Warm garlic, melted butter, and savory herbs fill the kitchen as these bake. This Olive Garden Stuffed Mushrooms recipe is a comforting appetizer I make when James requests something special for our weekend dinners. It is an Easy Stuffed Mushroom Recipe that brings restaurant-quality flavors straight to your table.
Why You'll Love This
The primary benefit of this Olive Garden Stuffed Mushrooms dish is the incredibly savory clam and herb filling that stays beautifully moist while baking. You will also appreciate how the delicate mushroom caps absorb the melted butter without becoming soggy. Additionally, the quick prep time makes entertaining simple and stress-free. Ethan always hovers around the kitchen waiting for the cheese to melt on these Italian Stuffed Mushrooms. They deliver a rich, comforting bite every single time.
Jump to:
Ingredients & Equipment
Preparing these Olive Garden Stuffed Mushrooms requires a few pantry staples and fresh produce to build a robust flavor profile. Baking them gently ensures the Baked Mushrooms Oven method yields tender, juicy caps every time.
Scroll to the recipe card for ingredients and step-by-step directions.
Main Ingredients
- Large fresh mushrooms: Provides the sturdy, earthy vessel for the filling.
- Minced clams: Drained well to form the savory seafood base.
- Italian breadcrumbs: Binds the filling together while adding seasoned structure.
- Egg: Adds moisture and holds the loose ingredients in a tight paste.
- Butter: Melted over the caps to ensure a rich, tender exterior.
- Green onion & Garlic: Delivers a sharp, aromatic depth.
- Parmesan & Mozzarella: Creates a salty interior and a gooey, melted crown.
Optional Extras
You can mix a pinch of red pepper flakes into the filling for a subtle, warming heat. Swapping the mozzarella for a sharp provolone also adds a wonderful savory depth to the melted topping.
How to Make Olive Garden Stuffed Mushrooms (Step-by-Step)
This straightforward assembly process guarantees your restaurant-style appetizer holds together beautifully from the baking dish to the plate.
Prep The Mushrooms Remove the stems and wipe the mushroom caps clean with a dry paper towel to remove dirt. Avoiding water prevents the caps from acting like sponges, leaving you with firm, dry shells ready for stuffing.
Mix The Filling Stir the drained minced clams, chopped green onion, egg, garlic, breadcrumbs, oregano, parmesan, and melted butter together in a bowl. This binds the savory components into a cohesive mixture, resulting in a thick, slightly wet paste.
Do I need to cook the filling before stuffing? No, the raw egg and breadcrumb mixture cooks safely inside the caps during baking.
Stuff The Caps Spoon the filling generously into each mushroom cavity and arrange them face-up in a greased baking dish. Packing the mixture tightly ensures it stays intact during the cooking process, showing a rounded mound of filling on each piece.
Bake The Appetizer Drizzle the prepared caps with melted butter, cover with foil, and bake at 350 degrees F for 20 to 30 minutes. The foil traps the steam to cook the filling gently, yielding deeply softened, darkened mushrooms.
Melt The Cheese Remove the foil, sprinkle grated mozzarella over each cap, and bake uncovered for 3 minutes. This final heat exposure crisps the breadcrumbs slightly while creating a glossy, melted cheese crown.
Tips
Achieving the ideal texture for your Olive Garden Stuffed Mushrooms comes down to moisture control and careful baking.
Cover with foil → traps steam to cook evenly → look for tender, juicy caps.
Wipe with paper → prevents waterlogging → look for dry, smooth outer skins.
Drain clams completely → stops the filling from turning into soup → look for a sticky, moldable paste.
Use block cheese → melts much smoother than pre-shredded → look for a gooey, stretchy finish.
Follow Aliana on Pinterest →Variations
You can easily modify this filling based on your family's preferences. For a vegetarian option, swap the minced clams for finely chopped artichoke hearts to maintain a briny, savory bite. Using crushed butter crackers instead of standard breadcrumbs also gives the topping a richer, flakier finish.
Storage & Reheating Instructions
Store any leftover mushrooms in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. To maintain their texture, reheat them gently on a baking sheet in a 350-degree oven until warmed through. Microwaving them will result in a rubbery, unappealing bite.
Serving Suggestions
These Olive Garden Stuffed Mushrooms make a wonderful starter for any Italian-inspired feast. I love serving them alongside a warm bowl of minestrone soup or a crisp Caesar salad. The rich, garlicky filling also pairs beautifully with freshly baked breadsticks to soak up the leftover butter in the dish.
FAQs About Olive Garden Stuffed Mushrooms
What type of mushrooms work best?
White button mushrooms or cremini are the ideal sizes for appetizers. Portobello caps also work wonderfully if you want a deeper, earthier flavor, just make sure they are uniform in size so they bake evenly.
Why did my mushrooms shrink so much?
Mushrooms have a very high water content, which evaporates when heated. Baking them gently under foil helps them retain their shape better, but a little shrinkage is a completely normal part of the cooking process.
Can I substitute the minced clams?
Yes, if you are not a fan of clams, you can use finely diced cooked shrimp or crab meat. Finely chopped mushroom stems sautéed in garlic butter also make a fantastic, earthy replacement for the seafood.
Can I freeze these before baking?
Freezing is not recommended because raw mushrooms act like sponges and will turn incredibly mushy when thawed. It is much better to prep the filling a day ahead and assemble them right before cooking.
More Recipes You'll Love
If you enjoyed this savory Dinner starter, these Olive Garden Stuffed Mushrooms are just the beginning of our favorite appetizers.
Made it your way? I'd love to see it! Tag @AlianaRecipes on Pinterest and show off your delicious version.
Olive Garden Stuffed Mushrooms
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and coat a baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
- Remove the stems from the mushrooms and wipe the caps clean using a dry paper towel to remove any loose dirt without adding moisture.
- Stir the drained clams, green onion, beaten egg, garlic, breadcrumbs, oregano, Parmesan, and 1 tablespoon of melted butter in a bowl until a thick, cohesive paste forms.
- Spoon the filling into each mushroom cavity, packing it tightly so the mixture forms a rounded mound on top of every cap.
- Place the stuffed mushrooms in the dish, drizzle the remaining 3 tablespoons of melted butter over them, and cover tightly with aluminum foil to trap the steam.
- Bake for 20 to 30 minutes until the mushrooms soften and release their natural juices, darkening in color.
- Remove the foil, sprinkle mozzarella cheese evenly over the tops, and bake uncovered for 3 minutes until the cheese forms a glossy, melted crown.
Nutrition
Notes
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Olive Garden Stuffed Mushrooms:
Leave a Reply