Christmas stuffed mushrooms

These delicious Christmas stuffed mushrooms with walnuts, cranberries and goat's cheese make a perfect vegetarian alternative on Christmas Day.

20 years ago, being the only vegetarian at the Christmas dinner table meant loading your plate with veggies and roast potatoes (as long as they weren't cooked in goose fat!) and forgoing anything resembling the rich main meater-eaters enjoyed.

These days, vegetarian alternatives have come on in leaps and bounds, so when the festive season rolls around, there's a wide array of sausages, pies and roast meat alternatives to choose from. But that said, in my opinion nothing you can get from a pack rivals the flavour and texture of a homemade main, and that's what these stuffed mushrooms are all about.

They're designed to make any vegetarian at your table feel like they've lucked out! No sad veggie sausage for them! They'll be able to enjoy gorgeously flavourful mushrooms with a perfect balance of crispy, smooth, sweet and mild festive flavours.

The filling is made by sweating down finely chopped mushrooms and shallots in butter, before adding plump cranberries, creamy walnuts, floral thyme and a handful of breadcrumbs.

You'll pile the delicious filling into your lightly oiled mushrooms before topping with tangy, creamy goat's cheese and finishing with a good mill of black pepper.

Once prepared, these delicious mushrooms take just 15 minutes to cook. The tops of the mushroom filling turn crisp, while the insides stay moist and rich and the outer mushroom itself becomes tender and juicy.

These Christmas stuffed mushrooms are an absolute joy to eat. Here's how to make them.

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 200C/390F (180C/355F fan)

Put the cranberries in a heat-safe bowl and cover with boiling water. Set aside to soak.

Arrange 8 of the mushrooms on a greased baking tray.

Pull the stalks out and chop them finely, along with two remaining mushrooms.

Put the butter and oil in a large frying pan.

Melt over a medium-high heat.

Add the finely chopped mushrooms and shallots.

Fry for 5 minutes until soft, stirring regularly. Take the pan off the heat

Drain the cranberries and add to the mix along with the finely chopped walnuts, thyme, breadcrumbs and a pinch of salt and pepper.

Mix well. Taste and season further, if needed. Don't forget that your goat's cheese will bring some saltiness.

Retrieve your tray of mushrooms and spritz with spray oil.

Spoon your filling into the mushrooms - you may have a little spare.

Crumble in the goats cheese evenly on top of the mushrooms.

Season with a little more salt and pepper and give a final spritz of oil.

Bake for 15 minutes until the mushrooms are tender and the top of the filling a little crisp.

Serve with all the trimmings and enjoy! They're gorgeous at anytime leading up to the big day. I love them with mash, green veg and gravy.

Everyone will love these festive stuffed mushrooms, whether they're vegetarian or not!

How about serving them in a bowl to the middle of the table and letting people serve themselves? Just make sure they know to leave some for the vegetarians!

The combination of the tart cranberries, earthy mushrooms and creamy goat's cheese with the sweet walnuts, peppery thyme and rich onions is just divine.

Are you tempted to try these at home? How will you serve yours?

Pointers, tricks and troubleshooting tips for the perfect Christmas stuffed mushrooms

Are Christmas stuffed mushrooms easy to make?

These Christmas stuffed mushrooms are very easy to make and as mushrooms are such a forgiving vegetable when it comes to cooking times in the pan or in the oven you shouldn't have any trouble getting the perfect taste and texture with this dish.

Will I need any special equipment for this recipe?

These stuffed mushrooms don't require any tools that you wouldn't find in a standard kitchen.

Where can I buy cranberries?

Dried cranberry should be available in all major UK supermarkets, so have a look in the baking aisle where you would find the large packets of raisins and sultanas.

I find dried fruit can be in a few different places within a lot of supermarkets, so if you can't find it it's definitely worth asking a shop assistant as it's probably somewhere!

How can I tell if my mushrooms are old or have gone off?

The most obvious sign a mushroom has gone bad is that the exterior is slimy to the touch in which case they are almost certainly past the point where should eat them.

