card below for a complete list of the ingredients with measurements and notes.
Recipe Variations and Substitutions
- Add Nuts: Stir chopped almonds or nuts of your choice through the spinach mix for extra crunch. Almonds or pistachios work best with these flavors.
- Make Them Crispy: Sprinkle breadcrumbs or panko over the top of the mushrooms halfway through the cooking process (so it doesn’t burn) for a crispy finish.
- Herb Swaps: Replace parsley with fresh herbs like basil, thyme, or dill for a different aromatic twist.
- Add Spice: Introduce a little heat by adding red pepper flakes or a dash of cayenne pepper to the filling.
- Mushrooms: If you can’t get white mushrooms, any mushroom that can hold the spinach stuffing well will work, such as cremini brown mushrooms or small portobello.
How to Serve Stuffed Mushrooms for a Picnic
Serve them with a platter of assorted mezze ingredients such as slow-roasted tomatoes, roasted beets, grilled red peppers, bread, and dips for a simple Mediterranean-style finger food picnic.
Or, pair them with platters of other finger foods such as our Prosciutto-Wrapped Figs or Turkish-style Sigara Boregi Cheese Rolls for a hors d’oeuvre style picnic. Throw some Prosecco or crisp white into the picnic basket for an elegant picnic affair. And remember, these tasty mushroom morsels are great, either hot or cold.
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1: Wash mushrooms and remove their stems. Chop stems into small pieces.
Add olive oil to a skillet and heat over medium heat. Add thinly sliced fresh garlic and chopped mushroom stems. Stir until golden and fragrant. Be careful not to burn the garlic.
Step 2: Add the fresh spinach to the pan.
Step 3: Stir the spinach, garlic, and mushroom stems until the spinach is well sautéed. Season with salt and pepper.
Step 4: Add the cream cheese (soften or chop it into chunks first so it mixes evenly). Combine ingredients and remove from heat.
Step 5: Add chopped parsley and ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese to the mix. Stir to combine.
Step 6: Fill each mushroom cup with around ½ tbsp of the creamy spinach mix. The amount will vary based on the size of the mushroom. Sprinkle extra parmesan on the top of each mushroom.
Step 7: Place the mushrooms on a non-stick baking tray and bake them for 12-15 minutes at 375F. The mushrooms will be fork-tender when ready.
Step 8: Remove from the oven and drain any excess liquid from the tray before serving.
Recipe FAQs
Overcooking mushrooms can cause them to become too soft and release too much liquid while underbaking will leave them too firm. Fork tender is the key so the mushroom doesn’t become soggy and collapse. If you are worried about excess moisture, you can pre-bake the mushroom caps for a few minutes to release excess moisture. Drain the liquid, then stuff the mushrooms – but be careful not to overcook them. Also, avoid overloading them with the wet filling.
I don’t recommend this, as the texture of the mushroom will change after thawing and become soggy. You could pre-make and freeze the spinach and cream cheese stuffing; just ensure you drain any excess liquid after thawing before stuffing the mushrooms.
Expert Tips
- Choose the Right Mushrooms: Opt for firm, fresh, and roughly the same size for consistent cooking and presentation. Medium-sized mushrooms are ideal for a bite-sized appetizer.
- Serving Temperature: You can serve these stuffed mushrooms either hot or cold. But, if you’re transporting them for a picnic and want to serve them warm, bake them just before leaving and use an insulated container to keep them warm.
- Make Ahead: You can prepare these mushrooms up to a day in advance. Fill the mushrooms and keep them covered in the fridge until baking time.
Related Recipes
Did you try these Spinach Stuffed Mushrooms?
Please leave me a ⭐ rating below and let me know in the comments how you enjoyed them.
Vegetarian Spinach Stuffed Mushrooms
Ingredients
- 16 medium white mushrooms - about 1lb
- 3 cups fresh spinach
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese + 2 tbsp - grated
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley - chopped
- 4 oz cream cheese
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
Instructions
- Wash mushrooms and remove their stems. Chop stems into small pieces.
- Add the olive oil to a skillet and heat over medium heat. Add thinly sliced fresh garlic and chopped mushroom stems. Stir until golden and fragrant. Be careful not to burn the garlic.
- Add fresh spinach to the pan.
- Stir the spinach, garlic, and mushroom stems until the spinach is well sautéed. Season with salt and pepper.
- Add the cream cheese (soften or chop it into chunks first so it mixes evenly). Combine ingredients and remove from heat.
- Add chopped parsley and ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese. Stir to combine.
- Fill each mushroom cup with around ½ tbsp of the creamy spinach mix. The amount will vary based on the size of the mushroom. Sprinkle extra parmesan on the top of each mushroom.
- Place the mushrooms on a non-stick baking tray and bake them for 12-15 minutes at 375F. The mushrooms will be fork-tender when ready.
- Remove from the oven and drain any excess liquid from the tray before serving.
Notes
- Add Nuts: Stir chopped almonds or nuts of your choice through the spinach mix for extra crunch. Almonds or pistachios work best with these flavors.
- Make Them Crispy: Sprinkle breadcrumbs or panko over the top of the mushrooms halfway through the cooking process (so it doesn’t burn) for a crispy finish.
- Herb Swaps: Replace parsley with fresh herbs like basil, thyme, or dill for a different aromatic twist.
- Add Spice: Introduce a little heat by adding red pepper flakes or a dash of cayenne pepper to the filling.
- Mushrooms: If you can’t get white mushrooms, any mushroom that can hold the spinach stuffing well will work, such as cremini brown mushrooms or small portobello.
- Choose the Right Mushrooms: Opt for firm, fresh, and roughly the same size for consistent cooking and presentation.
- Serving Temperature: You can serve these stuffed mushrooms either hot or cold.
- Make Ahead: You can prepare these mushrooms up to a day in advance. Fill the mushrooms and keep them covered in the fridge until baking time.
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