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Spinach and Bacon Stuffed Mushrooms are a perfect party appetizer. Fill plump white mushroom caps with the easy, make-ahead filling, and they’re fresh out of the oven in about 20 minutes. Make more than you think you’ll need, because they will be gone in a flash
I never ate a whole lot of mushrooms growing up, and I don’t remember my parents ever cooking with them. As an adult I ate them more often, but only at restaurants and usually as an appetizer. When I finally bought them at the store I used white button mushrooms, because I didn’t like the portobello mushroom texture. It took me a couple of years to make the switch to baby portobello mushrooms, and now I eat them almost exclusively.
I always have baby portobello mushrooms in the fridge, and use them regularly. Green Bean Mushroom Saute is one of my standby side dishes, and Red Wine Garlic Mushrooms is a fantastic date night side dish. When I’m in the mood for savory, I make Roasted Mushroom and Green Bean Farro Salad, and my Asian Salmon and Noodles is bursting with flavors.
Until about 18 months ago, the blog showcased only main courses and side dishes…no appetizers, drinks or desserts. I created blog posts based on my meals, and of course those were only mains and sides. So when I finally took the plunge with appetizers, I decided to start with Spinach and Bacon Stuffed Mushrooms
Oh how I love these Spinach and Bacon Stuffed Mushrooms! I’ve made them for parties in the past, and they are always a hit. The salty bacon and Parmesan pair beautifully with the savory spinach and mushrooms, and the pine nuts add a very nice crunch.
I based Spinach and Bacon Stuffed Mushrooms off of another recipe, and of course that recipe was long gone by the time I needed to make it for the blog. And I hadn’t made them in over a year. Bad combination, because I made all kinds of mistakes and ended up with very dense, and not very good, mushrooms. After lots of trial and error, I redeemed myself
CHOOSING THE RIGHT MUSHROOMS FOR SPINACH AND BACON STUFFED MUSHROOMS
- I use white mushrooms, because portobello mushrooms tend to look burnt when they bake
- Use mushrooms that are about the same size, so they cook evenly
- Look for mushrooms that have a larger cap, for more fillable space
- If your grocery store sells mushrooms in bulk, choose from there so you can get exactly what you want
KEYS TO THE PERFECT SPINACH AND BACON STUFFED MUSHROOMS
- Use fresh baby spinach, as you won’t get the same consistency from frozen spinach
- Bacon. Everything tastes better with bacon! I use thick-cut bacon, and dice it small, for a wonderful salty bite
- Cook the spinach down in a little bit of the bacon fat, along with garlic and fresh onion. I use roasted and raw garlic interchangeably
- Don’t forget the seasoning! I use Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, sea salt and fresh-cracked black pepper
- Italian Bread Crumbs help to bind the mixture together, and add more flavor. To keep this gluten free, use Gluten Free Italian Bread Crumbs
- Don’t over-stuff the mixture into the mushroom cap, or it will get dense and not cook properly
THE FINAL STEPS FOR SPINACH AND BACON STUFFED MUSHROOMS
- Don’t overcook the Spinach and Bacon Stuffed Mushrooms, or the mushrooms get too dark and the filling too dense. I bake them on the center rack in the oven, and for 18-20 minutes.
- I add toasted Pine Nuts at the very end. Toasting them releases the oils and adds a more intense nutty flavor
- Parmesan cheese: I always use fresh Parmesan, and buy the big chunks. It’s more expensive than the grocery store can, but there’s no comparison in flavor, and it lasts a long time
PREP, STUFF, BAKE, EAT…REPEAT!
I highly recommend you eat these Spinach and Bacon Stuffed Mushrooms warm…as soon as you can once they are out of the oven. Room temperature stuffed mushrooms are not that good, and they do not reheat well. The great thing about Spinach and Bacon Stuffed Mushrooms is that you can make the filling ahead, and then stuff and cook them off when needed. When I make them for a party, I make the filling about 2 hours ahead, and then stuff them right before I pop them into the oven. You don’t need to worry about them sitting for too long, because they are usually gone in minutes.
