I made some fluffy dinner rolls, and the perfect way to use them was to assemble cheesy mushroom pull-apart sliders. They’re ideal for game days, parties, or holiday gatherings.
Table of Contents
- Why You’ll Love Cheesy Mushroom Sliders
- More Game Day Snacks
- Cheesy Pull-Apart Mushroom Sliders Recipe
- Ingredients and Substitutions
- 💡 Tips
- How to Make Spinach Mushroom Sliders
- What to Serve with Mushroom Sliders
- Frequently Asked Questions
These pull-apart sliders are filled with deeply browned mushrooms, garlicky spinach, and a creamy cashew “mozzarella” that melts and thickens in the oven. The rolls are brushed with garlic butter, assembled, and baked until the cheese is hot, sticky, and deliciously pull-apartable.
These sliders are versatile — swap herbs, add sliced tofu or white beans for extra protein, or layer in thinly sliced vegan meat or a few vegan mozzarella shreds. The method is simple: sauté mushrooms, use the same pan for the garlicky spinach, blend the cashew cream, layer everything, and bake. The cashew cream cooks in the oven while the sliders bake, so no need to precook it.
Enjoy pulling apart these gooey, savory sliders — a crowd-pleasing snack or appetizer.
Why You’ll Love Cheesy Mushroom Sliders
- A decadent, shareable treat perfect for game days, parties, or holidays
- Creamy, cheesy filling featuring savory mushrooms and garlicky spinach
- Soft, fluffy rolls that are fun to pull apart and munch on
- Easy to adapt for gluten-free, soy-free, or nut-free diets
More Game Day Snacks
- Spicy, crispy cauliflower bites or cauliflower “wings”
- Jalapeño popper pinwheels
- Spinach pinwheels
- Everything bagel-style cheeseball
- Cashew nacho cheese dip
Cheesy Pull-Apart Mushroom Sliders
Ingredients
For the Sliders
- 6 to 10 dinner rolls, depending on size
For the Mushrooms
- 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil or vegan butter
- 1/2 cup sliced onion
- 10 ounces sliced mushrooms (about 1/4″ thick or less)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme (or 1 teaspoon fresh)
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar (or 2 tablespoons white or red wine)
For the Spinach
- 1 teaspoon oil
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 8 ounces frozen spinach, thawed and lightly pressed to remove excess moisture
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
For the Cashew Mozzarella Cream
- 1/2 cup raw cashews, soaked at least 15 minutes and drained
- 3/4 cup water
- 1 1/2 tablespoons tapioca starch
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon white miso
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
For the Garlic Butter
- 1 tablespoon vegan butter
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried herbs (oregano or basil) or 1 tablespoon fresh, finely chopped
Optional add-ins
- A few tablespoons vegan mozzarella shreds, sliced smoked tofu, or other protein
Instructions
Make the mushrooms.
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Heat a skillet over medium-high and add oil or vegan butter. Cook the onion briefly, then add the mushrooms with a good pinch of salt and sauté 2–3 minutes until onions begin to soften. Stir in salt, pepper, thyme, and garlic and cook 3–4 more minutes. If the pan dries, add a splash of water. Add balsamic vinegar, reduce heat to medium, cover, and cook 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
Make the spinach.
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In the same skillet, heat 1 teaspoon oil. Add garlic and red pepper flakes and cook 15–20 seconds. Add the thawed, drained spinach and 1/4 teaspoon salt, mix, cover, and cook 3–4 minutes until the spinach is no longer raw. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
Make the cashew mozzarella cream.
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Blend drained cashews with water, tapioca starch, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, miso, salt, garlic powder, and onion powder until very smooth. Blend about a minute, let sit 4–5 minutes, then blend another 30 seconds. Repeat if necessary until completely smooth.
Make the garlic butter.
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Melt vegan butter and stir in the minced garlic and herbs. Set aside.
Assemble and bake.
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Preheat oven to 400°F (205°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment.
