Delicious Mozzarella Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms and Easy Spaghetti Recipe

I'm excited to share a delicious dinner recipe with you. We'll be whipping up some Mozzarella Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms with a Herb Breadcrumb Topping, paired with a quick and easy spaghetti. Whether you're trying to eat less meat (if you are, this is the spot for you) or simply looking for a filling and simple meal idea, this recipe has you covered. So, let's dive right in!

Watch my YouTube video walking through this recipe step by step:

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Ingredients

Mushroom Ingredients:

• 4 large portobello mushroom caps, stems and gills removed

• ½ cup balsamic vinegar

• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• 1 tsp Italian seasoning

• 4 tbsp vegan spaghetti sauce

Herb Breadcrumb Topping:

• ½  cup unseasoned breadcrumbs (check ingredients to make sure it doesn't contain dairy)

• 2 tbsp fresh Italian (or regular) parsley, chopped

• 2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped

• 1 tsp garlic powder

• ½ tsp salt

• ½ tsp black pepper

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Spaghetti:

• ½ lb thin spaghetti noodles

• 1 small onion, chopped

• 4 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 green bell pepper, chopped

• 2 tsp Italian seasoning

• 1 tsp salt

• 24 oz jar of vegan spaghetti sauce (divided)

How To

Prep the Mushrooms

Our star ingredient for this dish is the mighty Portobello mushroom. Mushrooms are a great vegan meat substitute that still gives you tons of flavor and that meaty texture that makes us feel satisfied. Mushrooms are also a great source of B vitamins which we all need more of. 

We're using the large mushroom caps to save time, but feel free to use mini Portobellos if you prefer. Here's how to prep them:

• Make sure your mushrooms are clean by using a mushroom brush or a damp paper towel to remove dirt

• Remove the stems (just pop them off) and gills from the mushrooms using a spoon.

Marinate the Mushrooms

To infuse our mushrooms with even more flavor, we'll create a simple marinade. In a large Ziploc bag, combine:

• ½  cup of balsamic vinegar

• 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil 

One by one, place each mushroom cap into the bag with tongs (or your fingers) and coat each mushroom cap with the mixture. Then transfer them to a rimmed baking sheet. 

Roast them for approximately 10 minutes at 425 degrees while we move on to the next steps.

Prepare the Spaghetti

While the mushrooms are roasting, let's get our spaghetti ready. Boil a pot of salted water, and cook your spaghetti noodles until they're al dente.

Enhance the Spaghetti Sauce

We’re using a store-bought jar of spaghetti sauce to save us some time for a weeknight meal. Beware that if you’re avoiding animal products, a lot of the jarred spaghetti sauces at the store are not vegan. You can find vegan-friendly sauces by checking the label to see if they contain dairy. 

To elevate your store-bought spaghetti sauce (I love a time saving hack), sauté these ingredients in another pot:

• 1 small diced onion

• 4 cloves minced garlic

• 1 chopped green bell pepper

• 2 tsp italian seasoning

• 1 tsp salt

• Black pepper

Saute the veggies for about 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

Then add a 24 oz. jar of spaghetti sauce, setting aside 4 tbsp for use later.

Simmer this sauce for about 10 more minutes, adding 1/2 cup of the spaghetti water before draining the noodles and mixing them into the sauce.

Create the Herb Breadcrumb Topping

While everything else is coming together, let's prepare the delightful herb breadcrumb topping. In a bowl, combine:

• ½  cup unseasoned breadcrumbs

• 2 tbsp fresh Italian (or regular) parsley, chopped

• 2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped

• 1 tsp garlic powder

• ½ tsp salt

• ½ tsp black pepper

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Mix this aromatic blend well; you can also save some leftovers to sprinkle on your spaghetti for extra flavor, which tastes SO good.

Assemble the Stuffed Mushrooms

We're almost there! Here's how to assemble the Mozzarella Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms:

• Take the mushrooms out of the oven, and drain from the roasting pan the extra juice that cooked off.

• Spread about one tablespoon of pasta sauce on each mushroom cap.

• Sprinkle a dash of Italian seasoning for that extra zing.

