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All About Mushrooms
Recipe
1 hr 30 min

Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms with Spinach and Goat Cheese

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Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms with Spinach and Goat Cheese
Author: America's Test Kitchen

Recipe By America's Test Kitchen

Published on August 7, 2024

We set out to transform this humdrum party food into a first-rate side dish worth making after the holidays are over.

Time

1 hr 30 min

Yield

4 as main dish/8 as side dish

Why This Recipe Works

Our ultimate stuffed mushroom recipe had to showcase meaty, earthy, intense mushrooms with a filling that contributed complementary flavors and textures. Choosing portobello caps for their large size, rich flavor, and wide availability, we removed excess moisture by cutting slits in the caps before precooking them in the oven to allow water to drip out and evaporate. Then we developed a few rules for the perfect filling: Chopped stems made a good base, and cheese (rather than bread crumbs or béchamel sauce) kept the stuffing intact. Fresh bread crumbs toasted with butter gave our stuffed mushroom recipe a final flourish.

Ingredients

10 portobello mushrooms (each 4 to 5 inches), stems removed and reserved, caps wiped clean, divided
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 ¼ teaspoons salt, divided
12 ounces baby spinach (about 10 cups)
2 tablespoons water
2 large slices white sandwich bread, torn into quarters
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
2 medium onions, diced small (about 2 cups)
4 garlic cloves, minced
½ cup dry sherry
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled (about 1 cup), see note
¼ cup heavy cream
1 cup walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Ground black pepper

Instructions

Cook along with these step-by-step instructions

step 1 imagestep 2 imagestep 3 imagestep 4 image
  1. Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position, place rimmed baking sheet on rack, and heat oven to 400 degrees. Using sharp knife, cut 1/4-inch slits, spaced 1/2 inch apart, in crosshatch pattern on surface (non-gill side) of 8 mushrooms. Dice remaining 2 mushroom caps and reserved stems into 1/2-inch pieces; set aside (you should have about 3 cups).
  2. Brush both sides of caps with 2 tablespoons oil and sprinkle evenly with 1 teaspoon salt. Carefully place caps, gill-side up, on preheated baking sheet. Roast until mushrooms have released some of their juices and begin to brown around edges, 8 to 12 minutes. Flip caps over and continue to roast until liquid has completely evaporated and caps are golden brown, 8 to 12 minutes longer. Remove mushrooms from oven and heat broiler.
  3. Meanwhile, place spinach and water in large microwave-safe bowl. Cover bowl with large dinner plate (plate should completely cover bowl and not rest on spinach). Microwave on high power until spinach is wilted and decreased in volume by half, 3 to 4 minutes. Using potholders, remove bowl from microwave and keep covered 1 minute. Carefully remove plate and transfer spinach to colander set in sink. Using back of rubber spatula, gently press spinach against colander to release excess liquid. Transfer spinach to cutting board and roughly chop. Return spinach to colander and press again. Set aside.
  4. Pulse bread in food processor until coarsely ground, about 16 one-second pulses (you should have about 1½ cups). Heat 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon butter in 12-inch skillet over medium heat until butter is melted. Add bread crumbs and 1/4 teaspoon salt; cook, stirring frequently, until light golden brown, 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer crumbs to small bowl and wipe out skillet with paper towels.
    Recipe Tip
    Make sure to transfer the toasted breadcrumbs to a bowl immediately once they’ve reached the desired color—even if you remove the skillet from the heat the crumbs can easily burn if left in the pan.
  5. Return now-empty skillet to medium-high heat, add remaining tablespoon oil, and heat until smoking. Add chopped mushrooms and cook without stirring for 2 minutes. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, 4 to 6 minutes longer. Transfer to medium bowl.
    Recipe Tip
    The filling can be made up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated. Rewarm the filling before stuffing the mushrooms. We do not recommend roasting the mushrooms in advance as they become leathery once rewarmed.
  6. Add remaining tablespoon butter and onions to skillet; cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are light brown, 5 to 6 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in sherry and cook until almost no liquid remains, 1 to 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low and stir in reserved cooked mushrooms, spinach, thyme, goat cheese, cream, and walnuts. Continue cooking until cheese is melted and vegetables are well coated, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove pan from heat, stir in lemon juice, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
    Recipe Tip
    The sherry helps deglaze the skillet so all those tasty browned bits from sauteeing the mushrooms and onions are released and end up in the filling instead of the pan.
  7. Flip caps, gill-side up, and distribute filling evenly among mushroom caps; top each with 2 tablespoons bread crumb mixture. Broil mushrooms until crumbs are golden brown, 1 to 3 minutes. Serve immediately.

