Easy and delicious spinach stuffed portobello mushrooms, with a creamy spinach filling and topped with crispy panko crumbs.
Why you’ll love these stuffed portobello mushrooms!
- These stuffed mushrooms make a great meatless meal, alongside a salad or enjoy them as an appetizer. The great flavours are also perfect as a side for grilled beef or chicken.
- These quick and easy stuffed mushrooms feel gourmet, but are ready in just 20 minutes.
- You’ll love the great flavours and textures. They are all at once creamy, crispy and meaty, with lots of garlic and the goat cheese and Parmesan add great flavour to the cream sauce.
How to pick the perfect portobello mushrooms for stuffing
Look for thicker and more “cup-like”, deeper mushrooms. The thinner, flatter portobello mushrooms tend to crack along the sides when cleaning and then flatten when baking. They’ll still taste fine, but the filling tends to run out a bit when they flatten out.
I like smaller portobellos myself – ones that are about 3-4 inches-ish in diameter, but any size will work here.
How to clean portobello mushrooms
Should the stem of the portobello mushrooms be removed?
For stuffing, you’ll want to remove the stem. Simply twist it and it will pop right out. If you were not planning on stuffing, you could certainly leave the stem in, if you like.
Should the gills be removed from portobello mushrooms?
You don’t have to remove the gills from portobello mushrooms … but I always do when I am stuffing mushrooms (and often even when I am not stuffing them).
First, it makes more room for the delicious filling :) Secondly, and probably most importantly, the gills can discolour the filling, turning the creamy white filling a dirty brown colour.
To clean the gills from portobello mushrooms, simply use the edge of a spoon to scrape them out.
Should I wash portobello mushrooms?
No! You don’t want to wash any mushrooms as they will absorb the water like a sponge and become soggy. To clean portobello mushrooms (or any mushrooms) simply dampen a paper towel or clean cloth and wipe them to clean.
Step-by-Step Photos
-
- Clean the portobello mushrooms, then toss in a bowl with vinaigrette. Allow to stand while the oven is preheating.
- Place mushrooms onto a baking sheet and place into preheated oven for 7 minutes.
- Meanwhile, start the filling by melting butter in a skillet and adding garlic and shallot.
- Add the cream and allow to simmer until reduced by half.
-
- Remove mushrooms from oven and blot or pour off liquid in the cup of the mushrooms, leaving the oven on. Allow to stand while you finish the filling.
- Once cream has reduced in the skillet, add the goat cheese and stir in.
- Add the spinach and stir in.
- Add the Parmesan and stir in.
- Stir filling until spinach is wilted. Season the filling with salt and freshly ground pepper.
- Spoon filling into partially-baked mushrooms.
- Make the panko topping by stirring together the panko and melted butter.
- Sprinkle panko on top of filled mushrooms and return to the oven for an additional 7 minutes, or until the topping is golden.
Recipe Tips
- You can use any type of vinaigrette to marinate the mushrooms. Balsamic, French (vinaigrette) or Italian all work if you happen to have any of those on hand already. If not, see the Recipe Card below for a quick and easy DIY vinaigrette recipe.
- Be sure to season the filling well by salting well and adding some freshly ground pepper. It will really elevate the flavours!
- If you want to use a lighter cream, you may want to thicken the sauce slightly with a cornstarch slurry at the end of cooking. Simply stir together 2 teaspoons of cornstarch and about 1 Tablespoon of cold water and stir into the warm sauce a bit at a time until the sauce thickens a bit.
- These are best enjoyed freshly made, but if necessary, they can be assembled ahead, refrigerated and then you can finish baking to serve. They may need a couple of extra minutes in the oven. Be sure the filling is warmed through and if necessary, you can lay a sheet of foil loosely over-top if the topping is getting too brown.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Spinach Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms
Ingredients
- 4-5 portobello mushrooms, about 3" diameter or fewer if larger
- 2 Tablespoons Balsamic, Italian or French vinaigrette, for marinating *see Note 1 below
Filling:
- 1 teaspoon butter
- 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
- 1-2 teaspoons shallot, minced (or onion)
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream, 35% b.f.
- 2 Tablespoons goat cheese, crumbled
- 2 Tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated
- 4 cups baby spinach
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
Panko topping:
- 2 teaspoons butter, melted
- 3 Tablespoons panko
Instructions
- Clean the portobello mushrooms: Remove and discard the stem if there is one by twisting it. Use the edge of a spoon to scrape out the brown gills on the underside of the mushrooms and discard. Use a damp paper towel to gently wipe the topside and underside of the mushrooms.
- Place the cleaned mushrooms into a shallow bowl and drizzle with balsamic, Italian or French vinaigrette. (If you don't have ready-made vinaigrette, you can simply combine a bit of olive oil (about 1 tablespoon) with a splash of balsamic vinegar (about 1 teaspoon), along with a bit of salt and pepper.) Toss the mushrooms around in the marinade a bit, then place onto a baking sheet to marinate while the oven preheats.
- Preheat the oven to 400F.
- When the oven is preheated, pop the mushrooms into the oven for 7 minutes.
- Meanwhile, start the filling by melting the butter in a skillet on the stove-top over medium heat. Add the garlic and shallot and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 45-60 seconds. Add the cream to the skillet and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat slightly and allow to simmer until it is reduced by half.
- When the mushrooms have baked for 7 minutes, remove from the oven and use a paper towel to blot the liquid that has collected in the cup of the mushroom (you can also use gloves and just tip the liquid out, if you prefer). Set aside until the filling is ready, leaving the oven set to 400F.
- When the cream for the filling has reduced, stir in the goat cheese. Add the spinach and the Parmesan and cook, stirring, until the spinach is wilted. Generously season with salt and freshly ground pepper.
- Use tongs to transfer the spinach to the mushrooms, then top up the mushroom "cup" with some of the liquid, until it is filled.
- Make the panko topping by stirring together the melted butter and panko until moistened. Mound the panko topping on top of the mushroom filling, then return the mushrooms on the baking sheet to the oven and bake about 7-8 minutes more, or until the panko is golden.
- Bake gill side up at 400F for about 7 minutes. Remove from oven and blot liquid out of "cup".
- Remove from oven and let stand a couple of minutes before serving. to allow the filling to set a bit.
Notes
More Mushroom Recipes to Love!
Hi! I’m Jennifer, a home cook schooled by trial and error and almost 40 years of getting dinner on the table! I love to share my favourite recipes, both old and new, together with lots of tips and tricks to hopefully help make your home cooking enjoyable, stress free, rewarding and of course, delicious!
