Creepy Stuffed Mushroom Eyeballs Recipe
Creepy Stuffed Mushroom Eyeballs are a spooky and delicious appetizer perfect for Halloween parties. These large mushrooms are stuffed with a savory mixture of cream cheese, ground beef, Parmesan, garlic, and herbs, then topped with a black olive to resemble an eyeball. Baked until golden and bubbly, they make a fun and eerie treat that’s as tasty as it is festive.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20-25 minutes
- Total Time: 35-40 minutes
- Yield: 16 stuffed mushrooms 1x
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Mushrooms
- 16 large white or cremini mushrooms
Filling
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup cooked ground beef (or crumbled beef bacon)
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Toppings & Finish
- 16 small black olives, pitted
- Olive oil or cooking spray (for brushing mushroom caps)
Instructions
- Prepare Mushrooms & Oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Gently wipe the mushrooms clean, remove the stems, and lightly brush the mushroom caps with olive oil. Arrange them cavity-side up on the baking sheet ready for filling.
- Make Filling: In a mixing bowl, combine softened cream cheese, cooked ground beef, grated Parmesan cheese, minced garlic, chopped fresh parsley, salt, and black pepper. Mix thoroughly until the mixture is smooth and well blended.
- Fill Mushrooms: Generously spoon the cream cheese filling into each mushroom cap, mounding it slightly to create a rounded ‘eyeball’ shape for a dramatic effect.
- Add Eyeball Details: Place one pitted black olive in the very center of the filling on each mushroom to form the ‘pupil’ of the eyeball.
- Bake: Bake the stuffed mushrooms in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the mushroom caps are tender, the filling is heated through and bubbly, and the tops become lightly golden brown.
- Optional ‘Bloodshot’ Veins & Serve: For a creepier finish, after baking, mix a tiny drop of red food coloring with a teaspoon of cream cheese or use a thin drizzle of sriracha to draw ‘bloodshot’ veins radiating outward from the olive ‘pupil’. Let them cool a few minutes before serving warm.
Notes
- Use cremini mushrooms for a deeper flavor if white mushrooms aren’t available.
- The ground beef can be substituted with cooked crumbled beef bacon for a smoky twist.
- Be gentle when removing mushroom stems to keep caps intact for stuffing.
- Make sure cream cheese is softened to blend easily with other ingredients.
- For a vegetarian option, omit the ground beef and add finely chopped sautéed vegetables.
- Food coloring used for veins is optional but adds a fun spooky effect for Halloween.
- Serve warm for best flavor and texture.
Keywords: Stuffed mushrooms, Halloween appetizer, Halloween snack, creepy food, party appetizers, baked mushrooms, cream cheese stuffed mushrooms
