Portabellas Stuffed with Red Pepper Hummus
I've been afraid of cooking with hummus ever since I had a hummus pizza while on vacation in Colorado last year. The idea sounded good--pizza crust slathered with hummus, topped with kalamata olives--but in actual execution it tasted dry and bland. Perhaps that was the restaurant's fault because I've come around to the idea of hot hummus since making these mushrooms.
I think it was seeing the Tempeh Bacon-Wrapped Portobello with Baba Ghanoush at Albion Cooks that got me thinking about hummus-stuffed mushrooms. Actually, every time Catherine posts one of her many creatively-stuffed mushroom recipes, I find myself picking up stuffing-sized portabellas the next time I'm in the grocery store. My stuffings are never as fancy as hers. The fanciest I've gotten was filling them with Pesto Mashed Potatoes, which was delicious, but hardly beautiful.
This time I opted for a simple filling, something I was making anyway. I make hummus an average of once a week, in an industrial-sized batch that I use in sandwiches, on salads, and with crackers, cruditées, and sometimes just my fingers (but only when I'm trying to get the last bit out of the bowl, I swear!) A few days ago, when I made Gazpacho with Roasted Tomatoes and Peppers, I tossed an extra red bell pepper into the oven to roast, so when I made this week's hummus, I added the roasted pepper to it.
Portabellas Stuffed with Red Pepper Hummus
This isn't a recipe so much as a set of guidelines that you can follow to stuff portabellas with any pre-cooked filling.
Enjoy these as an appetizer, side dish, or as I did, as a light snack. Delicious!
I think it was seeing the Tempeh Bacon-Wrapped Portobello with Baba Ghanoush at Albion Cooks that got me thinking about hummus-stuffed mushrooms. Actually, every time Catherine posts one of her many creatively-stuffed mushroom recipes, I find myself picking up stuffing-sized portabellas the next time I'm in the grocery store. My stuffings are never as fancy as hers. The fanciest I've gotten was filling them with Pesto Mashed Potatoes, which was delicious, but hardly beautiful.
This time I opted for a simple filling, something I was making anyway. I make hummus an average of once a week, in an industrial-sized batch that I use in sandwiches, on salads, and with crackers, cruditées, and sometimes just my fingers (but only when I'm trying to get the last bit out of the bowl, I swear!) A few days ago, when I made Gazpacho with Roasted Tomatoes and Peppers, I tossed an extra red bell pepper into the oven to roast, so when I made this week's hummus, I added the roasted pepper to it.
Portabellas Stuffed with Red Pepper Hummus
This isn't a recipe so much as a set of guidelines that you can follow to stuff portabellas with any pre-cooked filling.
- Prepare your filling. Allow about 2-3 tablespoons of filling per mushroom. (These are not the large portabellas but the ones that are about 2 inches wide and come 6 to a pack.) I basically followed my Spicy Red Pepper Hummus recipe but left out the harissa so that it wouldn't be spicy. I used about 1 cup of hummus for 6 mushrooms.
- Preheat oven to 375 F. Clean the portabellas and remove the stem and any fluffy flesh that surrounds it.
- Brush or spray a baking dish with a little olive oil. Sprinkle a little salt on the inside of each mushroom (optional, but does add flavor). Fill them with the stuffing, heaping it high in the middle, and set them in the baking dish. Spray the tops with a little olive oil, if you wish, to help prevent them from drying out.
- Place in the oven and bake for about 20-25 minutes. Serve hot, sprinkled with a little smoked Spanish paprika, if desired.
Enjoy these as an appetizer, side dish, or as I did, as a light snack. Delicious!
Tags: vegan recipes vegetarian cooking food fat-free
Labels: eat to live, gluten-free
posted by SusanV at 10:32 AM
21 Comments:
What a unique take on preparing portabellas. And the smoked Spanish paprika...mmm-good, I bet!
Nobody should have to eat a hummus pizza....
Oh wow, I never even thought of something like this. Can't wait to try it.
Let me ask you, though, I also make a giant batch of hummus for the entire week - would using hummus out of the fridge take extra baking time than what you've stated here?
Maya, I used hummus out of the fridge for this, so you're ready to go. People starting with warm or room temperature ingredients might find that they take less time too cook. Thanks for reminding me to mention that!
Hi Susan!
