Savory Stuffed Mushrooms
Does the date February 4th mean anything to you? That’s okay, we didn’t know there was an official Stuffed Mushroom Day either. What seems to be a dish tailor-made for Superbowl parties is actually thought to originate as far back as the 18th century in Italy. That’s quite a few decades of eating filled fungi.
This stuffed mushroom is a very quick and easy recipe that would work well not only as an appetizer, but also as a light meal or snack. You can adapt the recipe depending on how many servings you need.
Portobella mushrooms are often used as a meat replacement because of their hearty flavor and texture. They are fat free and very low in calories while being nutrient rich in selenium, copper and niacin. Portobellas also supply potassium which is important to maintaining a balanced metabolism and a regular heartbeat- one medium portobella mushroom contains about as much potassium as a medium banana!
Feta cheese, like most cheeses, can be high in fat and sodium so it was used minimally in this dish. Our taste testers didn’t even notice Jeff used a reduced fat kind. This salty sharpness from the feta was balanced nicely by the crunch and mellow sweetness of chopped walnuts, which are rich in omega-3s and antioxidants. These richer and more umami flavors are brightened by the freshness of some chopped parsley and the vibrant citrus zest in our Napa Valley Pepper. Jeff finished the mushrooms with a drizzle of some delicious and tangy balsamic vinegar reduction, which is surprisingly easy to make. These mushrooms might not have been born as a result of a sport-related event, but very little effort for a huge flavor payoff is a win in our book!
- 4 Medium sized portobella mushrooms, cleaned with stems removed and minced
- ¼ Cup Feta cheese (recipe used reduced fat)
- ¼ Red onion, finely minced
- ¼ Cup Chopped walnuts
- 2 tsp Parsley
- 1 tsp Napa Valley Pepper
- 1 tsp Olive oil
- ½ Balsamic vinegar
- Preheat oven to 425F.
- In a saucepan over medium-high heat, bring balsamic vinegar to a boil and reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes. Should be reduced by half and able to coat the back of a spoon.
- In a bowl, combine mushroom stems, onion, feta cheese, walnuts, parsley, Napa Valley Pepper, and olive oil and mix well.
- Place mushroom caps on a lightly oiled baking sheet, and stuff with filling.
- Bake in oven 10-15 minutes, or until cheese starts to brown.
- Remove from oven, drizzle vinegar reduction over mushrooms, and serve.
