Vegetarian Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

Stuff It!

I think I’ve stuffed about everything! A savory stuffing adds so much excitement to ordinary vegetables. If you’re a fan of zucchini, you have to try cheese & pesto stuffed zucchini or boursin cheese stuffed zucchini. They are amazing! Caprese couscous stuffed tomatoes make a wonderful lunch! Spaghetti squash lends itself well to stuffing; you can serve it right in the shell. My family loves pizza stuffed spaghetti squash and chicken fajita stuffed spaghetti squash.

Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

Satisfying and flavorful! These vegetarian stuffed portobellos are really so good! With melty, creamy cheese, zippy little bites of sun-dried tomatoes, and crispy buttery garlicky bread crumbs — oh, yes, I’ll take these any day. You’re gonna love them!

Meatless main dish or hearty appetizer. Mushrooms feel meaty so they satisfy the even carnivores in your family — just hand them a steak knife and watch them dig in. (Still feel like you need a little meat? I do have a couple of recipes for meat-stuffed mushrooms. Try coq au vin stuffed mushrooms or chicken Parmesan stuffed portobello mushrooms.) Stuffed mushrooms are popular appetizers, too! Use smaller mushrooms that are finger food size.

Not difficult to make. When you hear “stuffed”, you may think the recipe is tricky. But it isn’t! There are just three easy steps to this recipe: prepping the mushrooms, making the filling, and spooning it into the mushrooms. Pop them into the oven for just 15 minutes. They can be prepped ahead, too, and baked when you’re ready.

Ingredient Notes

• Portobello mushrooms: For a main dish, you’ll need four mushrooms, large enough to hold lots of the luscious filling. The mushrooms are brushed with olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper.
• Sun-dried tomatoes: I usually use dry-packed sun-dried tomatoes. If you use sun-dried tomatoes that are packed in oil, I would pat the tomatoes with paper towels to absorb some of the excess oil.
• Lots of cheese! The mushrooms are stuffed with a mixture of creamy ricotta, gooey mozzarella, and flavorful Parmesan , a perfect trio!
• Fresh chopped basil: I love the sharp aroma of fresh basil, don’t you?
• Bread crumb topping: These stuffed mushrooms boast a crispy panko crown, with melted butter, garlic, parsley, and oregano. Regular bread crumbs are okay but I like panko better because it gets crispier. Did you know that you can make homemade bread crumbs? It’s a great way to use up day old bread and they are very easy to make.

How To Make Stuffed Portobellos

Prep the mushrooms. Carefully brush each mushroom clean using a soft brush or a damp paper towel. Scrape out the gills, and twist off the stem. Discard the gills and stem.

Season. Lightly brush the outsides with olive oil, and season the insides with salt and pepper.

Make the filling. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, blend together the three cheeses, finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes, and fresh basil.

Fill the mushroom caps. Evenly spoon the filling into the mushroom caps.

Make the topping. In a small skillet, melt butter. Add minced garlic and cook briefly. Add the panko and Italian seasonings. Crown the mushrooms with this savory topping.

Bake. Pop the pan of stuffed mushrooms into the oven and bake them. It will take about fifteen minutes for the cheese to get melty and the topping to brown. So yummy!

Serving Suggestions

As a main course: Vegetarian stuffed portobello mushrooms are a healthy meatless main dish. Serve them with a fresh green salad like this classic arugula salad or tomato cucumber salad.

As a side dish: Stuffed mushrooms are a hearty side dish, perfect with air fryer salmon, easy baked salmon with lemon and chives, spice rubbed pork tenderloins, or this bruschetta chicken.

What wine goes well with mushrooms? Stuffed portobello mushrooms have a meaty texture and robust flavor, almost like a steak. Accordingly, choose the same wine you would serve with a steak. Try a fruity Zinfandel or Cabernet Sauvignon. A full-bodied craft beer is good, too, like stout or brown ale.

Pro Tips

Remove the gills. The dark gills on the undersides of mushrooms are totally edible but sort of unsightly, especially in portobello mushrooms. They tend to turn the filling dark and make it more watery. Besides, if you remove them, there’s a lot more room for filling which tastes way better than mushroom gills!

Don’t soak the mushrooms in water. Mushrooms are like sponges and will absorb lots of water. Use a soft brush or damp paper towel to clean off the remnants of dirt. If you want, give the mushrooms a quick rinse in a colander. Once mushrooms are cleaned, it’s best to use them immediately.

Use fresh mushrooms. If you’re unsure whether your mushrooms have gone bad, look at the outside. If there are lots of dark spots and the surface is sticky or slimy, chances are your mushrooms are too far gone. Throw them in your compost pile.

Recipe Variations

• Change up the cheese. Instead of mozzarella and Parmesan, try Swiss or Gruyere.
• Make it into an appetizer. Instead of large portobello mushrooms, fill white button mushrooms (stems removed). Bake as directed.
• Grill the mushrooms. Put mushrooms on a preheated grill (medium heat), cover and cook until cheese is melted and mushrooms are cooked, about 10 minutes. The panko topping won’t get as crispy but if you want, you can put them under the broiler for a few minutes. (Or try my grilled portobello mushrooms with spinach and cheese.)
• Looking for sautéed mushrooms instead? Try the best sautéed mushrooms (I have an easy trick!), air fryer mushrooms, or sautéed mushrooms with wine and garlic. Roasted mushrooms are delicious and easy, too.

Make-Ahead Ideas

To get a head start on this meal, mix up the filling and prepare the breadcrumb topping the night before. Refrigerate both until you’re ready to stuff the mushrooms. You’ll need to add a few minutes to the baking time.

Storage & Reheating

Lucky you, leftover mushrooms! Refrigerate up to three days, tightly wrapped. To reheat, put the mushrooms on a baking sheet and into a preheated oven (400°F) for ten minutes or until heated through.

If you love these “fun guys” as much as we do, be sure to try these delicious recipes which feature mushrooms in a starring role!