Air Fryer Recipe
Pesto Stuffed Mushrooms
A delicious and easy-to-make pesto stuffed mushrooms recipe, perfect for air frying.
Ingredients
- 12 large button mushrooms, stems removed
- 150g fresh basil leaves
- 50g pine nuts
- 2 garlic cloves
- 100ml extra-virgin olive oil
- 50g grated Parmesan cheese
- Salt and pepper to taste
Method
- Preheat your air fryer to 180°C.
- Clean the mushrooms gently with a damp paper towel to remove any dirt.
- Combine the basil, pine nuts, and garlic in a food processor, and blend until finely chopped.
- While the processor is running, slowly add the olive oil until the mixture emulsifies into a smooth paste.
- Stir in the Parmesan cheese and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Spoon the pesto mixture generously into the cavity of each mushroom where the stem was removed, pressing lightly.
- Place the stuffed mushrooms in a single layer in the air fryer basket.
- Air fry for 8-10 minutes, or until the mushrooms are tender and the tops are crisp.
Why this works in an air fryer
Air fryer convection drives moisture off the mushroom surface quickly, so the caps soften without stewing. The oil-rich pesto conducts heat into the cavity while Parmesan and pine nuts brown on top. Keeping the mushrooms dry and in one layer is what gives a lightly crisp surface rather than a wet filling.
Equipment notes
Assumes a 4–5 litre basket holding 12 large button mushrooms with small gaps; in a smaller single-drawer model cook in two batches, while a dual-zone air fryer may run slightly cooler per drawer so check at 10 minutes and add 1–2 minutes if the caps are still firm.
Common pitfalls
- Watery mushrooms with pooled liquid in the basket? They were washed under running water or packed too tightly; wipe only with a damp towel and leave gaps so steam can escape.
- Pesto browning too fast while the mushrooms stay firm? The filling is sitting too high and catching the element; press it just into the cavity and reduce to 170°C for the final few minutes.
- Filling looks oily and separated after cooking? Too much oil was added or the pesto was over-processed warm; stir in a little extra Parmesan or finely chopped basil to tighten it before stuffing.
- Mushrooms collapsing or turning rubbery by minute 10? They are smaller than ‘large’ button mushrooms; start checking at 6 minutes and remove as soon as the cap edges wrinkle and the centre is hot.
Variations & substitutions
- Use chestnut mushrooms instead of button mushrooms for a deeper, nuttier flavour; they can be slightly denser, so allow the full 10 minutes.
- Swap pine nuts for walnuts or almonds; the pesto will be coarser and browns a little more, so avoid overfilling the caps.
- Use vegetarian hard cheese in place of Parmesan; it melts and browns similarly, though it may need a touch more salt depending on the brand.
- Add a teaspoon of lemon zest to the pesto; it brightens the rich filling without changing the cooking time.
Storage & reheating
Keep leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 2 days, then reheat in the air fryer at 160°C for 4–5 minutes until hot, checking early so the pesto does not over-brown.
Nutrition
Calories: 150