• Top it off with vegan mozzarella (either slices or shreds; see below for my recommendations); slice it up and layer it on.

• Finally, generously add the herb breadcrumb topping to each mushroom.

Finish the Dish

Place the stuffed mushrooms back in the oven for about 6-7 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the breadcrumb topping turns a golden brown hue.

Dinner is served! This Mozzarella Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms and Easy Spaghetti dish is not only filling but also so flavorful. 

If you give this recipe a try, please let me know what you think in the comments below. 

Remember, perfection is overrated; aim to do your best every day. Enjoy your meal, and if you haven’t already, subscribe to my YouTube channel to get even more vegan meal inspiration.

Notes

Vegan options for pasta sauce: 

• Classico (only some of their sauce is vegan, so check the label) 

• Rao’s Homemade Marinara Sauce 

• Newman's Own Organic Olive Oil, Basil & Garlic Pasta Sauce 

Vegan options for mozzarella: 

• Miyoko's Creamery Organic Cashew Milk Mozzarella Cheese 

• Follow Your Heart Mozzarella Shreds 

• Daiya Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

Sweet Tempeh & Bell Pepper Stir-fry Recipe

It's recipe time!

Pic Source 

Tempeh is one of those foods that you either love or hate.  I happen to love it. It's an awesome meat alternative, made from fermented soybeans and then formed into a patty. Tempeh is also a great source of protein and helps to lower cholesterol.

Print & share the full recipe at the bottom of this post.

Since tempeh tends to have a bitter taste, I always cut it into thin cubes and steam for about 20 minutes before marinating.

We're using maple syrup, soy sauce and garlic as a simple and flavorful marinade. Marinate the tempeh covered for at least 30 minutes.

You can also save time by steaming and marinating the night before.

Saute onion & red bell pepper on medium-high heat. Then add in tempeh and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Serve with rice or quinoa. 

Instead of using rice, I served my stir-fry with a cauliflower "rice" for the first time.  I'll post about that experience later this week.

Sweet Tempeh & Red Bell Pepper Stir-Fry

by Brown Vegan

Prep Time: 60 mins

Cook Time: 14 mins

Ingredients (serves 3)

• 8 oz pack of tempeh, cut into small cubes
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tsp cooking oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into strips

Instructions

Steam tempeh for 20 minutes.

In a medium bowl, mix together soy sauce, maple syrup & garlic.

Add in tempeh and marinate for at least 30 minutes.

In a large pan heat oil on medium-high heat.

Saute onion for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add in bell pepper and cook for 4 more minutes.

Finally add in tempeh with marinade and cook everything together for 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally.

Serve with rice or quinoa

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What's for Dinner? #1 Mashed Potatoes, Vegetable Roast, Asparagus

I used to struggle with what to feed my non-vegan family.  Since I refuse to make more than one meal each night (been there, done that as a vegetarian), I had to do a lot of experimenting to see which meals are popular; which meals need to be altered; and which need to never be made again.

I just started a What's for Dinner? series on my Youtube channel to help new vegans and families interested in eating more plant-based meals. Woohoo!

The first episode features garlic mashed potatoes, a Field Roast vegan roast, and sauteed asparagus.

Field Roast offers amazing meat-alternatives made from ingredients such as squash, wheat, apples, mushrooms and various spices.  Check and see if their products are available in your area, then run out and get some. It's perfect for those family members who need to feel like there's "meat" on their plate. My husband said the texture is similar to traditional hamburger and that the patties are flavorful.

This meal is delicious and my family really enjoys it. If you make it, please update me. :-)

Watch me make the whole meal in the video below.

Garlic Mashed Potatoes

by Brown Vegan

Keywords: entree vegan

Ingredients (serves 6)

• 6 large potatoes, skin removed and cubed (I used butter potatoes in the video but yukon & russet work just as well)
• ½ cup vegan margarine
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 cup unsweetened non-dairy milk (coconut, almond, soy)
• ½ cup vegetable broth (if you don't have vegetable broth-use more non-dairy milk)
• 2 teaspoons all-purpose salt/all-seasons salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

Boil or steam potatoes until tender. In a small saucepan, combine vegan margarine, garlic and non-dairy milk on medium heat. Simmer for about 5 minutes.

