Spinach Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms are a vegetarian delight that even a die-hard meat eater will enjoy! They’re also gluten-free and suitable for anyone on a keto plan.
A single thick and meaty portobello mushroom stuffed with spinach, finely chopped mushrooms, shallots and a little sour cream is large enough to be the main attraction for a vegetarian dish, but also makes a great side dish for any occasion.
Shopping for portobello mushrooms
Portobello mushrooms are actually mature cultivated cremini mushrooms that grow four to six inches in size. They have dark brown gills and thick stems, and contain less moisture than their younger counterparts, resulting in a more concentrated mushroom flavor.
When shopping for portobellos, look for large, loose mushrooms with stems (unpackaged) about five inches in diameter. Examine each. The gills (the feathery, dark underside of the hat) should be dry. Soggy or soggy gills indicate the mushrooms are old.
How to store portobellos
Place the mushrooms in a paper bag or wrap them loosely in paper towels to avoid the moisture that collects when stored in plastic. Store them in the fridge and try to use them within four to five days if they were fresh to begin with.
How to clean and prepare portobellos
To remove the stems, simply cut them off the caps with a paring knife. But don’t throw them away! Instead, trim off the dirty ends, clean, and chop into pieces to use for the filling.
Some people dislike the dark brown gills that are edible, believing that they impart a muddy flavor. I’m not convinced of this, but you can gently scrape them out with a spoon and throw them away, or leave them as is, whichever you prefer.
This goes against the conventional wisdom of having to use a dry brush to remove the dirt, but if my cooking guru Jacques (Pepin) says it’s okay, I’ll take his advice! Just be sure to rinse them lightly immediately before use, not too far in advance.
progress
The mushrooms can be stuffed, topped with cheese, covered with foil or plastic wrap, and refrigerated up to two days in advance. Reserve them in a casserole dish and place in a 375°F oven for about 25 minutes, or until just hot and the cheese melts.
Serve them on top of some vegetables lightly dressed with oil and vinegar, or with rice, farro, or your choice of grain.
Hey mushroom lovers, check out these recipes!
- You can’t beat a classic! Who doesn’t love fettuccini alfredo with mushrooms?
- Eat this plant-based powerhouse for lunch! Eggs in sautéed chard and mushrooms!
- Mushrooms are the secret ingredient in this Easy Vegetarian Chili.
- Get your carb fix with this pasta, spinach, mushroom and brown butter recipe.
- Little time? Try this quick and easy tortilla pizza with onions, mushrooms and ricotta.
Portobello mushrooms stuffed with spinach
Grill version: This is also a great recipe for the grill! Just prepare the recipe as described by assembling the mushrooms. Refrigerate until ready to grill, and instead of frying the mushrooms for the final step, grill them until heated through and the cheese is melted.
ingredients
-
1/2 pound cremini or button mushrooms, halved
-
2 large shallots (4 ounces), quartered
-
4 large portobello mushrooms
-
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
-
1/2 teaspoon salt
-
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
-
5 ounces (about 4 cups) baby spinach leaves
-
1 tablespoon of water
-
1 teaspoon dried thyme
-
3 tablespoons sour cream
-
1 cup (about 4 ounces) grated Swiss, Gouda, or Cheddar cheese
-
2 tbsp chopped parsley (for garnish)
special equipment
-
food processor
method
-
Prepare your equipment:
Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Place a large strainer over a bowl.
-
Chop mushrooms and shallots:
Remove the stems from the portobello mushroom caps. Using a paring knife, cut off the dirty ends of the stems and discard. Rinse the remains of the stalks and cut into 1-inch pieces.
In a food processor fitted with a metal blade, combine the cremini or button mushrooms, shallots and portobello stalks. Pulse several times until the mushrooms and shallots are finely chopped. Put aside.
-
Bake the mushrooms yourself:
Brush both sides of the mushroom caps with 2 tablespoons oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place them gill-side down on the baking sheet and bake for 12 to 14 minutes, or until tender but still slightly set.
Take out and set aside. There will likely be quite a bit of excess liquid on the pan; Reserve it to add to the filling in step 5.
-
Cook and drain spinach:
Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the spinach and 1 tablespoon water to the pan. Cook and stir for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the leaves wilt.
Transfer them to the colander and drain, squeezing out most of the liquid with the back of a spoon. Wipe out the pan with a paper towel.
-
Finish the filling:
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in pan over medium heat. Add the chopped mushrooms and shallots and cook for 5 minutes or until tender.
Add the thyme, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 2 pinches of pepper and any excess liquid that collected on the baking sheet while the portobellos were baking. Cook and stir until most of the liquid in the pan has evaporated.
Remove the pan from the stove. Add the drained spinach and sour cream and stir until well combined. Taste and add more salt and pepper if you like.
-
Fill mushrooms:
Turn the mushrooms on the baking sheet so that the gill side is facing up. Pile a quarter of the filling onto each mushroom cap. Sprinkle each with a quarter of the cheese.
-
Fry the stuffed mushrooms:
Place a grate 6 inches from the grill element and heat the grill. Place the mushrooms under the grill and grill for 3 to 4 minutes or until the cheese melts.
-
Surcharge:
Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve the mushrooms on vegetables lightly dressed in oil and vinegar, or with rice, farro or your choice of cereal.
