These easy-to-make Italian-style stuffed portobello mushrooms are filled with ricotta, spinach and sliced tomato, then finished with a crispy breadcrumb topping. Enjoy these vegetarian delights as an appetizer or serve them with a refreshing side salad for a nutritious and filling meal.
These decadent stuffed portobello mushrooms are the perfect dish to satisfy vegetarians and meat lovers alike. They take all of 15 minutes of hands on time, and are Mediterranean Diet friendly.
Here, we pack in loads of baby spinach, tomato slices, creamy ricotta cheese, garlic, and homemade Italian Seasoning. The mushrooms bake, absorbing the aromatics and some of the creamy cheese to become irresistibly decadent. To top things off–literally–is a generous sprinkling of breadcrumbs for a golden-brown and delicious crunch.
Like their bite-sized cousins, the porous structure of portobello mushrooms allows them to absorb pretty much anything they come in contact with. And, because these fabulous fungi feature caps that are on the larger side, that means more surface area to stuff and absorb all that wonderful flavor.
Table of Contents
Stuffed Portobello Mushroom Ingredients
Portobello mushrooms are mild and large, making them ideal as a meat substitute or for stuffing. The mushroom may be the star of this dish but the cheese and herbs transform them into an Italian dream.
- Portobello mushrooms: Portobello mushrooms' firm texture holds up well in the cooking process, acting as a little edible bowl. And the stems don’t go to waste either. Instead, they're chopped, cooked until softened, and added to the stuffing for extra flavor and texture.
- Extra-virgin olive oil: EVOO gets a lot of attention in this dish. It’s in the stuffing and generously coats the portobellos. Use a full-bodied but smooth variety, like our Italian Nocellara.
- Cheese: Many stuffed mushroom recipes result in greasy and overly cheesy mushrooms. Yes, there is such a thing as too much cheese! This stuffed mushroom recipe calls for a high-quality whole milk ricotta cheese, which imparts a rich, creamy flavor and decadent texture with only 2 tablespoons of ricotta per person.
- Spinach: You could substitute spinach for any of your favorite greens. But, I’m a fan of how the bittersweet notes of the baby spinach complement the earthiness of the mushrooms.
- Seasoning: A couple of cloves of garlic and an all-in-one blend of Italian seasoning (homemade or store-bought) give this recipe a decidedly Mediterranean essence. Salt is enhances the overall flavor.
- Tomato: A slice of fresh tomato acts as the base for the stuffing, providing a light acidity to the creamy filling with every bite. Use a medium to large-sized tomato fit inside the mushroom or slice to fit.
- Green onions: Add a mild, oniony sweetness to the sautéed vegetables. You can substitute with ½ of a small yellow onion, finely chopped.
- Breadcrumbs: Opt for unseasoned bread crumbs as they’re meant to provide texture rather than flavor. To make this gluten free, just skip the bread crumbs or opt for your favorite gluten free
How to Make Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms
This stuffed portobello mushroom recipe is essentially foolproof: simply stuff and bake!
- Get ready: Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper.
- Clean the mushrooms: Remove the stems from 4 cleaned portobello mushrooms (save them for later). Use a metal spoon to scrape out and discard the gills.
- Set up the mushrooms: Coat the outer sides and edges of the mushrooms with about 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Place them on the prepared baking sheet with the hollow sides facing up. Sprinkle with about ¼ teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of Italian seasoning. Slice a tomato into rounds and place one slice in each mushroom cap. Set aside.
- Prep the vegetables: Mince 3 large garlic cloves (see our how to mince garlic guide for tips). Coarsely chop the mushroom stems, 2 packed cups of spinach, and 3 green onions.
- Saute the vegetables: Heat 2 tablespoons of olive in a medium skillet over medium-low heat. Once the oil begins to shimmer, add the garlic and stir constantly for 30 seconds. Add the chopped mushroom stems, spinach, green onion, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Cook, stirring until the spinach is wilted, about 5 minutes.
- Stuff and bake: Add ½ cup of ricotta cheese and 1 ½ teaspoons of Italian seasoning to a small mixing bowl. Add the sauteed vegetables and stir to combine. Distribute the mixture evenly among each mushroom. Place in your oven to bake for 15 minutes.
- Finish and serve: After the time is up, remove from the oven and top with ¼ cup of breadcrumbs. Drizzle with a little olive oil and return to the oven. Broil on low until the tops are golden brown, about 3 to 5 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.
Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms Tips & Tricks
Mushrooms are delicious when they’re prepared correctly, but don’t be nervous if you’re not used to cooking with them. Here are three quick tips to prepare and cook mushrooms:
- How to choose a mushroom: If you don’t often cook with fungi, you might be wondering how to pick a good mushroom. Fortunately, it’s pretty easy. Look for a smooth, firm appearance and make sure they’re plump and moist but not slimy.
- How to clean and prepare mushrooms: Mushrooms are like sponges. If you submerge them in water you'll risk them becoming tough and tasteless. Instead, gently brush off any dirt from the surface with a dry towel. Use a damp towel for more stubborn debris. To remove the stems, gently push against them with your thumb. As for the gills, a scape with a small spoon will do the trick.
- If your mushrooms are “leaking”: Mushrooms thrive in a humid environment, so it’s no surprise that they are mainly composed of water. Depending on the cooking method, they are prone to shedding their water. When baking, you might notice a brown water liquid collecting in the tray. This is normal and nothing to worry about.
Stuffing Alternatives
Once you get the hang of how to stuff and bake mushrooms, you can fill them with practically anything. If you’re having a hard time thinking of alternatives, a good place to start is looking at your other favorite stuffed recipes and swapping out the vessels for portobello mushrooms.
Try the stuffing from our Italian Stuffed Peppers or our Vegetarian Stuffed Eggplant. You could even cook them without the stuffing (brush the insides with oil and reduce cooking time to 5 to 10 minutes), let them cool, and pile them high with cold salads. Mediterranean Couscous Salad or crab salad would be amazing. The sky really is the limit!
What to Serve With Stuffed Mushrooms
Stuffed portobello mushrooms make for a delicious simple, quick, and easy appetizer recipe that’s sure to impress. Or, they’re just as good as a vegetarian main dish. Serve with a crisp salad, like our Panzanella; the tangy dressing balances out the creaminess of the cheese stuffing.
If you’re not strictly vegetarian and are simply looking for more protein, add a side of grilled chicken or a juicy pork chop.
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Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms
Ingredients
- 4 large portobello mushrooms
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 ¼ teaspoons fine salt
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 medium tomato, sliced into rounds
- 3 large garlic cloves, minced
- 2 packed cups baby spinach, coarsely chopped
- 3 green onions, coarsely chopped
- ½ cup whole milk ricotta cheese
- ¼ cup breadcrumbs
Instructions
- Get ready: Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper.
- Prepare the mushrooms: Gently wash the mushrooms to remove any debris and carefully snap off the stems (save them for later). Use the side of a spoon to scrape out the gills of the mushroom caps, taking care to keep the mushrooms intact.
- Oil and season: Use a brush or your hands to coat the outer sides and edges of the mushrooms with about 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Place on the prepared baking sheet with the hollow sides facing up. Sprinkle with about ¼ teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of the Italian seasoning. Place a tomato slice on top of each mushroom cap. Set aside.
- Saute the vegetables: Coarsely chop the mushroom stems. In a medium skillet on medium-low heat, add 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil. Once the oil begins to shimmer, add the garlic and stir constantly for 30 seconds before adding the chopped mushroom stems, spinach, and green onion. Add the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt. Cook until the spinach is wilted, about 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and set aside.
- Stuff and bake: In a small mixing bowl, mix together the ricotta cheese and remaining 1 ½ teaspoons of Italian seasoning. Add the sauteed vegetables and stir to combine. Distribute the mixture evenly among each mushroom. Place in your oven to bake for 15 minutes.
- Finish and serve: After the time is up, remove from the oven, top with the breadcrumbs and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil. Return to the oven and broil on low until the tops are golden brown, about 3 to 5 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Mushrooms are like sponges: If you submerge them in water or even just run water over them, you’ll risk them becoming tough and tasteless. Instead, gently brush off any dirt from the surface with a dry towel. Use a damp towel for more stubborn debris. To remove the stems, gently push against them with your thumb. As for the gills, a scape with a small spoon will do the trick.
- If your oven doesn’t have a low broil setting, simply broil on high until the tops are golden brown, about 1 to 2 minutes. Keep a close eye on things to ensure it doesn’t burn.
- To cook in an air fryer, reduce the baking time (“stuff and bake” in step six) to about 10 minutes. Then, add the breadcrumbs and return to the fryer to brown for 3 to 5 minutes.