If the mushrooms are dry and starting to look shrivled this is another sign they're past their best. While a tiny bit of wrinkling is something you can get away with, if they're looking very dry and shrivelled I'd toss them.

If your mushrooms have started to develop dark spots this is a another good indicator they're past the point of no return and should be chucked.

The last and most obvious sign your mushrooms have gone off is an unpleasant odour. If your mushrooms smell bad it's time to toss them!

Are these Christmas stuffed mushrooms suitable for vegetarians?

These Christmas stuffed mushrooms are a 100% vegetarian and a great alternative to to meat dishes around Christmas time. They have have the unique meaty bite you get from mushrooms on the outside along with the juiciness from the stuffing. They also have a touch of Christmas decadence from the goat's cheese and cranberries.

Are these Christmas stuffed mushrooms suitable for vegans?

These stuffed mushrooms are not vegan as they contain butter and goat's cheese, but it would be easy to make a vegan version.

Simply swap the butter out for more olive oil and the goat’s cheese for a vegan alternative. I would suggest a nut-based vegan cheese that doesn't melt fully as it will compliment the mushrooms and walnuts beautifully.

Are these Christmas stuffed mushrooms gluten-free?

This recipe is not gluten-free as the breadcrumbs contain gluten, but you could happily swap them out for gluten-free breadcrumbs that you have either made yourself or purchased. As always, it's best to double check the packaging on all the ingredients you buy to be sure they’re gluten-free.

Are these Christmas stuffed mushrooms keto-friendly?

These stuffed mushrooms are not particularly keto-friendly, in large part due to the dried cranberries and breadcrumbs. If you were to reduce or remove the cranberries and use keto friendly breadcrumbs you would end up with a dish that you should be able to enjoy as a keto-Christmas treat.

Are these Christmas stuffed mushrooms healthy?

These stuffed mushrooms are made a little luxurious from being fried in butter and olive oil, but they're still a fairly healthy dish that can be enjoyed year round.

Are these Christmas stuffed mushrooms safe to eat while pregnant?

If this recipe is safe to eat while pregnant largely depends on the type of goats cheese you and how well you have cooked it.

If you are pregnant you should avoid eating soft goat's cheese such as chèvre, or other cheeses with a similar white rind, unless it has been thoroughly cooked and piping hot all the way through. This is because these types of cheese have a higher chance of carrying listeria than many other other types, which can be dangerous for pregnant people.

The same holds true for any mould-ripened soft cheeses (like brie or camembert), ripened goats' milk cheese, soft blue-veined cheeses (such as roquefort) or any cheese made from unpasturised milk, which all have a higher chance of carrying listeria and should be thoroughly cooked or avoided.

For more UK specific information visit the NHS website which has a lot of great information on foods to avoid while pregnant.

A Mummy Too does not give medical advice, if you have any questions or concerns please speak to a health professional. 

Are these Christmas stuffed mushrooms suitable for babies and toddlers?

As mentioned in the answer above certain types of cheeses have a higher chance of containing listeria which can be dangerous for toddlers and babies, so make sure your cheese is thoroughly cooked until steaming hot or use a different type of cheese. A list of cheeses with a higher chance of containing listeria can also be found in the answer above.

Outside of your cheese choice these stuffed mushrooms are safe for babies and toddlers, as long as they are happily eating solid food and the mushrooms have been cut up to avoid any choking hazards.

If you know you are going to be serving them to young children you may also want to reduce or remove the salt you use and leave it for people to add it at the end.

What goes well with Christmas stuffed mushrooms?

I particularly enjoy stuffed mushrooms with roast potatoes and green vegetables but they are quite versatile and will work well with many traditional English dishes.

I haven’t got walnuts, can I use other types of nuts?

Absolutely, almost any type of nut will work quite nicely in the recipe but I find that earthy nuts like hazelnuts and almonds go particularly well with mushrooms. 

I haven’t got dried cranberries can I use other types of dried fruit?

