Lasagna-stuffed portabellos.

We are big fans of stuffed mushrooms at our house.  I often make them as a side dish to serve with steak, or as appetizers when entertaining.  One day, however, I took special note of portabello mushroom caps and realized how many bites of stuffed mushroom you could get with just one cap.   Hey, maybe, just maybe, one of these jumbo s’rooms could become a whole meal. 😀

Well, that’s all it took for my imagination to go flying off in several directions trying to think up the perfect filling that would turn a mushroom cap into a meal.  I finally settled on lasagna as the answer.  I would take all the parts of lasagna that we love i.e.., the sauce, cheese and flavor; and leave out the pasta i.e.., calories and carbs, turning this into an inside-out vegetarian lasagna-stuffed mushroom.   Anything involving tomato sauce and gooey melted mozzarella cheese, is a winner with me.   I’ve made these several times now, testing the recipe, and I’ve determined that it’s ready for public unveiling.  Served with a side salad, we think they’re super for supper.   I hope you do too.

Please note that in the accompanying photos, I made only two caps as they were really large and definitely a meal in themselves.

After baking: melty, cheesy, goodness.

LASAGNA-STUFFED PORTABELLOS

YIELD:   4 – 6 servings

Ingredients:

• 4 – 6 large portabello mushroom caps
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1  1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 6  oz. mozzarella cheese, divided
• 2/3 cup drained chopped frozen spinach  (This time I used kale, precooked and chopped fine,)
• 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
• 1 cup tomato sauce, or pizza sauce

Directions:

1.  Preheat the oven to 425*F.   Line a rimmed baking sheet or baking dish with foil.   Remove stems from the mushrooms and carefully scrape the gills from the caps with a spoon or paring knife; discard.   Place the mushroom caps on the baking sheet.

2.  In a small bowl, combine the garlic and olive oil.  Brush the garlic-oil mixture over the inside of the mushroom caps.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Brush caps, inside and out, with seasoned olive oil.

Roast the caps for about 10 minutes.   Remove from the oven, maintaining the oven temperature.  If excess liquid has collected inside or underneath the caps, blot it away with a paper towel.

Roast for 10 minutes.

3.  Meanwhile, in a medium mixing bowl, combine the ricotta, egg, Parmesan, about 3/4 of the mozzarella, spinach, and Italian seasoning.  Season with salt and pepper.  Mix to evenly incorporate.  Divide the mixture into the roasted portabello caps, spreading gently to fill them evenly.

In goes the ricotta cheese filling.

Top each with 1 – 2 tablespoons of the tomato sauce.   Sprinkle the tops with the remaining mozzarella cheese

Cover it with a little tomato sauce, then mozzarella cheese.

4.  Return to the oven and bake 10 – 15 minutes more, until the cheese is melted and the filling is warmed through.  Serve with additional tomato sauce, as desired.

After baking: melty, cheesy, goodness.

Make a meal on a meaty mushroom, and a side salad.

SOURCE:   Carolyn’s Originals