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Made these tonight for company. Followed the recipe and added parmesan cheese. Great hit. Not too salty or overly seasoned as some commented. Perfect! Will definitely make again.
Awesome! Thanks, Tricia!
I made this with fontina cheese because I didn't have any ricotta. It was amazing. I melted the fontina in the microwave then mixed in the Italian seasoning. I think it worked very well. Everything else I did according to the recipe.
Thanks for sharing that, Lou! Glad the fontina cheese worked!
These were fantastic. Will definitely be making them again. Thanks for the recipe.
So glad you enjoyed the recipe, Paul!
We loved these stuffed portobellos. Thank you for the recipe. The only thing I did differently was to use an immersion blender to 1 cup low fat cottage cheese to make it ricotta- like then added Parmesan, but proceeded with the rest of the recipe as written. One week ago I definitely would have used full fat ricotta, but I got some labs back that told me I need to start compromising. It's a long road, but didn't miss the full flavor tonight.
So glad to hear that, Tamela! Thanks for taking the time to comment and review!
I did not care for this. Too much Italian seasoning. All I could taste was dried herbs. And I like salt, but this called for too much salt. The result was visually attractive, but just tasted like dried herbs. To adjust I’d use some fresh herbs of your choice and less, this was just overly herby. And less salt during cooking, taste and adjust the salt levels right before stuffing.
These were delicious. I didn't have breadcrumbs so I substituted with grape nuts cereal and it worked great.
What a great idea! Thanks for sharing, Tonya!
Delicious and super simple!
Hi. What is the point of discarding the gills? I feel it is such a waste. Is there a reason? And if there is, can I use them with the cut up stems? Thank you.
Hi, Victoria --
I'm Summer and I work here at The Mediterranean Dish. Scraping out the gills just makes a little extra room for the filling and the tomato slice you can keep them in there too if your caps are deep enough or add them to filling, though it might muddy the filling a bit. Either way it's a super easy and delicious recipe that you can easily adapt to your personal preferences. Enjoy!
I was wondering about the nutrition facts, are they per serving or entire meal? If per serving, how much is considered a serving of the meals?
Hi, Alan! I'm Summer and I work here at The Mediterranean Dish. The nutrition facts are per serving and the 1 serving equals 1 mushroom cap. Enjoy. I love this recipe.
Followed exact recipe and it was delicious! Thank you!
So glad to hear it, Cynthia. Thank you!
Could you make these ahead and bake later? Wondered if they would get too mushy sitting in fridge?
Hi, Annie! I'm Summer and I work here at The Mediterranean Dish. You can totally prep these up to a day ahead of time and bake them later.
Thanks!
I am about to prep them now for later today.
Oh, great! I hope you love them!
I made this today during a thunder storm. This is no doubt a keeper and I will probably make this the 'go to' recipe. Everything came together as one just beautifully. The filling is excellent, but the kicker for me was the tomato lining the bottom. Made it complete. Thank you so much for this recipe. 5 stars every day.
So glad you loved the recipe, Carl!
Absolutely delicious and easy to make.
This is excellent. I agree, most stuffed mushrooms are greasy. This one - perfect. I had this for dinner tonight with an extra large cap. I did use 2.5 cups spinach (it reduces so much!) and 2 green onions. Definitely will use this as a recipe for appetizer size, with plum tomatoes!
Yummm! Both my husband and I loved it. I had some fresh basil leaves so I added them between the mushroom and tomato with great results. I was concerned that I would have too much filling because I was only stuffing two portobello caps, but it worked out well. I used roasted garlic that I had on hand and I substituted garlic salt for the regular salt. We are looking for lighter meals to have at night. I had this with a small loaf of Italian bread. Leftovers (from me, not him- he finished all his) went with him to work for his lunch. He asked that this recipe be saved and made again.
Awesome! So glad you both enjoyed the recipe, Sharon!
How can I make this oil and dairy free
Hi, Cathy. The whole ricotta milk could be substituted with a dairy-free ricotta (I have seen almond milk ricottas in the vegan section of local grocery stores). Or, you can totally come up with a filling that will work for you. Without oil or butter, the sauteeing of the veggies may be a bit challenging, but you can always try to do it in a good non-stick pan with a bit of water or broth. This is not something we've tested ourselves, though.