These Keto Stuffed Mushrooms with Cream Cheese are low-carb and gluten free! They're so delicious and accented with lemon, basil, garlic, Parmesan, mozzarella and butter. Make them for an appetizer, side dish or meal prep!
Don't let the keto title scare you off. These stuffed mushrooms with cream cheese have been a family favorite for years and just happen to be made without bread crumbs.
They're low-carb and gluten-free, while loaded with lots of Italian goodness! We're talking about Parmesan, mozzarella, garlic, basil and lemon zest.
They're the best stuffed mushrooms I've ever had!
(And if you love mushrooms, don't miss my family's Italian Sautéed Mushrooms with Tomatoes!)
Recipe inspiration
When I worked in Northern Kentucky in the early 1990s, there was a restaurant that featured cream cheese-stuffed mushrooms as its signature appetizer. The dish was so popular, it came with a "recipe" that simply listed ingredients, minus the measurements.
Ha! Thanks a lot! (And, don't worry, I've included a full recipe card at the end of this post.)
When I tried to replicate the appetizer 25 years later, I only remembered cream cheese and lemon zest. So, I used my imagination and taste buds, and the rest is history.
Everyone loves these keto stuffed mushrooms!
Recipe ingredients
Mushrooms: I always use large, white button mushrooms to make stuffed mushrooms. You could use cremini or baby portobello mushrooms instead. You want mushrooms that are about two inches wide.
Cream cheese: You can use regular or low-fat. Let it sit out to soften for about 30 minutes, so it will be easy to mix with the other ingredients.
Worchestershire sauce: This adds a touch of umami flavor. Note that Worchestershire sauce contains anchovies, so if you need these to be vegetarian stuffed mushrooms, you'll have to buy vegan Worchestershire.
Lemon: We're using lemon zest in the filling, plus squeezing lemon juice on the baked stuffed mushrooms. Lemon is key to the bright flavor in this recipe, so don't skip it!
Basil: Ribbons of fresh basil add a delicious pop of flavor! We're using them in the filling, plus adorning the tops of the mushrooms with them after they're baked.
I keep a basil plant on my windowsill just for recipes like this, but you can buy a small container of basil at the grocery store. I wouldn't use dried basil here.
How to make keto stuffed mushrooms
See the recipe card at the end of this post for full instructions, but here's an overview.
Prepare the mushrooms
Gently rinse the mushrooms in a light stream of water and pat dry with paper towels. Remove the stems by pulling them out or using a small paring knife. Chop the stems.
Make the cream cheese filling
- Melt butter in a pan on the stove and add finely chopped garlic.
- After a minute, stir in the chopped mushroom stems and cook them for five minutes. Transfer them to a plate to cool off.
- Stir the cream cheese to soften it further. Mix in Parmesan, some mozzarella, basil, lemon zest, seasonings and Worcestershire sauce.
- Add the cooked mushroom stems to the filling and stir to combine.
Stuff the mushrooms and bake
- Place the mushroom caps on a greased sheet pan and brush them with melted butter. Make sure to do the insides, tops, bottoms and sides.
- Stuff the mushrooms with the savory cream cheese filing, sprinkle on mozzarella and drizzle with melted butter.
- Bake.
Recipe tips
- To prevent watery mushrooms, use just a light stream of water to rinse them and dry them well. Bake the stuffed mushrooms on a buttered sheet pan instead of a glass pan, so more liquid will evaporate. Transfer the mushrooms to a serving platter when they're done baking, so they're not sitting in any liquid.
- Brushing the mushroom caps inside and out with melted butter prevents them from getting dry during baking. They'll look and taste better! I like using a silicone basting brush (affiliate link).
- To make these a day ahead, you can brush the caps with melted butter, stuff the mushrooms, but hold off on drizzling melted butter over the top. Refrigerate them without baking. The day you want to serve them, drizzle on melted butter, then bake, adding five minutes to the total time.
- If you end up with extra filling, you can stuff more mushrooms or save the filling to spread on crackers or serve it heated up and stirred into buttered pasta.
What to serve with stuffed mushrooms
These keto stuffed mushrooms go well served hot with meat, fish, vegetables or pasta. For variety, I try to serve them with food that's not loaded with cheese. Try them:
- For a stand-alone holiday appetizer or on a buffet with Marinated Roasted Bell Peppers, Tomato Bruschetta or Caponatina (Eggplant Caponata).