These look absoultely amazing! I love hummus warmed, and on pizzas it's so hearty and wonderful - but maybe the restaurant cooked your pizza too long... it does dry out if overcooked (or reheated as leftover pizza). Too bad, but at least you didn't give up on the idea. These mushroooms are right up my street! Must try them sometime - great idea!!
I also wanted to THANK YOU for your suggestion on the Dr. Fuhrman DHA. I bought it online and have been using it this past week. We like the mild lemon flavor, and it's easy enough to get into the kids (usually with a spoonful of juice). I so appreciate that tip... thank so much! :)
Sounds really tasty. I agree that Catherine at Albion Cooks is really inventive with her recipes. I always drool over her pizzas. Very fun seeing how you've used the fork too!
Hi Susan,
Yum! These look fabulous! I really have to stop myself from buying those stuffing ports too often or that's all I'd blog about!
Love your photos!
Catherine
I don't usually like mushrooms of any kind, with portabellas being an exception every once in a long while. This recipe sounds and looks so good that I think I'll have to try eating mushrooms once again!
Hi Susan,
Your site looks great! I'm so impressed!! I am not impressed with hummus pizza, though!
The mushrooms look great. (amazing photo too!) I agree that the smoked Spanish paprika sounds interesting! mmm...
I hope you are doing well!
Susan, I love portabellas, but never think to stuff them. I have to try this - it looks incredible. Yum!
Clever use of hummus...and they're so pretty! I bet stuffing smaller mushrooms would make a great appetizer or party dish too. Fabulous idea, Susan!
Hi Susan,
These look great as usual. It is too bad Mr. T does not like shrooms...
I am from Colorado and was wondering if you had the hummus pizza in Ft. Collins? Just curious. I did like the hummus pizza there but that is just me.
I looooove hummus, I tell you. I'm curious-do you ever make hummus out of white or black beans?
I am giving you the "Creative Blogger Award" for writing such interesting posts. The graphic is on my blog :)
http://thevegandiet.blogspot.com/
Hey Susan-
This was very good. Not so affordable on a college budget, so it stays for special occasions.
(I happen to be a middle-class kid who became financially independent too soon, which is a stark contrast to those who attend Tulane University, where I attend university. Side note, I live on Freret. I always joke that people whom had to leave can live vicariously through me. My parents used to live about 40 minutes from here but had to resettle in Tennessee after Katrina. Tragic story.)
When I was eating this, another Greek filling came to mind: skordalia. I'm not sure if you're familiar with it or not but I'll give you the recipe as it's great on pita.
1 cup of cubed day-old Italian bread
1/3 cup blanched almonds
4 cloves garlic
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup olive oil (I actually prefer the lighter flavored ones, as extra-virgin takes over.)
1 medium to large potato, boiled, peeled, diced, and mashed. Yukon gold potatoes work nicely.
Salt and pepper to taste
Pita to dip (or mushrooms to fill)
Moisten the bread with a small amount of water and squeeze out excess. Place bread, almonds, garlic, and lemon juice in the bowl of a food processor and churn it until smooth. With it still whirlin', add the olive oil through the feed tube. Let it go until it's thick and smooth. Place the mixture into a mixing bowl and fold in the mashed potato(es). Season with the salt and pepper and there you go.
It's fairly heavy on the garlic, but as someone from Louisiana, I'm sure you don't mind. Seeing as it's potato, I'm pretty certain that it would mesh well with tempeh bacon or fakeon. (ha! I don't know what the stuff is called.)
I just don't have a taste for meat as I've been a vegetarian since I was around 13 years old. I'm now 20.
I didn't exactly mean for this comment to be so large but I hit tangents and get side-tracked easily. One of my majors is philosophy (I'm a triple major with a minor...) and they teach you to keep on truckin' in whatever direction you write, just as long as you make it to your destination.
-Robert Kuhn
What pretty mushrooms! They look pretty tasty, as well, and this is a use for hummus I never would've thought of.
Now this looks awesome, especially with my love of hummus!
Hummus is a way of life for some of us. And oh boy another way to eat it is just lovely. Thanks!
these mushrooms are amazing. i have made them for guests during a tapas party and they were a hit! i take so many ideas from your site. keep posting thanks so much!
Takes only minutes to make and yet sooo gooood! Destined to become one of my favorites.
A quick, tasty breakfast idea: Spread hummus on a piece of multi-grain toast and heat a minute or so longer under the broiler. Top this with one fried egg and eat it as an open-faced sandwich.
Post a Comment
Links to this post:
Create a Link
<< Home