But the good news is they inspired this simple recipe for air-fried stuffed mushrooms.
Every time my boyfriend or I suggest stuffed mushrooms for a meal, its like announcing Pizza Party!
to a group of 10-year-olds.
Theres an excited gasp, eyes light up, maybe a fist pump happensthats how good this recipe is.
And that, my friends, is great news.
The key to great stuffed mushrooms is not just a tasty filling, but overpacking the filling.
At first, itll seem like way too much filling for those little cavitiesand thats the point.
Then go back with the remaining stuffing and pile it on top.
Theyll end up looking like spheres if everything works out right.
These little umami bombs come out crisp on top but juicy on the inside.
Pull the stems out of the mushroom caps.
Line up the mushroom caps, round side up, on a plate.
Spray the bottoms with a bit of oil and flip them over so the de-stemmed side is up.
Chop the mushroom stems roughly until theyre about the same size as the minced garlic and shallot.
Add the stems, shallot, and garlic to a frying pan with the butter.
Saute the veggies over medium-low heat until they begin to soften and sweat.
Add the cream cheese to the warm mixture and stir it until well combined.
Stir in the parsley and parmesan cheese.
Using a small spoon, add just enough filling to fill each of the mushroom caps.
Press the mixture firmly with the back of your spoon.
Divide the remaining filling amongst the mushrooms, mounding the stuffing on top.
Set the air fryer to the air fry setting at 325F and cook the stuffed mushrooms for 10 minutes.
Then allow them to sit and cool off for 5 to 10 minutes.
(This rest time allows the mushrooms to reabsorb any loose juices in the cap.
Also those juices are hot, so this gives them a chance to cool.)
Enjoy as a side to a larger snack dinner, or on its own as a mini-meal.