Cranberries have a relatively unique taste that makes them perfect in many savoury dishes, but I think dried figs or dates would also work very well here.

How should I store stuffed mushrooms?

Once cooled these stuffed mushrooms should be stored in an airtight container, preferably as a single layer, and be placed in the fridge. Placing a couple of sheets of kitchen towel at the bottom of the container will help to soak up any moisture that's released from the mushrooms.

How long does this recipe keep?

If stored properly in the fridge the stuffed mushrooms should keep for up to 3 days, although I do find they are at their best fresh out of the oven.

Can I leave this recipe out on the counter?

You can't keep the stuffed mushrooms out on the counter at room temperature as dangerous amounts of bacteria and pathogens will form relatively quickly, so they must be stored in the fridge. 

Can I make this recipe ahead?

While I haven't tried it you should be able to make the filling and cook it the day before. Once cooked, place it into an airtight container or ziplock bag, then put it in the fridge as soon as it's cooled (along with the fresh jumbo mushrooms cups).

When you’re ready to cook the jumbo mushrooms continue on with the recipe as normal, adding the cold filling when necessary. I would leave the goat's cheese off initially, give the mushrooms an extra 5-8 minutes in the oven or until the mixture is warmed through, take them out and crumble over the goat’s cheese before placing them back in the oven to cook through.

Can I keep this recipe in the refrigerator?

Yes you can and this recipe should be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container where it will keep for up to 3 days 

Can I freeze this recipe?

To get the best possible taste and texture mushrooms should generally be used from fresh and not frozen, so I wouldn't recommend freezing this particular dish. However, if you do have a few left over that you've frozen and reheated I'd love it if you let me know how they turned out in the comments below.

What is the best way to reheat this recipe?

To reheat these stuffed mushrooms from cold first preheat your oven to 180C, place the mushrooms on a baking tray then pop them into the oven for 8-12 minutes or until piping hot.

You may find that the taste and texture has changed a little, but you should still have something that's very tasty. I find that the outside of mushrooms can go a little dry when reheating so you could put tin foil over them while cooking, which will help a little.

Can I make this recipe in a different quantity?

You can absolutely make these stuffed mushrooms in a different quantity, and it scales fantastically. 

Simply use the handy slider found in the recipe card below to to adjust the number of stuffed mushrooms you wish to make, which will adjust the ingredient quantities accordingly.

How can I make sure this recipe is perfectly cooked?

The easiest way to tell is by looks - if your jumbo mushrooms look ever-so-slightly wrinkled and the goat’s cheese has golden brown edges your mushrooms are ready for eating!

Why did my mushrooms turn out chewy or overcooked?

It's difficult to overcook mushrooms as their cell walls are made out of a polymer called chatin, which is incredibly heat-stable in comparison to the proteins found in meat or the pectin found in most other vegetables.

However, if your oven is much too hot, or you have left your mushrooms in the oven for far too long then they can start to burn, become a little chewy and the filling can start to lose some of its moisture - so be sure to check your oven temperature and cooking times are correct!

How can I add/change the flavours in this dish?

Mushrooms tend to go well with a lot of different flavours, but the cranberries in this recipe are more of a festive treat, so if you were to try any of the suggestions below I would probably not include the cranberries.

• A sprinkling of fresh herbs such as chives, chervil or parsley on top would be a lovely addition.
• Some finely chopped basil and sun-dried tomatoes or olives added to the mix would give the mushrooms an extra hit of flavour. Swapping the goat's cheese for mozzarella would work too.
• You could add in almost any extra diced veg you want, from broccoli and bell peppers to fresh spinach, just don’t add too much or you’ll have a lot of filling left over.
• Sesame oil instead of olive oil, a little finely chopped garlic and ginger and a splash of soy sauce would make a great meal with an Asian twist.
• I've used goat's cheese for my recipe but even something as simple a cheddar would be fantastic - whatever cheese you have in the fridge will likely make a very tasty topping.

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This recipe is adapted and altered from one originally supplied by Aunt Bessies.

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