Once the potatoes are done, drain the water and return to the same pot. Season the potatoes with all-season salt & black pepper. Add in the milk mixture and mash it all together until creamy.

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Southern Fried Chicken | Veganize It! (Video)

Jason has been asking for fried chicken lately, so I was super excited when I came across this recipe from Chef Robert Martin.  It has the perfect texture of regular fried chicken-crispy on the outside tender on the inside.

The taste is pretty close to conventional fried chicken and everyone in the house gave it a thumbs up. I even had to make another bag because they asked for more. :-)

Watch me make the recipe here…

Fried Chicken

by Brown Vegan

Keywords: fry entree vegan vegetarian

Ingredients (Serves 4)

• Two 10-ounce packages frozen Gardein Chick’n Scallopini, defrosted
• 1 1/2 cups organic, unbleached, all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon blackening spice or Chef Paul Prudhomme’s Blackened Redfish Magic
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon Old Bay Seasoning
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 1 package spring roll wrappers (rice paper)
• 2 cups cashew cream
• 3 tablespoons Tabasco sauce
• High-heat oil such as safflower or grapeseed oil, as needed (maximum 2 cups)

Instructions

Preparation

It is important to prepare all the ingredients and have them ready to go before you start the cooking. In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, blackening spice, garlic powder, Old Bay Seasoning, onion powder, and salt until well incorporated. In a separate bowl, mix the cashew cream and the Tabasco sauce and set aside. Roll each Gardein Chick’n fillet into a ball and then shape it into a 1-inch-thick, oval patty. Place the 8 patties on a plate and set aside.

Put the “skin” on the Chick’n:

Select a dish or pan that is large enough for the rice paper to lie flat inside. Inspect each rice paper carefully and discard any sheets that have holes or cuts. Add about 1 cup of very warm water to the dish or pan and soak 1 sheet of rice paper for about 20 seconds, or until the paper has softened but has not become completely soft.

Place the rice paper on a cutting board and rub it gently with your wet hands to flatten it and work in more water. Place the Gardein patty on the rice paper, slightly below the center, working from the edge closest to you. Pick up the edge closest to you and fold the rice paper up and over the patty. Fold the right and left sides toward the center. Working from the edge closest to you, gently roll up the patty burrito style.

Repeat the process with the remaining patties. Lightly dust a baking sheet with a bit of the seasoned flour. Roll a patty in the flour, then in the cashew cream, and then dredge it again in the seasoned flour. Place it on the floured baking sheet. Repeat the process with the remaining patties.

A cast-iron skillet performs best for frying Chick’n, but if you don’t have one, use a heavy-bottomed pan with sides that are at least 3 inches high. Pour enough oil into the pan to come halfway up the side of the Chick’n patty. Heat the oil over medium heat until it looks thin like water and shimmers. Using metal tongs, panfry 4 patties at one time, for about 2½ minutes per side. Do not turn the patties more than once. Transfer the fried patties to a baking sheet fitted with a wire rack or lined with paper towels. Repeat the frying process with the remaining patties.

Serve hot and crisp.

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Additional info:

Here's what the Gardein chicken fillets look like....

*Gardein is a very popular brand of vegan chicken and most grocery chains carry their products.

*You don't have to wrap your chicken in rice paper but it does make it nice and crispy. You can find rice paper in the international section of your grocery store.

*I made my own nut butter by blending together 2 cups of cashews and 1/3 cup of soy milk. 

*I only used 1 cup of flour for the batter and that was plenty.

*I skipped the 1 tablespoon of blackening spice because I didn't have any

*The chicken is best served hot

*Here's the mac n cheese recipe I used

This recipe is from Chef Roberto Martin, who just released a new vegan cookbook, Vegan Cooking for Carnivores. Martin told the Today show that he never experimented with vegan cooking until Ellen hired him. He just took all of Ellen & Portia de Rossi's favorite meals and replaced the dairy and meat with vegan alternatives.  This is the best way to approach vegan cooking. :-)

Let me know what you think when you try this recipe. :-)

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