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Chorizo Stuffed Mushrooms with a cilantro ranch dressing are my take on a classic stuffed mushroom with Mexican flavors. This healthy Mexican appetizer combines (Mexican) chorizo with ground turkey, cotija queso, egg, and a stale tortilla binder. Perfect as a starter or finger food for game day!
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👩🏻🍳 Tamara Talks - About Appetizers
With the Super Bowl just days away, appetizer recipes and finger foods take center stage at homes across the US... I do my best to add my quirky, unique appetizer recipes to the mix. Lol.
In 2017 I did Mexican grilled chicken hearts. Initially, I joked about my "offal/awful" recipe, but surprisingly, that appetizer recipe brings year 'round and consistent traffic. I also did Oysters on the Half Shell with Blood Orange Mignonette with a spicy Mexican vibe.
The recipes that followed were more mainstream? Easy Mexican Lamb Meatballs and Baked Peruvian Style Meatballs. We mustn't forget popcorn and party mix. For more great appetizer recipes, be sure to check my appetizer index.
Let's talk about these healthy Mexican Stuffed Mushrooms with Cilantro Ranch. The stuffing base is a 50/50 mixture of lean chorizo (homemade chorizo is awesome but not necessary) and ground turkey.
Chorizo brings plenty of flavor, making the addition of spices unnecessary... A shorter ingredients list for the win!
I guess my chosen binder for the meatball mixture is stale tortilla crumbs. I knew it was a risk when I opted to use them rather than panko or breadcrumbs. I've always been a bit of a risk-taker in the kitchen, and my hunch worked out this time. A few pulses in the food processor, and these crumbs bring their masa flavor to the meatballs.
📋 Ingredients You'll Need
Here is a quick look at the ingredients in the recipe – it’s handy to use at the grocery store or as a summary of what you need. Skip to the recipe for quantities.
- button or crimini mushrooms
- stale corn tortillas - If you don't have corn tortillas, substitute regular or panko bread crumbs.
- lean Mexican chorizo - Chorizo provides the flavor for the stuffing, so it is a key ingredient. Choose a lean bulk chorizo in a tray as opposed to the tube style that may be mostly fat and unrecognizable ingredients. I know of only one quality chorizo that comes in a tube - San Manuel Chorizo. I use their chicken chorizo, or I make homemade chorizo.
- ground meat - Again, choose lean ground meat if fat content is a concern. I have used turkey, chicken, and pork for the Mexican stuffed mushrooms.
- cotija - I like the texture and flavor of crumbled cotija, but you can substitute your favorite cheese.
- egg
- sea salt/fresh ground pepper
🔪 Instructions
You will find more detailed cooking steps in the recipe card. These steps are included for planning purposes. I make the cilantro ranch while the stuffed mushrooms bake. Without a glass of wine and chatter, I can get this delicious healthy Mexican appetizer ready in about 45 minutes.
Serve the baked chorizo stuffed mushrooms with the cilantro ranch dressing. If you're so inclined, you can even serve them as a main dish!
💭 Tips
Any leftover chorizo stuffing mixture can be refrigerated or frozen for another use. In fact, I have been known to double the recipe so that I have some for later. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, and in the freezer for 2-3 months.
This Mexican stuffed mushrooms recipe is a great way to use stale corn tortillas!
❓ FAQ
There are a good number of commercial creamy dressings with Mexican flavors. A good salsa is another option. In fact, they're pretty darn delicious plain!
Absolutely! My husband and I have enjoyed them as a main dish paired with a simple garden salad dressed with the same cilantro ranch dressing (double duty). They'd be perfect with my Grilled Mexican Panzanella Salad with Chayote. This recipe will do about 24 mushrooms. I serve 6 as a main dish, or 3 as an appetizer.
I would suggest baking just before serving. However, the uncooked meat mixture can be refrigerated until ready to bake, or even thawed then stuffed into the mushrooms and baked just before serving.
I am usually cooking for 2. I use half of the meatball mixture for the two of us as a main dish. The remainder goes into a clearly marked zip bag in the freezer. It keeps in the freezer for months.
I do not recommend freezing any leftover stuffed mushrooms as it messes with the texture. You can reheat the next day.
Hands work best for combining ingredients!
Useful Tools
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In conclusion, I hope you'll give this healthy Mexican appetizer a try. While they look difficult and time-consuming, they're really quite simple to make!
📖 Recipe
Chorizo Stuffed Mushrooms
Useful Equipment
Ingredients
- 24 large button or crimini mushrooms stems removed
- 8 ounces lean chorizo
- 8 ounces ground turkey
- 3 corn tortillas pulsed to make coarse crumbs
- 1 egg beaten
- ½ teaspoon sea salt and several grinds pepper
- cilantro ranch for dipping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375° (350 convection).
- Lay the mushroom caps top side down on a baking sheet.
- Combine chorizo, ground turkey, tortilla crumbs, egg, salt and pepper thoroughly. Hands work best!
- Make appropriately sized meatballs (see photos above). Push them down into the mushroom cap.
- Bake until meat bis nicely browned and meat mixture is firm - about 25-30 minutes depending on size.
- While stuffed mushrooms bake, make the cilantro ranch.
Notes
Nutrition
NOTE: Macronutrients are an approximation only using unbranded ingredients and MyFitnessPal.com. Please do your own research with the products you’re using if you have a serious health issue or are following a specific diet.
Aena Rizvi says
I've been on the hunt for the perfect mushroom recipe and this one fit the bill just right! It's absolutely delicious and I love how it's really healthy too! You definitely have got to check out the chorizo recipe on this blog too - it's spot on!
Tamara says
Thank you Aena! And thanks for mentioning my homemade chorizo!
Gemma says
Wow these look incredible, I just had to pin them to my food board. I am obsessed with mushrooms, and love stuffing them with anything but this is something I have to make for sure. My tummy actually rumbled when just reading your recipe :))
Tamara says
This makes me smile Gemma! Thanks so much!