It’s funny how our tastebuds evolve over time, and – in my case – how my palate resembles that of my mom’s more every day. Growing up, my mom loved mushrooms. Meanwhile, I was all like “You eat fungi? That’s gross!”
Of course, I didn’t think twice about eating the flesh of a cow. Ugghh *shutters in self-shame*
Never the less, mom knew best, and I’m here loving the shit out of mushrooms. Give ‘em to me raw, give ‘em to grilled, give ‘em to me chopped up finely and turned into sloppy joe’s, give ‘em to me stuffed, JUST GIVE ‘EM TO ME. And if you’re gonna stuff ‘em, what better mushroom to choose than large portobello caps? Given their size, you have plenty of real estate for a complimentary stuffing to be inserted.
Kim and I decided to stuff ours with roasted garlic broccoli mash, comprised of fresh lemon juice, salt, extra virgin olive oil, tender roasted garlic, and steamed broccoli. Oh, you were unaware that broccoli could be taken to the next level by mashing it into bits?
…
Yeah, us too. But we’re so happy we tried it out, because it’s phenomenally different than anything else we’ve ever tried; overlooked, simple transformations that can quickly elevate vegetables often go overlooked by cooks who focus all of their energy on proteins.
After the broccoli mixture is scooped into the hollowed out mushrooms, we generously pack on a mixture of crushed almonds, nutritional yeast, black pepper, and salt – which is delicious enough to eat by the spoonful – that forms a Chris-py Brown crust when baked… I’m just gonna leave that one there.
This dinner has a homestyle Italian feel to it, warming up the soul with each hearty bite, simply dying to be eaten alongside a glass of red wine, a steaming bowl of garlic cauliflower rice, and a few candles, for romantic flair. No, I don’t tend to be one of the “extraordinary” kind, but when you have a meal as divine as these stuffed mushroom caps, I can’t help but become feverishly passionate.
Like what your taste buds are tellin’ ya? Leave behind a nice rating, share your thoughts with us in the comments, or show us your creations by tagging @noeggsorham on Instagram.
If there’s a dish you’ve always wanted to see veganized, submit it here, and we’ll head to the lab, break out the test tubes, and whip out our culinary gadgets, so that in a couple of weeks there’ll be a recipe dedicated all to you!
All the best,
Ryan & Kim
Savory, roasted portobello mushroom caps filled with roasted garlic broccoli mash, & topped with crunchy nutritional yeast crumble; homey, hearty, and classy.
Ingredients
Mushrooms:
- 3 large portobello mushroom caps, stems and gills removed
- 3 tsp extra virgin olive oil
Broccoli Mash:
- 1 large head of broccoli, florets only (about 3 cups)
- 1 large head of garlic
- 2 tbsp + 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- sea salt
- 1/2 c water
Topping:
- 4 tbsp almonds, lightly crushed
- 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp cracked back pepper
Directions
- Pre-heat oven to 400° F. Leaving the skin on, separate each clove of garlic, place onto a cookie sheet, and drizzle with 2 tsp of olive oil.
- Once hot, place in oven for 15-20 minutes (until garlic is very soft on the inside), stirring every 5 minutes to ensure even browning. Remove and let cool while prepping other ingredients; at least 5 minutes.
- Boost oven temperature up to 450° F.
- While the garlic roasts, place broccoli florets, 1/2 cup of water, and a heavy pinch of salt in medium sauce pot fitted with a lid and bring to boil over high heat. Let steam for 8-10 minutes, or until broccoli is very tender. Remove any excess water and set aside.
- Coat outside of mushrooms – removed of their stems and gills – with 1 tsp of olive oil per cap. Set aside on a baking sheet, empty side up.
- To prepare topping, crush up almonds by blitzing for a few seconds in a personal blender or food processor (reference photo in post for desired consistency). Then, mix with nutritional yeast, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
- To free the garlic of its skin, squeeze outwards from the root of the clove, just like a tube of toothpaste. Repeat for all remaining cloves.
- In the bowl of a food processor, combine roasted garlic, steamed broccoli, lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and a very generous pinch of salt. Pulse a few times until the broccoli mixture starts to stick together, but doesn’t completely turn into a paste.
- Evenly divide and spread out broccoli mixture among portobello caps, then pack on at least 2 tablespoons of topping for each cap – adding more as needed – pressing down to ensure the topping stays in place.
- Place in 450° F oven for 10 minutes, remove, let cool for at least two minutes, and serve while hot!
*If you have any remaining topping, store an airtight at room temperature container for up to a month. It can used anywhere nutritional yeast is desired: cauliflower rice, avocado, pasta, and pretty much everything.
NO EGGS OR HAM 