Mushroom caps with sausages, veggies, and all sorts of goodies stuffed in it are a hit with many people. No wonder you would think of making them for a party, your family, or just yourself. But if you make too many or want to prepare them ahead of time, can you freeze uncooked stuffed mushrooms?
You can freeze uncooked stuffed mushrooms safely. They can be frozen for up to three months without much damage to taste. Use airtight containers, parchment papers, or freezer bags for storage. It’s also recommended to cook them while frozen.
Understandably, many worry about altering the taste and texture by freezing stuffed mushrooms. In this article, we’ll share the most effective tips for storing stuffed mushrooms and maintaining their overall quality.
Should You Freeze Uncooked Stuffed Mushrooms?
First off, we’d need to answer the big question: Can you freeze raw stuffed mushrooms?
You should freeze uncooked stuffed mushrooms. However, you should only do so when you need to store them for an extended period. There are slight deviations between fresh stuffed mushrooms and frozen ones, especially in terms of firmness.
Like most food products, fresh stuffed mushrooms appear superior to frozen ones due to the fact that freezing them would affect their texture and firmness. However, the mushrooms’ taste changes very little upon freezing. In addition, proper packaging can help you avoid soggy mushrooms.
Which Is Better: Freezing Uncooked vs. Cooked Stuffed Mushrooms?
If you have to freeze stuffed mushrooms, is it better to do so while they’re raw or cooked?
It’s better to freeze stuffed mushrooms while they’re uncooked. Cooked stuffed mushrooms tend to have poorer quality or texture after freezing than uncooked ones. It’s also optimal to freeze them on the day they were made to preserve quality.
Freezing cooked stuffed mushrooms is possible. However, since their texture and quality were already affected by cooking, it may further be changed by freezing. Hence, if you think the stuffed mushrooms you prepped were more than you’d need for a meal, it’s better to freeze the extra ones uncooked instead of cooking them all and then freezing the leftovers.
Should You Freeze Mushrooms?
Now, you might be thinking of preparing and freezing the ingredients separately instead of storing them stuffed in the freezer. That’s not a bad idea, however, in this case, you might want to know what happens to mushrooms when they’re frozen on their own.
You should freeze mushrooms if you want to keep them for extended periods. However, the key is to freeze them as soon as possible. The earlier you freeze mushrooms, the better their taste and texture will be.
Pick fresh mushrooms to retain the ideal firmness and taste if you plan to freeze them. Also, avoid washing the mushrooms. Instead, just clean off the dirt. This will make them less soggy when you’re ready to use them.
Alternatively, you can wash them and allow them to air dry for a couple of hours before freezing them.
All that being said, it is a fine idea to go ahead and stuff the mushrooms with all your ingredients prior to freezing. Not only do stuffed mushrooms freeze well, but they will also be easier to prepare when you’re ready to make them as most of the work is already done.
How Long Would Stuffed Mushrooms Last in the Freezer?
Stuffed mushrooms will last for up to three months in the freezer. Three months is the maximum duration by which taste and texture would still be great. However, if you plan to freeze ingredients separately, frozen fresh mushrooms can last for up to a year.
Proper packaging is necessary to maximize the length of time you can freeze mushrooms. Otherwise, their quality will deteriorate faster.
How To Freeze Uncooked Stuffed Mushrooms
So know you know you can successfully freeze both stuffed and unstuffed mushrooms (uncooked), but how exactly would you do that? Here are some tips you should follow for properly freezing uncooked stuffed mushrooms:
Prepare the stuffed mushrooms and needed tools. First, prepare the stuffed mushrooms. Prepare the recipe as you usually would. You’ll also need to set out a baking sheet, parchment paper, and freezer bags or airtight containers.
Place the parchment paper on the baking sheet, then arrange the mushrooms. Make sure that the mushrooms’ stuffed side faces upwards and have some space between them. An inch between each cap is sufficient. Don’t forget the parchment paper so the shrooms won’t stick to the sheet.
Freeze the mushrooms on the baking sheet for a few hours. The stuffed mushrooms should be flash frozen on the baking sheet for two to three hours. This step keeps them from sticking to each other when frozen for longer.
Transfer into an airtight container or freezer bag. Transfer the stuffed mushrooms into a freezer bag or airtight container for long-term storage. Make sure the mushrooms are arranged in a layer and not piled on top of each other. You can use parchment paper as a division between each layer of mushrooms.
Use Olive Oil To Boost Mushrooms’ Presentability
You can also use olive oil to coat your stuffed mushrooms before you put them in the freezer. Using olive oil in this way helps the mushrooms to look great even after freezing. Taking extra steps like this is helpful if you want your mushrooms to look as presentable as possible once thawed.
Should You Thaw Frozen Stuffed Mushrooms Before Baking?
For many dishes, thawing is a crucial step after freezing. Improper thawing can result in wet food as the ice melts most of the time. However, in this case, there is no need to thaw stuffed mushrooms prior to baking.
You shouldn’t thaw frozen stuffed mushrooms before baking. Baking the mushrooms straight out of the freezer is the best way to preserve their texture. Doing so retains the moisture in the mushrooms and prevents soggy caps.
Another way to reheat stuffed mushrooms is to microwave them with a damp paper towel. In this case, the towel helps preserve moisture.
Use Paper Towels To Absorb Excess Moisture While Thawing
If for some reason you’d prefer to thaw your stuffed mushrooms prior to baking, you can set them on some paper towels while they defrost in the fridge.
A forum user on a forum I’m on shared that they thawed their stuffed mushrooms in the fridge and let paper towels absorb the excess moisture overnight before baking them.
Should You Refreeze Stuffed Mushrooms?
There may still be excess mushrooms left after freezing and reheating them. What should you do in this case?
You shouldn’t refreeze stuffed mushrooms. Whenever possible, cook only what you need. However, if there are mushrooms leftover, it’s better to refrigerate and consume them as soon as possible instead of refreezing.
Can You Store Stuffed Mushrooms in the Fridge?
If you don’t need to keep them for long, would refrigerating work for stuffed mushrooms?
You can store stuffed mushrooms in the fridge for up to five days at most. Use airtight containers to maximize quality and arrange the mushrooms in layers separated by parchment paper to avoid sticking together.
Even though most sources state that stuffed mushrooms are good for up to five days in the fridge, some people suggest refrigerating the individual ingredients instead of the already stuffed mushrooms. Doing so prevents the mushrooms from drying out and the stuffing from getting soggy.
Final Thoughts
Freezing stuffed mushrooms has the danger of dried-out caps or soggy end products. However, these risks can be avoided using proper storage techniques. You can safely store stuffed mushrooms in the freezer for up to three months and in the fridge for up to five days.
If you’re still apprehensive about storing your mushrooms pre-stuffed, you can choose to prepare the ingredients and freeze or refrigerate them separately. If you do so, avoid washing the mushrooms before you freeze or refrigerate them to prevent them from getting mushy when used.
