Baked Mushrooms in Parmesan Cream Sauce
Whole Baked Mushrooms in Parmesan Cream Sauce are rich and creamy with a crispy top of Parmesan and panko bread crumbs. Indulgent and perfect for a special dinner.
My goal when I decided to start a food blog was to keep the recipes for everything I’ve made over the years in one handy and reasonably secure environment. It would mean transferring recipes from an old yellow binder, a shopping bag full of clippings and a multitude of cookbooks and magazines with dog-eared pages marking the dishes I had loved.
Twenty years later I still don’t have my archives all here and it may be an impossible task to presume I ever will.
But some things are a must and these Baked Mushrooms in a Parmesan Cream Sauce are so high up on the list that while on the blog; they were buried so deeply in the archives that they never saw the light of day and that was wrong. So wrong.
Every time I prepare this dish I am reminded that separately the components are really nothing to write home about.
Plain old button mushrooms. Some butter (excuse me…a LOT of butter!), half and half, stock, Panko, and Parmesan cheese.
Not that they don’t sound like they might be good; those ingredients piqued my interest after all when I happened across the recipe in a very old cookbook from my hometown of St. Louis.
Still, nothing in that list can prepare you for how amazing this dish is once all of those ingredients are mixed together, baked and offered as either an appetizer or a side dish for a favorite event or meal.
I’ve changed very little about that original work of art from the St. Louis Art Museum Cookbook circa the 1970’s but what I have changed is worth noting.
I mentioned last month that I’m working as a Brand Ambassador with Swanson®.
I’ve been fortunate to have been provided with a literal cupboard full of broth and stock products to use in this adventure so not only do I have more choices but for the time being its ‘bye, bye, bye’ Costco.
As much as I love knowing I can buy a case of chicken broth to always have on hand, I love even more the diversity of the products I’ve received.
I knew when we were discussing the potential of our relationship that the one thing I would have to share with my readers on this blog would be my recipe for these mushrooms.
One of the critical ingredients is a stock; be it beef, chicken or vegetable.
Since I’ve used both the words stock and broth in this paragraph, maybe I should clarify those too.
The basic difference between a stock and a broth is that stock is a rich and savory base with a singular flavor profile and limited added seasonings, while broth is a lighter, seasoned base with a balanced flavor profile.
A stock is just waiting to be transformed into a soup or sauce by the cook so for this recipe I used Swanson® Vegetable Stock; it was flavor I was after but the dish didn’t need extra salt or seasonings as a component.
When I first started serving these mushrooms, they were an appetizer course. Somehow over the years it segued from appetizer to simply being a part of the meal and we served it every year for many, many years as a side dish on Thanksgiving.
I honestly think if no one was looking I could just squirrel myself away somewhere with this dish of mushrooms and happily forgo turkey and other fixins’ – yes I love it that much!
While I can be set in my ways when it comes to a lot of things, when I’m cooking it’s when I’m most open to change and for this dish the changes were good. Maybe first and foremost we’ve moved it from Thanksgiving to Christmas.
Ever since my daughter and I made the eponymous Green Bean and Mushroom Casserole from scratch for Thanksgiving one year, I thought a change of venue was in order for one of our mushroom dishes and relegated our beloved Baked Mushrooms to the Christmas table.
Regular old bread crumbs were replaced with the larger and crunchier Panko crumbs and in an effort to insure that everyone can join me in eating my favorite side dish.
I’ve also gone the route of substituting the chicken stock in the ingredient list with Swanson® Vegetable Stock. Either works fine depending on who you are serving.
Considering that the stock is combined with half and half and sherry in the making of the sauce, I barely noticed a change in flavor but it was important that several of my guests were pleased that they could enjoy this favorite with me.
Now; if I had been really smart, I would have used Swanson® Chicken Stock and there would have been more for me!!! Just kidding. A little.
Mushrooms cooked just enough to be tender but not mushy; that amazing cream sauce smothered over them and then to finish they are topped with a crunchy Parmesan and Panko mixture? So perfect.
Promise me…forget the turkey or the prime rib (OK, maybe not the prime rib) but try these…I think they are simply irresistible!