- As a side dish for filet mignon or steak pinwheels.
- As a topping for buttered fettuccine or linguine. When you cut into a hot mushroom, the filling oozes out into the pasta! You can even stir in extra filling.
Frequently asked questions
Bake these stuffed mushrooms at 400 degrees for 15-17 minutes, or until the tops are getting golden.
I haven't tried it, but you should be able to freeze stuffed mushrooms as long as you don't bake them first. I would place them on a wax paper-lined sheet pan in a single layer and freeze for a couple hours, then transfer them to a freezer bag.
More appetizer recipes
- Crispy Mushroom, Onion and Feta Rolls
- Cream-Cheese Stuffed Dates
- Baked Parmesan Jalapeño Poppers
- Bacon-Wrapped Dates with Blue Cheese or Gorgonzola
Enjoy!
If you try these Keto Stuffed Mushrooms with Cream Cheese, be sure to leave a comment and a rating!
Keto Stuffed Mushrooms with Cream Cheese
Ingredients
- 18 large white mushrooms (or cremini or small portobellos)
- 4 garlic cloves (medium or large)
- 6 tablespoons salted butter (divided use, plus extra to grease your pan)
- 8 ounces cream cheese (low fat is fine)
- ¾ cup shredded mozzarella cheese (divided use)
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 6 large basil leaves cut into ribbons (divided use)
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest (from half a lemon)
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ⅛ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (For vegetarian stuffed mushrooms, use vegan Worcestershire, which doesn't contain anchovies.)
- lemon juice to squeeze on top
Instructions
- Set out the cream cheese to soften at room temperature. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a baking sheet with a little butter.
- Gently rinse the mushrooms in cold water and brush off the dirt (or wipe it off with a damp paper towel). Pat the mushrooms dry and remove the stems by pulling them or cutting them out with a small knife. Place the mushroom caps on the greased pan. Chop up the stems.
- Peel and finely chop four cloves of garlic.
- In a 12-inch skillet, melt two tablespoons of butter. Add the garlic and cook it for a minute before adding the mushroom stems. Stir to combine and cook the mixture for five minutes or until tender. Remove the stem mixture to a plate and spread it out to cool.
- In a medium mixing bowl, add the softened cream cheese and stir it to soften it further. Add ¼ cup mozzarella, ¼ cup Parmesan, two basil leaves cut into ribbons, the lemon zest, pepper, salt, garlic powder and Worcestershire sauce. Add in the mushroom stem mixture. Stir with a spoon to mix well, using a spatula to scrape the spoon and bowl as needed.
- Melt four tablespoons of butter in the microwave (place in a microwave-safe bowl and cover with wax paper first) or melt it in a small pan on the stove. Brush some butter all over each mushroom cap, including the insides, tops, bottoms and sides. (You'll have extra melted butter left to pour over the top later.)
- Use a small scoop or two teaspoons to scoop some cream cheese filling into each mushroom cap. Try to smooth over the top. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella on top of the mushroom caps. Pour the remaining melted butter over the mushrooms.
- Bake for 15-17 minutes, or until the tops are just starting to get golden.
- Top the mushrooms with ribbons of basil and squeeze a little lemon juice over them. Let the mushrooms rest for five minutes before serving.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to five days.
Notes
Nutrition
(Recipe Source: Inspired by an appetizer that used to be served at one of the restaurants in the Drawbridge complex in Ft. Mitchell, KY. Originally published on November 11, 2016 and updated now with new photos and more information.)
Barbara
These mushrooms were a huge hit for our family get together!
Absolutely delicious with the hint of lemon and basil!
Mamma C
Hi Barbara - I'm so happy to hear that! Thanks for letting me know.
Lori
Cooking right now and I’m scared bc the leftover filling I tasted was waaaaaaayyyyyyy too salty!! And I skipped the garlic salt! 😬 I should have tasted as I added versus just put in half tsp. We’ll see what happens!
Mamma C
Hi Lori - The filling isn't meant to be eaten by itself without being baked. Once it's added to the mushrooms and baked, it should be much better. FYI, the recipe calls for garlic powder, not garlic salt.