Stuffed mushrooms are an easy, flavorful appetizer that can be made any way you want. Use baby bella mushrooms for a perfect handheld party snack, and you can stuff them with anything from lump crab meat to Parmesan or bacon. As the mushrooms cook down in the oven, they tend to soften; for a balanced dish, adding a little crunch is key, and the easiest way to do this is to top the stuffed mushrooms with crispy panko.
Panko comes from the Japanese words pan and ko, which translate to bread and flour. Panko is a type of breadcrumb that’s often thicker than the finely ground crumbs you see in the United States. Panko is made from white bread, but true panko is made from a unique bread that’s baked without any crust, so all of the flakes have the same flavor and texture. These days, Japanese panko is widely available in grocery stores, so it’s a quick way to add a little crunch to your next stuffed mushroom dish.
Top your stuffed mushrooms with panko
It’s not uncommon to mix breadcrumbs into any stuffing mixture, and you can do so with stuffed mushrooms, too, but keep in mind the breadcrumbs will absorb some of the moisture in the stuffing as it cooks. For that extra crunch, you should instead add a layer of panko on top. Sprinkle panko over the stuffed mushrooms before popping them in the oven. Or, if you have a sturdy stuffing, add some panko to a bowl, then flip and dip the mushrooms into the panko, so the top gets a nice even coating.
Buy the panko unseasoned; the white bread has a neutral flavor that can be seasoned to whatever is in your stuffing. Kosher salt is always a good idea, plus some onion and garlic powder. For a little spice, add some cayenne, paprika, or chili powder to the panko, too. If you’re worried about buying a whole container of panko for one recipe, know that it lasts about six months in its airtight container, so you can use it in plenty of other dishes, too.