PIN IT! ‘Baked Mushrooms in a Parmesan Cream Sauce’
Baked Mushrooms in Parmesan Cream Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 lb. mushrooms cleaned and stems removed
- ½ c. butter
- 2 Tbsp. flour
- ½ c. half and half
- ¼ c. Swanson® Beef Chicken or Vegetable Stock
- ¼ cup sherry or white wine
- Dash of freshly ground pepper
- ½ c. Panko bread crumbs yes, you can use regular crumbs but these offer a better crunch
- ½ c. freshly grated Parmesan
- 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley for garnish optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter shallow baking dish.
- Arrange mushrooms in dish stemmed side down.
- Melt 1/2 cup butter in small saucepan over low heat. Increase heat to medium-high, blend in flour and cook for 3 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Combine half and half, stock, sherry and pepper and bring to a simmer.
- Remove from heat and pour sauce evenly over mushrooms.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes until mushrooms look tender.
- Sprinkle with bread/cheese mixture and continue baking until cheese melts, approximately 5 minutes.
- Remove from oven and sprinkle with parsley for garnish.
- Serve hot.
Nutrition
This post is sponsored by Swanson® however all commentary is my own.
Are these baked covered prior to doing the topping?
No…if you think the top starts to brown too much you can always cover them though.
These are absolutely delicious. Next time I’ll make them stem side up for more of a stuffed mushroom style.
What is the serving size for nutritional info?
What kind of mushrooms did you use?
I just use garden variety plain white button mushrooms!
Made these today for our early Thanksgiving and they are a new staple.
I appreciate your comment because I can tell the world how wonderful they are and my comments will be taking with a bit of a grain of salt but you sharing that you love them too? That says a lot…
Thanks for sharing!
Why place mushrooms stemmed side down? Doesn’t it make sense to put them stemmed side up? That way they’ll be able to hold more of the white sauce and Panko bread crumbs. Thank you
For one reason only, the finished dish looks better. There’s plenty of sauce so positioning wouldn’t really make a difference.
HI. I am serving dinner on Sunday – Fondue Bourguignone (Beef fondu) and was thinking of doing a potato side dish, but your mushroom recipe just appeared on Yvonne’s weekly recipes. Just in time. It sounds perfect as a side dish. Will purchase mushroom today. Thanks so much
Monique-Marie
I hope you love them as much as we do!
I love stuffed mushrooms, how can I incorporate them into this dish? The white sauce and panko would give the stuffed mushrooms a kick.
I made this recipe and it is absolutely delicious! I am making it again this week for a girls party I am having and was wondering if I could prep it up to the point of putting it in the oven. In other words, can I make the sauce ahead of time and pour it over the mushrooms, put it in the refrigerator and just cook it and top it with the bread crumbs and cheese later. Thanks?
I’ve never done that Bonnie but I see no reason why not. If everything is cold going into the oven, you might need to warm everything a few minutes longer. I’m glad you love them…I am seriously happy to forego other parts of a meal to get an extra mushroom or two! Barb
I never uaed red or white wine to cook. Could I make them without it?
Absolutely. Substitute the wine with additional broth and it will be great!
These mushrooms are truly delicious! I can’t thank you enough for the inspiration. I will be making again soon for my mushroom loving friends.
So glad you loved them. I wasn’t kidding when I could eat the whole thing; I know I shouldn’t but I could! 🙂
Looks divine!! I did not know Swanson made a line of stocks ( much better than broth). Your mushrooms would be perfect for Christmas Eve. Thank you for sharing.
Velva
I didn’t know that either Velva since I always picked up the broth at Costco. I love using it; bet you will too!
These have been added to the Christmas Day menu here, to accompany Filet Mignon with Madeira Sauce! Divine! Thank you, Barb!
Sounds like the perfect match Susan…enjoy!
Good gravy! This looks wonderful! You’ve outdone yourself, and that’s not easy. Truly good stuff — thanks.
Oh you’re so sweet…but thank you! They are truly SO good and so much easier than that whole mushroom stuffing business. 🙂
Barb, there are some recipes that turn me on instantly and I have to make them asap, this is one of them. I can’t wait!
Yeah…my purpose in life fulfilled! Thanks friend.
Thank you Barb. A lovely recipe.
Most welcome Liz; love sharing this one, it’s truly a long time family favorite.
I was pretty sure you had me at the sticky date pudding but I was wrong. The new winner is this mushroom dish. This is a Christmas present to both John and me. I already know we’re going to love it.
It is sort of a gift isn’t it…not something you can enjoy often but when you do it is special! Hope you love them too!