Cheesy Stuffed Mushroom Dip

This stuffed mushroom dip is one of my new favorite appetizers. It has all the flavor of cheesy stuffed mushrooms with none of the hassles.

• This is a true one-dish recipe: Prepare and serve this stuffed mushroom dip in the same pan.
• Makes a great camping recipe: This dip can be prepared on a camp stove, Blackstone griddle, or even over an open flame.
• It's easy to keep warm: If you use a cast iron skillet or dutch oven, stuffed mushroom dip will stay warm for at least 20 minutes. Regardless of the kind of pan you use, this cheesy dip stays hot for much, much longer than regular stuffed mushrooms.
• Easy to serve: This is the kind of appetizer that's perfect for situations where you intend for guests to feel un-rushed as they sip cocktails and snack on appetizers over relaxed conversation.
• Can be prepared in advance: Stuffed mushroom dip can be prepared in advance and then simply heated before serving.
• It's perfect for holiday entertaining: When compared to traditional stuffed mushrooms, this cheesy mushroom dip is easier to prepare and serve, and takes up less space. It's also easy to transport if you're taking it to someone else's home.

Most importantly, this stuffed mushroom dip is creamy, cheesy, lavish, and delicious!

How to Make this Cheesy Stuffed Mushroom Dip

Prepare this recipe using an oven-safe non-stick skillet, a cast iron skillet, or a Dutch oven. Cook the dip using a traditional stovetop and oven, or on a camp stove, Blackstone griddle, or even a grill rack over an open fire.

Crumble the sausage into your pan and set it over medium-high heat.

Cook the sausage until some of the fat begins to render.

Add some diced onion and cook until the sausage is cooked through.

How do you know when the sausage is cooked? Cut a couple of the large pieces of sausage in half and look inside. If you don't see any pink, the sausage is cooked through.

Scoop the sausage and onions into a bowl, add some oil and butter to the pan, and set it back over medium heat.

Add the mushrooms and cook for about 5 minutes, until they are soft.

Add some thyme, minced garlic, salt and pepper, and cook for about a minute longer.

Add the cream cheese and stir it around until it starts to melt.

Then add the grated cheese and half and half.

Cook, stirring, until all the cheese is melted.

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the sausage and onions. Spread the dip out in the pan into an even layer.

Mix some panko bread crumbs with melted butter and a pinch of salt and sprinkle them over the top of the mushroom dip.

Bake the dip until the bread crumbs are golden brown and the dip is bubbling around the edges of the pan. (See below for other options to cook this dip without using an oven.)

Top the mushroom dip with with diced tomatoes if you like and serve it with toasted baguette slices, crackers, and/ or fresh veggies for dipping.

Different Ways to Cook Stuffed Mushroom Dip

One of the best things about this recipe is how versatile it is. Stuffed mushroom dip is easily prepared using a standard stovetop and oven. It also makes a great camping recipe and can be made on a Blackstone griddle, camp stove, or even over an open flame.

• Cook stuffed mushroom dip using a standard stovetop and oven: Follow the recipe to prepare the cheesy dip on the stovetop and finish it in the oven. Prepare the dip in a cast iron pan, oven safe skillet, or dutch oven.
• Cook stuffed mushroom dip on a Blackstone Griddle: Set the flame to high and allow at least 10 minutes for the griddle to heat up. Follow the recipe to prepare the dip in a cast iron pan (a skillet or dutch oven), setting the pan directly on the hot Blackstone griddle. Add the sausage and onions off-heat and top the dip with bread crumbs. Turn the griddle's flame down to medium, cover the pan, and set it back on the surface of the griddle. Cook until you see the mushroom dip bubbling around the edges of the pan. If you like you can crisp up the bread crumbs with a small torch, cooking them until they turn golden brown.
• Cook stuffed mushroom dip on a grill rack that's set over an open flame: Use a cast iron pan (a skillet or dutch oven) that's positioned so the pan will get hot but is not directly touching the flames. Follow the instructions to prepare the dip in the cast iron pan, removing it from the heat to stir in the sausage and onions and top with bread crumbs. Cover the pan and set it back over the flame, cooking until the dip begins to bubble around the edges of the pan. Use a small torch to brown and crisp the bread crumbs if you like and the mushroom dip is ready to serve.

Variations and Additions to this Cheesy Mushroom Dip

This is the kind of dip that can be modified in a thousand different ways, so be creative! Here are some ideas...

• Toss in some chopped marinated artichoke hearts along with the cooked sausage and onions
• Add some chopped olives or sun-dried tomatoes, preferably the kind that are stored in oil so they are soft and chewy
• Add cooked bacon pieces instead of the sausage, or in addition to the sausage
• Add chopped, roasted green chilies, a few chipotle peppers in adobo, or any kind of roasted chilies.
• Top stuffed mushroom dip with french fried onions instead of panko bread crumbs

Make-Ahead and Storage Tips

Stuffed mushroom dip can be prepared in advance and then heated before serving. After topping the dip with bread crumbs, allow it to cool completely, then cover the pan and place it in the refrigerator until you're ready to cook it. It will keep well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Leftover stuffed mushroom dip will also keep well in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave, oven, or on a stovetop, camp stove, or Blackstone. When reheating, use gentle heat and pay close attention to prevent the dip on the bottom of the pan from burning.