Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms with Spinach and Farro

These vegan stuffed portobello mushrooms with spinach and farro are a delicious and easy-to-make festive main.

For me, a plant-based Thanksgiving isn’t necessarily about replacing the big hunk of turkey at the center of the plate with a meatless substitute. Rather, it’s about restructuring the plate altogether. It’s about challenging the standard meat-plus-starch-plus-veg formula and moving plant-based whole foods entirely into the spotlight.

With that said, I still think it’s important to have something that assumes the role of “heartiest thing on the table”. Enter these vegan stuffed portobello mushrooms. If you’re a fan of stuffed mushrooms, you’re going to love these because they’re basically a giant version of the classic appetizer. In fact, when Rene first tried one, his expert review was, “Whoa, there’s like a whole meal in here.” Indeed! Let’s dive in.

What’s In These Vegan Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

This dish consists of 3 elements: roasted portobello mushrooms, creamy farro filling with spinach, and crunchy breadcrumb topping.

Ingredients + Substitutions

• Portobello Mushrooms: If possible, choose mushrooms that have their edges still intact – this will help contain the filling.
• Shallot: Feel free to substitute with yellow or red onion.
• Thyme: Any hardy dried herb will do – thyme, oregano, Italian seasoning, or Herbes de Provence.
• Miso: This umami-packed paste rounds out the sauce with a salty-savory taste. If you’re avoiding soy, sub with a tablespoon of nutritional yeast.
• Milk: I find the neutral flavor and rich texture of full-fat oat milk best for savory cooking. Unflavored unsweetened cashew milk is also great. Avoid almond milk here – it can be overpowering.
• Farro: For a gluten-free version, sub with brown or wild rice.
• Panko: These Japanese-style breadcrumbs are crunchier and fluffier than American-style. They’re available in most supermarkets, but if you can’t find them, regular will do.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Cook the Farro: To start, bring some water to a boil in a small pot. Add salt and farro, and cook until all the water is absorbed.

Prep the Mushrooms: Meanwhile, wipe the mushrooms with a damp paper towel. (Do not wash them under the tap – they’ll absorb water and take on an unpleasant gummy texture.) Trim off the stems (save them for scrap broth!). Using the back of a spoon, scrape out the gills from the underside and discard; these can be bitter and add a weird texture.

Roast the Mushrooms: Using your hands, massage the mushrooms with a bit of oil and sprinkle lightly with salt. Place stem-side down on a parchment-covered baking sheet and roast in a preheated oven until they’re a little softened and wrinkly, but not totally cooked through – about 10 minutes for smaller mushrooms and 15-20 for larger.

Make the Filling: Meanwhile, cook a diced shallot with garlic and dried herbs. Stir in flour and cook for a minute. Then add the milk, miso, and lots of black pepper. Whisk until the flour and miso are dissolved. Simmer until the sauce is thick and creamy, about 5 minutes. Then wilt in the spinach a few handfuls at a time and turn the heat off. Stir in the cooked farro. Taste and adjust the seasonings, if needed.

Make the Topping: Combine panko breadcrumbs, nutritional yeast, minced parsley, a bit of oil, and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Rub the mixture with your fingers to distribute the oil.

Assemble and Bake: Flip the mushrooms stem-side up. Divide the filling evenly among the mushrooms and sprinkle with the panko mixture. Bake until golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes.

Making These Portobellos In Advance

All 3 elements of these vegan stuffed portobellos can be made ahead. You can roast and cool the mushrooms, and make the filling, then keep them separately in the fridge for up to several days. The panko topping can also be made in advance. Only assemble and bake the mushrooms when you’re ready to serve them; otherwise, the topping will lose its crunch.

What to Serve With Stuffed Portobellos

These go great with salads and other crunchy green vegetables. Think kale caesar salad, mashed potatoes or celeriac puree, or this arugula salad with sweet potatoes.

More festive recipes…

• Caramelized Onion Galette
• Cashew Kale Caesar Salad
• Vegan Mushroom Bourguignon
• Thanksgiving Salad with Arugula and Sweet Potatoes

Let me know if you try this recipe! Give it a rating below and leave a comment, and don’t forget to tag your creation with @thenewbaguette on Instagram.

Print