These keto stuffed mushrooms with chorizo swap nuts for bread crumbs to make an amazing low-carb appetizer that everyone will love, thanks to its rich, cheesy, and boldly flavored filling.
I adore a stuffed mushroom. It seems like such an elevated appetizer, but it’s quite approachable. And it involves the use of cream cheese, which is almost always a guarantee of deliciousness. Cream cheese elevates these winning dishes: white chicken chili and creamed kale with cream cheese!
It's also an easy appetizer to make low-carb; a simple swap of breadcrumbs for nuts is all that's required to make many stuffed mushroom recipes friendly to those looking to cut carbs.
That and I quite like the tender crunch of the nuts in the stuffed mushroom filling. Breadcrumbs play binder well, but don't add much texturally to stuffed mushrooms. Even if you're not following a low-carb diet, this variation is SO worth trying because it's delicious with a satisfying, subtle crunch.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Versatile: Swap out the chorizo, change the cheese, or adjust the flavors to make these stuffed mushrooms your own!
- An All-Occasion Appetizer: These are fancy enough for a Christmas appetizer and snackable enough to add to your sports watching spread. Or simply whip up a batch any time you want an easy snack. They're great paired with cream cheese fat bombs and cucumber cream cheese bites for any party spread.
- Quick and Easy: This recipe uses just a few ingredients and a simple, sure-fire method to ensure this mushroom appetizer turns out perfectly.
Jump to:
Ingredients
- Stuffing mushrooms: Choose mushrooms that can be easily eaten in a single bite -- especially when serving for parties. I find common button mushrooms work well as do baby bellas (creminis).
- Chorizo: Chorizo has such a lively, bold flavor that using it as a stuffed mushroom filling means your seasoning is done for you. I recommend using high-quality chorizo - I picked my chorizo up locally from an Eastern European Deli called Kramarczuk’s. Grab some extra so you can make these chorizo street tacos for dinner this week!
- Shredded cheddar cheese: I recommend that you grate it from the block rather than using preshredded cheese; it melts better.
- Pecans: Use crushed salted and roasted pecans for the best flavor.
See the recipe card for the full ingredient list and quantities needed of each.
Substitutions & Additions
The above-mentioned ingredients are what my Chorizo Stuffed Mushroom recipe calls for, but you could also successfully use:
- Pepper jack, mozzarella, or other good melting cheese in place of cheddar
- Add a hard cheese to the melting cheese mix, like feta or Parmesan. For instance, why not try a cheddar + Parmesan mix or a mozzarella + feta mix? Try adding 1 tablespoon of a hard cheese, then adjusting as necessary.
- Ground beef, pork, or chicken, seasoned to your liking. Try this dry rub adobo seasoning, it's great on everything!
- Walnuts or almonds are great options in lieu of pecans. I may have to test pistachios, that sounds like it would be delicious, no?
- Fresh herbs like parsley, thyme, or rosemary add freshness, or sneak some dried herbs into the cream cheese mixture like basil or oregano to add earthiness.
Remember, recipes are only guidelines :).
How to Make Keto Stuffed Mushrooms - Directions
To get started, preheat the oven to 350° Fahrenheit, cook the chorizo and garlic in a pan on the stovetop, clean and prepare the mushrooms, and gather the rest of the ingredients. More instructions can be found in the recipe card below.
- Arrange your cleaned mushrooms on a plate, leaving space between each cap. Cover with three layers of damp paper towels. Microwave the smaller mushrooms for around 2 minutes and 3 minutes for the larger mushrooms.
- Mix together the cream cheese and pecans in a bowl, and then add the grease-drained chorizo and mix again.
- Use your hands to stuff a bit of the cream cheese mixture into each mushroom cap. I like to add a generous amount with a spoon. Bake the mushrooms for 10 minutes on the middle rack in your preheated oven.
- Increase the oven temperature to 400° F. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and add a pinch of shredded cheese to each stuffed mushroom. Continue baking.
- Bake again on the top rack for 3-4 minutes to melt the cheese. Sprinkle on crushed nuts immediately after for crunch, optional. Cool for 2 minutes and then serve warm. They're great served as an appetizer for a holiday or dinner party with Instant Pot turkey breast or air fryer chicken thighs for dinner.
Expert Tips
- Do not skip the pre-microwave steam step! Do this each and every time, and your chorizo-stuffed mushrooms will turn out fantastic every time.
- Separate the mushrooms by size. This way you can cook them appropriately in the microwave. Smaller mushrooms need less time than larger ones.
