Soft portobello mushroom caps topped with tender broccoli and chickpea cauliflower rice. An easy baked plant-based meal that's healthy, flavorful and satisfying. Only 15 minutes to prep and 15 minutes to bake and dinner's on the table.
Why you'll love these stuffed portobello mushrooms
- This easy balsamic baked stuffed portobello mushroom recipe is a great hearty, tasty, meaty plant-based alternative to a classic meat-based main dish. It's gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free and vegan.
- Balsamic vinegar brushed on the mushroom caps acts as a tenderizer due to its acid nature and gives the baked portobello mushrooms a deep meaty flavor.
- It takes only 15 minutes to prep your ingredients and 15 minutes to bake. If you use frozen and thawed cauliflower rice it's even faster.
- The healthy cauliflower rice replaces a classic white rice stuffing, breadcrumbs or parmesan cheese for a lighter, vegetarian nutrient-dense dish with protein-rich chickpeas and vitamin-rich carrots and broccoli.
- The tamari sauce is light and bursting with flavor. This vegan stuffed mushroom recipe isn't loaded with a calorie-laden sauce.
- One pan, 30 minutes, and a healthy, satisfying dinner is on the table.
If you love mushrooms try my easy creamy mushroom sauce or my easy creamy white bean and mushroom soup.
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Ingredients and substitutions
- Portobello mushrooms: are mature baby bellas (crimini) mushrooms. They have a rich, meaty texture, high in potassium and perfect for pairing with other vegetables or proteins.
Clean eating tip: cauliflower rice is super easy to make on the medium grate of a box grater. You can also use frozen cauliflower rice (which is usually flash frozen), just thaw before using. Before buying pre-grated cauli rice (not frozen), check for freshness as it doesn't last long once grated.
- Balsamic vinegar: deepens the flavor of the mushrooms and helps to tenderize.
- Cauliflower, broccoli and carrots: bump up the nutrients. You can substitute other vegetables like red peppers, sugar snap peas, fennel, radishes or parsnips. Or, top with fresh herbs. Cauliflower rice makes a great base to step-up the plant-based goodness.
- Chickpeas: adds protein and texture.
- Garlic: adds a mellow, nutty flavor. You could substitute with a teaspoon of garlic powder in this recipe.
- Tahini, tamari and sriracha: adds creaminess, umami and a little heat to the sauce. Use your favorite hot sauce. Substitute with sambal oelek, gochugjang, or a chili garlic sauce.
- Honey: provides just a little natural sweetener to balance the heat.
see recipe card for all ingredients and quantities
How to make stuffed portobello mushrooms
Preheat: Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
Prepare mushroom caps: Brush balsamic vinegar onto mushroom caps and place stem side up on prepared baking sheet.
Prepare cauliflower mixture: In a large bowl, combine cauliflower rice, chickpeas, broccoli, carrot, garlic, olive oil, sea salt and pepper. Spread onto baking sheet surrounding mushrooms. (do not stuff mushrooms at this point). Bake for 10 minutes.
Mix spicy tamari sauce: Meanwhile, in a small bowl mix together tahini, tamari, sriracha, honey, sesame oil and ginger. Set aside.
Halfway through baking: Remove sheet pan from oven. With a clean paper towel, dab the insides of the mushroom cap to absorb any water that has accumulated and carefully flip the mushrooms over. Return baking sheet to oven and continue to bake for another 5 minutes.
Serve: Arrange mushrooms on a plate and stuff with cauliflower rice mixture. Top with spicy tamari sauce, fresh herbs or red pepper flakes.
Tips, tricks and variations
- Do not salt the portobello mushrooms until after roasting. The salt will draw water out of the mushrooms and cause them to stream rather than bake.
- The balsamic vinegar helps to tenderize the mushrooms so don't skip this step.
- The baked portobello mushroom works well with any filling. You can also bake the mushrooms and use them as portobello steaks, or a plant-based alternative to tacos, salad toppings, in pasta, pizza or as burger buns.
FAQ
Mushrooms contain up to 90% of its weight in water. The water often releases from the mushroom while cooking. To minimize the mushrooms becoming a soggy mess, do not add salt until done cooking. Salt draws out moisture and will leave the mushroom steaming in a hot mess of water. Cook the mushrooms gill side up, half way through cooking dab any water that has accumulated in the cap with a dry paper towel, flip caps over and finish cooking.
Use a damp paper towel to to clean the large portobello mushrooms. It should be sufficient to remove any dirt or debris. Don't be tempted to rinse the mushroom in water. Mushrooms are super absorbent and will soak in the water and release it during roasting.
Using a clean dry head of cauliflower (leaves removed), grate on the medium holes of a box grater. Work all the way around head and finish at the thick core in base of head. You can also use a food processor with the grater attachment. Cut the cauliflower into large florets and process just until 'rice' is formed.
Equipment
- Large rimmed sheet pan lined with parchment paper
- Box grater or food processor with grater attachment
- Large bowl & small bowl
Storage
- Store in an airtight container, with or without filling, for up to 3 days.
- If you have extra cauliflower rice, store for a day or two in an airtight container in the fridge. Any longer and the 'rice' may begin to smell foul. The rice can be frozen for up to one month.
Recipe
Balsamic Baked Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms
Equipment
- 1 large rimmed baking tray
- 1 large bowl and small bowl
Ingredients
Mushroom caps:
- 4 portobello mushrooms, stem and gills removed
- 1-2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Cauliflower rice stuffing:
- 3 cups (321 grams) riced cauliflower
- 1 14- ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 2 ½ cups (150 grams) small broccoli florets
- 1 large carrot, grated
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon each, fine sea salt and pepper
Spicy tamari sauce:
- 3 tablespoons tahini
- 2 tablespoons low-sodium tamari or coconut aminos
- 1 tablespoon sriracha hot sauce
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ½ teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons fresh minced ginger
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Brush balsamic vinegar onto mushroom caps and place stem side up on prepared baking sheet.
- In a large bowl, combine cauliflower, chickpeas, broccoli, carrot, garlic, olive oil, sea salt and pepper. Spread onto baking sheet surrounding mushrooms. (do not stuff mushrooms at this point). Bake for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl mix together tahini, tamari, sriracha, honey, sesame oil and ginger. Set aside.
- Remove sheet pan from oven. With a clean paper towel, dab the insides of the mushroom caps to absorb any water that has accumulated and carefully flip the mushrooms over. Return baking sheet to oven and continue to bake for another 5 minutes.
- Arrange mushrooms on a serving dish and stuff with cauliflower rice mixture. Top with spicy tamari sauce.
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