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Spinach and Bacon Stuffed Mushrooms Recipe
Ingredients
- 12 ea white button mushrooms with stems, all about the same size
- 1 cup baby spinach, packed
- 2 slices thick-cut bacon
- 2 cloves roasted garlic, minced
- 1 Tablespoon yellow onion, minced
- 2 Tablespoons Italian bread crumbs
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 1/2 Tablespoon pine nuts
- 2 Tablespoons fresh grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees, and make sure oven rack is in the center
- Add pine nuts to a large skillet over medium heat. Toast, tossing occasionally, until pine nuts are lightly browned. Pay attention, because pine nuts go from toasted to burnt very quickly. Remove from skillet and set aside
- Add bacon to same skillet, and cook till desired level of done. Remove bacon and drain on paper towels. When cool, dice into small pieces. Reserve a few larger pieces for garnish at the end
- While bacon cooks, remove stems from mushrooms. Wipe mushroom caps with a towel. Dice mushroom stems finely. Depending on the size of the stems, you may not need to use all of them. YOU WANT A YIELD OF 1/3 CUP DICED MUSHROOM STEMS
- Discard all but 1/2 Tablespoon of bacon fat. Add onion, and cook for 2 minutes until translucent. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Rinse spinach thoroughly, and add to skillet. Cook until wilted, about 2 minutes. Transfer spinach mixture to cutting board and chop into small pieces
- Add mushroom stems, bacon, spinach to large bowl. Combine with Italian bread crumbs, garlic powder and onion powder, and stir to fully combine
- Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place mushroom caps side down on the foil, leaving space between each mushroom so they cook evenly. Fill each mushroom cap with the filling.
- Cook mushrooms for 17-20 minutes. Remove from oven, and top with fresh Parmesan, pine nuts, and reserved bacon. Serve immediately
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1 gramsAmount Per Serving: Unsaturated Fat: 0g
karrie @ Tasty Ever After says
Love stuffed mushrooms, especially when they have BACON in them!!! They make a perfect holiday appetizer too.
Miz Helen says
What a great idea, yum! Your post is awesome and thanks so much for sharing it with us at Full Plate Thursday. Hope you are having a great day and come back to see us real soon!
Miz Helen
Helen at the Lazy Gastronome says
wish I would have seen these yesterday! I would have brought this to the party today!! Pinned – Thanks for sharing on the What’s for Dinner link up!
Karyl says
They are so good Helen! Every time I make them I always have to make extra because my friends devour them so fast.
Lisa says
I love using fresh spinach so much better than frozen – frozen gets too watery, which you obviously agree with in this recipe! But these look sooooo good! I can’t wait to make them for a family gathering!
Patricia says
These look absolutely delicious! A few of my favorite things all rolled into one!
Karyl says
Thanks Patricia! I’m telling you, they go so fast at parties I always make double and it’s still never enough. Thanks for stopping by
Julie I Aloha Lovely says
I’m not a huge mushroom fan but these look really good! The mushroom is sort of more like a container for the other ingredients, lol.
Karyl says
Haha yes they are Julia! There are minced mushrooms in this filling, but I have seen other recipes that don’t use mushrooms in the filling. Besides, with all the other goodies in there, you don’t even notice it. Thanks for stopping by
Kristine-Bites of Flavor says
Stuffed mushrooms are one of my favorite apps! I love that you added bacon. Everything is better with bacon!
Karyl says
Everything is ALWAYS better with bacon, right?! I love these stuffed mushrooms…I have to force myself not to eat them all immediately. Thanks for stopping by Kristine!
Amanda says
This looks so tasty! I’ve been after some mushroom dishes, and I really need to take note of this! Yum Yum! Thank you for sharing! My hubs would love this one, too!
Karyl says
Thanks Amanda! This is one of my favorite ways to eat mushrooms, and they are really good. Thanks for stopping by
Shay says
I loved stuffed mushrooms! I will have to make this for my daughter and I.
Karyl says
Thanks Shay! I hope you and your daughter enjoy them as much as I do
Nellwyn says
These look absolutely amazing! I love anything with mushrooms and bacon so I’m definitely going to have to make these for my next cocktail party
Karyl says
Thank you Nellwyn! I really appreciate it. Make sure you make a lot, because they will go fast! Thanks for stopping by
Tiffany Meiter says
I just recently decided I liked mushrooms. These look amazing! I will have to send to my husband to make for us 🙂
Karyl says
Haha I hear you on the just deciding thing. I don’t think we’re the only ones like that. I hope you guys enjoy them as much as I do. Thanks for stopping by
Danielle @ Follow My Gut says
I love that you’re evaluating your website to pick and chose the things you need to include. Such a great blogger! Even more than that I love the photos of these mushrooms. You seriously jam packed it with all the good and tasty things a foodie like me could want to have and it makes me want to eat my computer. Great post as always!
Danielle
Karyl says
Thank you so much for the kind words Danielle!! I really and truly appreciate it. Yeah, these mushrooms are amazing. I’m kind of glad I didn’t have to share that batch with anyone, and yes…I ate them all myself 🙂