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Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms with Spinach and Goat Cheese

Recipe By America's Test Kitchen

Published on August 7, 2024

Time

1 hr 30 min

Yield

4 as main dish/8 as side dish

Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms with Spinach and Goat Cheese

Ingredients

10 portobello mushrooms (each 4 to 5 inches), stems removed and reserved, caps wiped clean, divided4 tablespoons olive oil, divided1 ¼ teaspoons salt, divided12 ounces baby spinach (about 10 cups)2 tablespoons water2 large slices white sandwich bread, torn into quarters2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided2 medium onions, diced small (about 2 cups)4 garlic cloves, minced½ cup dry sherry2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled (about 1 cup), see note¼ cup heavy cream1 cup walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped2 teaspoons fresh lemon juiceGround black pepper

Instructions

  1. Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position, place rimmed baking sheet on rack, and heat oven to 400 degrees. Using sharp knife, cut 1/4-inch slits, spaced 1/2 inch apart, in crosshatch pattern on surface (non-gill side) of 8 mushrooms. Dice remaining 2 mushroom caps and reserved stems into 1/2-inch pieces; set aside (you should have about 3 cups).
  2. Brush both sides of caps with 2 tablespoons oil and sprinkle evenly with 1 teaspoon salt. Carefully place caps, gill-side up, on preheated baking sheet. Roast until mushrooms have released some of their juices and begin to brown around edges, 8 to 12 minutes. Flip caps over and continue to roast until liquid has completely evaporated and caps are golden brown, 8 to 12 minutes longer. Remove mushrooms from oven and heat broiler.
  3. Meanwhile, place spinach and water in large microwave-safe bowl. Cover bowl with large dinner plate (plate should completely cover bowl and not rest on spinach). Microwave on high power until spinach is wilted and decreased in volume by half, 3 to 4 minutes. Using potholders, remove bowl from microwave and keep covered 1 minute. Carefully remove plate and transfer spinach to colander set in sink. Using back of rubber spatula, gently press spinach against colander to release excess liquid. Transfer spinach to cutting board and roughly chop. Return spinach to colander and press again. Set aside.
  4. Pulse bread in food processor until coarsely ground, about 16 one-second pulses (you should have about 1½ cups). Heat 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon butter in 12-inch skillet over medium heat until butter is melted. Add bread crumbs and 1/4 teaspoon salt; cook, stirring frequently, until light golden brown, 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer crumbs to small bowl and wipe out skillet with paper towels.
    Recipe Tip
    Make sure to transfer the toasted breadcrumbs to a bowl immediately once they’ve reached the desired color—even if you remove the skillet from the heat the crumbs can easily burn if left in the pan.
  5. Return now-empty skillet to medium-high heat, add remaining tablespoon oil, and heat until smoking. Add chopped mushrooms and cook without stirring for 2 minutes. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, 4 to 6 minutes longer. Transfer to medium bowl.
    Recipe Tip
    The filling can be made up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated. Rewarm the filling before stuffing the mushrooms. We do not recommend roasting the mushrooms in advance as they become leathery once rewarmed.
  6. Add remaining tablespoon butter and onions to skillet; cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are light brown, 5 to 6 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in sherry and cook until almost no liquid remains, 1 to 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low and stir in reserved cooked mushrooms, spinach, thyme, goat cheese, cream, and walnuts. Continue cooking until cheese is melted and vegetables are well coated, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove pan from heat, stir in lemon juice, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
    Recipe Tip
    The sherry helps deglaze the skillet so all those tasty browned bits from sauteeing the mushrooms and onions are released and end up in the filling instead of the pan.
  7. Flip caps, gill-side up, and distribute filling evenly among mushroom caps; top each with 2 tablespoons bread crumb mixture. Broil mushrooms until crumbs are golden brown, 1 to 3 minutes. Serve immediately.
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