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Slice rolls in half and place bottom halves on the sheet. Brush with oil or butter if desired, then layer the mushrooms evenly, keeping them slightly thicker at the edges to contain the cheese.
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Stir the mozzarella cream into the spinach and spread over the mushrooms. Add optional shreds or protein if using. Top with roll tops and brush them generously with garlic butter. Cover with parchment or foil (tuck parchment under so it won’t lift).
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Bake covered 15 minutes, then uncover and bake 5–8 minutes more until tops are golden and the cheese is bubbly and thickened. Let rest a minute, garnish with fresh herbs, and serve warm.
Video
Notes
Nut-free option: Use silken tofu plus hemp seeds instead of cashews and ensure vegan butter is nut-free.
For gluten-free, use gluten-free dinner rolls.
Soy-free option: Use chickpea miso and a soy-free vegan butter.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an approximation.
Did you make this recipe? Rate and comment below!
Ingredients and Substitutions
- dinner rolls – Use homemade fluffy rolls or store-bought; gluten-free rolls work too.
- oil or vegan butter – For sautéing and for brushing rolls; also needed for the garlic butter.
- veggies – Mushrooms, onion, garlic, and spinach form the filling.
- seasonings – Salt, pepper, thyme, red pepper flakes, garlic and onion powders, and nutritional yeast for the cashew cream.
- balsamic vinegar – Adds sweetness and tang to the mushrooms.
- cashews – Base for the mozzarella-style cream; substitute silken tofu + hemp seeds for nut-free.
- tapioca starch – Helps the cashew cream thicken and get that stretchy, cheesy texture.
- lemon juice & miso – Add brightness and umami to the cashew “cheese.” Use chickpea miso for soy-free.
💡 Tips
- Mushrooms release a lot of moisture, so you often won’t need extra water while sautéing. Watch the pan and add small splashes only if it dries out.
- Layer mushrooms slightly higher at the edges to keep the cashew cheese from spilling off the rolls; you still want some cheese to ooze out for that pull-apart effect.
How to Make Spinach Mushroom Sliders
Heat a skillet over medium-high and add oil or vegan butter. Sauté onion briefly, then add mushrooms with a pinch of salt and cook until the onions begin to soften. Stir in salt, pepper, thyme, and garlic and continue cooking until the mushrooms release moisture and brown. Finish with balsamic, reduce heat, cover, and cook until tender. Set aside.
Use the same pan for the spinach: heat oil, sauté garlic with red pepper flakes briefly, add the thawed spinach and salt, cover, and cook until the spinach is no longer raw. Transfer to a bowl.
Blend the drained cashews with water, tapioca starch, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, miso, salt, garlic powder, and onion powder until completely smooth. Let it rest a few minutes and blend again to ensure a silky texture.
Melt vegan butter, mix in garlic and herbs for the garlic butter, and set aside. Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C) and line a baking sheet.
Slice the rolls, place bottom halves on the sheet, brush with oil or butter if desired, and layer mushrooms. Mix the cashew mozzarella with the spinach and spread it over the mushrooms. Add optional shreds or protein, top with roll tops, brush generously with garlic butter, and cover with parchment or foil (tuck parchment edges).
Bake covered 15 minutes, then uncover and bake 5–8 minutes more until the tops are golden and the cheese is bubbling and thick. Let rest a minute, garnish with fresh herbs, and serve warm.
What to Serve with Mushroom Sliders
These sliders fit perfectly on a party spread. Serve alongside other finger foods such as jalapeño popper pinwheels, French onion dip, tofu wings, or spicy cauliflower bites.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nut-free: substitute silken tofu and hemp seeds for the cashews and use a nut-free vegan butter. Gluten-free: choose gluten-free dinner rolls. Soy-free: use chickpea miso and a soy-free vegan butter.
Yes — prepare the mushrooms, spinach, cashew cheese, and garlic butter up to 3 days ahead and refrigerate. Make the rolls up to a week ahead if needed. Assemble and bake when ready to serve.