Spinach Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms are an easy vegetarian dinner idea that can be served as the main dish.
What do you eat if you don’t eat meat?
I love mashed potatoes, but without meat it can be difficult to figure out what to serve with my favorite side dish. Without a steak or chicken breast alongside, what can we do to round out the meal?
I took inspiration from one of my favorite restaurant meals for this one. A local pizza place offers a few entrees, one of which is called Vegetarian Heaven. Presumptuous, right?!
But it totally works. A giant portobello mushroom is stuffed with creamy spinach, topped with cheese, and then nestled on a bed of luxurious mashed potatoes and freshly grilled veggies.
What makes this the best stuffed portobello mushroom recipe
This is a stuffed portobello mushroom recipe without breadcrumbs, which is great because that means it’s naturally gluten-free! We’re stuffing lots of spinach in there to build flavor and keep you full.
Frozen spinach keeps this recipe super easy. No need to wilt down mountains of fresh spinach! If you love the convenience of this freezer staple, be sure to check out my other frozen spinach recipes!
These are delicious, but also easily customizable (see below). The spinach and mushrooms together create a heartiness that can be difficult to find in vegetarian entrees.
You’ll feel like you have a main dish instead of a bunch of sides on your plate!
Stuffed mushroom ingredients
- Olive oil
- Balsamic vinegar
- Garlic
- Portobello mushroom caps
- Frozen spinach
- Parmesan cheese
- Heavy cream
- Mozzarella cheese
- Salt & pepper
How to make spinach stuffed portobello mushrooms
- Whisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and garlic in a small bowl.
- Place mushroom caps in a large, zipper seal plastic bag and add the olive oil marinade. Seal the bag and flip it over a few times to coat. Allow to rest for 15 minutes.
- Place marinated mushrooms stem side down on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake 10 minutes at 450ºF.
- Combine spinach, ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, and heavy cream in a medium bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Remove mushrooms from the oven, then divide the spinach filling over the mushrooms. Top evenly with mozzarella cheese and remaining parmesan.
- Return the mushrooms to the oven for 10 minutes.
Is parmesan cheese vegetarian?
Most parmesan cheese is not vegetarian, but you can look for cheese made with vegetable rennet instead of animal rennet. You can read more about this in my post on foods that are surprisingly not vegetarian.
Tips for customizing
- Serve with your favorite veggies such as balsamic roasted brussels sprouts with garlic, mashed potatoes, or grilled zucchini and onions
- Serve on a hamburger bun as a sandwich
- Use full fat coconut milk in place of the heavy cream and leave off the cheese to make it vegan
- Serve on top of pasta with marinara sauce
- Looking for even less work? Stuff your mushrooms with veggie mash!
What to serve with stuffed mushrooms
- Homemade Vegetarian Stuffing
- Cheesy Crockpot Mashed Potatoes
- Mashed Potato Bake
- Oven Roasted Vegetables
- Oven Roasted Carrots with Thyme
More vegetarian main dish recipes
- The Best Crispy Tofu
- Kung Pao Tofu
- Vegetarian Baked Southwest Egg Rolls
- Eggplant Meatballs
- Vegetarian Lentil Meatloaf Muffins
If you make this recipe be sure to rate it, leave a comment, or tag #theliveinkitchen on Instagram.
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Recipe
Spinach Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic, pressed
- 4 large portobello mushroom caps
- 10 ounces frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and excess water removed
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese, divided
- 2-3 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- Coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and garlic.
- Place mushroom caps in a large, zipper seal plastic bag and add the olive oil marinade. Seal the bag and flip it over a few times to distribute the marinade over the mushrooms. Allow to rest for 15 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 450ºF. Place marinated mushrooms stem side down on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, prepare the filling by combining spinach, ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, and heavy cream in a medium bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Remove the mushrooms from the oven and flip. Divide the spinach filling over the mushrooms, then top evenly with mozzarella cheese and remaining parmesan.
- Return the mushrooms to the oven for 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and beginning to brown.
- Serve warm with mashed potatoes, grilled veggies, or your other favorite sides.
Notes
Tips for customizing:
- Serve with your favorite veggies such as balsamic roasted brussels sprouts with garlic, mashed potatoes, or grilled zucchini and onions
- Serve on a hamburger bun as a sandwich
- Use full fat coconut milk in place of the heavy cream and leave off the cheese to make it vegan
- Serve on top of pasta with marinara sauce
Amanda Rich says
YUM! I’m not a vegetarian but enjoy exploring meat free ideas and this one is a keeper! I will definitely be trying this as a burger at some point and with pasta too, this time I did it with roasted veggies.
I wanted to go a little healthier so I omitted the heavy cream and mixed in some chopped tomatoes instead. Thanks for the new recipe!
Lindsay Moe says
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, thanks for sharing your adaptation!
Naomi says
Could the filling be made in advance and kept in the fridge?
Lindsay Moe says
Absolutely!
Stacy says
Can you use fresh spinach instead of frozen?
Lindsay Moe says
Yes, but you would need to use 4-5 cups and cook it down, then squeeze out any excess water.
Katelyn says
Loved this recipe! So tasty and easy. Will definitely be making again. I served it on a hamburger bun for my littlest one and he loved it. Thank you!
Lynn says
Great recipe for a Friday during Lent! I did use fresh spinach and served it with sweet potatoes and squash.
Bella says
Looks amazing (not sure how to leave a comment without a review but I can tell it will come out!). My question is how to adapt for baby bellas? I want to make as a side/appetizer to use up some mozzarella and mushrooms that each need to get used ASAP. I imagine I’ll reduce the oven time but maybe not since they’re as “tall” (thick?) as full size caps. What do you think? Thanks for the great inspiration.
Lindsay Moe says
Yes, I would probably cut the cooking time in half to start and see how they are. Personally I’d rather have an undercooked stuffed mushroom than a mushy one falling apart, especially if you plan to eat with hands!
Kelly says
Made these for dinner tonight and they were delicious!
Betty says
For using fresh spinach instead of frozen, I would just chop the spinach in my food processor, not overly chopped then just put that on the Portobella Mushroom. I do this on a pre-made pizza and then cook it in the oven and it turns out great. I add what I want to a pre-made Pizza Frozen one that doesn’t have hardly anything on it.
Anyway the spinach fresh works out great chopped up a bit.
Just thought I would mention it.
Your Portobella looks great, can’t wait to try it.
Thanks.
lORI DENT says
QUICK, EASY AND DELICIOUS!