- Give the mushrooms a good once-over. Don't feel obligated to use every mushroom you purchased; if there are mushrooms that feel or appear mushy or waterlogged, avoid using them. Compromised mushrooms may not support the appetizer filling and/or may result in an unpleasant texture once cooked (read: super mushy).
- Storing leftovers. These are best enjoyed freshly made, but you can store any leftovers in the fridge for up to three days. Reheat them in the air fryer, oven, or microwave until heated through.
- Have leftover filling? Don't waste it! Spread it on a cracker or tortilla chip as a quick snack while you wait for the stuffed mushrooms to be done.
Keto Stuffed Mushrooms Recipe FAQs
Many stuffed mushroom recipes call for the use of breadcrumbs, which is a no-go if you are following a keto or low-carb diet. I swap out the breadcrumbs for crushed pecans, but walnuts would also be a good option. You don’t need to subscribe to any kind of diet to appreciate how delicious these stuffed mushrooms taste.
Nope. Don't do it. Frozen mushrooms are *really* only good for dishes where their shape or texture doesn't matter, like adding to soups or hot dishes (casseroles). Freezing mushrooms compromises their structure, texture, and flavor, and when thawed, they become mushy because of their high water content. So you're definitely not going to want to freeze stuffed mushrooms - make 'em with fresh mushrooms or not at all.
Not really. Since you are microwave steaming the mushrooms before assembling you'll want to bake them as soon as possible afterward. Steaming introduces more moisture into an already moist mushroom. The longer they sit after steaming, the more likely they will take on mushy qualities, and you don't want that.
You MUST microwave steam your ‘shrooms. Say what now!? The key to perfectly baked stuffed mushrooms is you have to steam them in the microwave first. This softens them up and speeds up the baking process. If a recipe tells you that you only need to bake your stuffed mushrooms for 10 minutes (no pre-streaming instructed), you’re going to be cooking those bastards for a half-hour until they are finally done. And by then your filling will be overcooked. And you’ll be hangry and wishing you could have the last hour of your life back.
More Easy Appetizer Recipes
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Keto Stuffed Mushrooms with Chorizo
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 16-ounce package stuffing mushrooms button or baby bellas
- ½ pound chorizo good quality
- 1 8-ounce package cream cheese room temperature
- 1 cup cheddar cheese shredded, grate it!
- ¼ cup salted and roasted pecans crushed
- 1-2 cloves garlic minced (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Cook the chorizo and garlic (optional) in a pan over medium heat, for 5-7 minutes, until fully cooked. Strain the chorizo over paper towels to remove the excess grease. Set aside.½ pound chorizo, 1-2 cloves garlic
- Remove the stems from each mushroom and wipe any dirt away with a paper towel. Separate mushrooms into two groups, by size. This will ensure that the mushrooms get the proper amount of steaming time in the microwave before baking.1 16-ounce package stuffing mushrooms
- Arrange the smaller mushrooms on a plate, cap side down (gill side up), and cover with three layers of damp paper towels. Microwave for 2 minutes. Remove and place upside down to let any excess water drain off.
- Arrange the large mushrooms on a plate, cap side down (gill side up), and cover with three layers of damp paper towels. Microwave for 3 minutes. Remove and place upside down to let any excess water drain off.
- Add cream cheese and pecans to a bowl and mix until well combined. Add the strained chorizo and mix until well combined.1 8-ounce package cream cheese, ¼ cup salted and roasted pecans
- Take a bit of the cream cheese mixture and add it to each mushroom cap. I like to add a generous amount and stuff each mushroom by hand.
- Bake for 10 minutes, middle rack of oven.
- Remove from oven. Increase oven temperature to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Add a pinch of shredded cheese to each stuffed mushroom.1 cup cheddar cheese
- Put back in the oven on the top rack for 3-4 minutes, until cheese has just melted. Sprinkle on crushed nuts immediately after for crunch, optional. Let cool for 2 minutes.
Notes
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- Do not skip the pre-microwave steam step! Do this each and every time for fantastic results every time.
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- Separate the mushrooms by size. Smaller mushrooms need less time than larger ones in the microwave.
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- Storing leftovers. Stuffed mushrooms are best enjoyed freshly made, but you can store any leftovers in the fridge for up to three days. Reheat them in the air fryer, oven, or microwave until heated through.
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- Have leftover filling? Spread it on a cracker or tortilla chip as a quick snack while you wait for the stuffed mushrooms to be done.
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