I’ve been dying to stuff something into a portabella ever since I saw Catherine’s lucious-looking Portobellos Stuffed with Lentils, Stilton, & Walnuts last month. I’ve also been looking for a unique way to serve mashed potatoes, so last night I came up with this idea. (I had thought about stuffing them with hummus, but since having hummus pizza on vacation, I’m over the idea of hot hummus, probably forever.)
This is more a side-dish than an appetizer, though you can pick them up and eat them with your fingers. Don’t let the weird color fool you–they’re really tasty! In fact, I just went to the fridge to have the leftovers for lunch and was crushed to find that my husband had taken them to work. So, to be safe, make two batches!
Portabellas Stuffed with Pesto-Mashed Potatoes
(serves 3 as a side dish)
10 ounces small potatoes (I used 5 or 6 fingerlings)
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup walnuts
1 cup basil, packed
1 tbsp. vegan Parmesan or nutritional yeast
2-3 tbsp. plain soymilk
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 tbsp. chopped walnuts or toasted pinenuts (optional)
sprinkling of vegan Parmesan (optional)
6 medium-sized portabella mushrooms
Boil the potatoes until they are completely tender. I pressure cooked mine for 6 minutes and let the pressure come down naturally. While they are cooking, make the pesto:
In a food processor, puree the garlic, 1/4 cup walnuts, and basil, using a tablespoon or two of water to make the blades run smoothly. Mixture should be coarsely chopped, not completely smooth.
When the potatoes are done, remove them to a mixing bowl and mash them thoroughly. (I chose to leave the skin on mine, but you may peel them first.) Add 2-3 tablespoons of soymilk, until they achieve a creamy yet still stiff consistency. Add the pesto mixture, 1 tablespoon of vegan Parmesan or nutritional yeast, and salt and pepper to taste; blend thoroughly. Stir in 1 tablespoon of chopped walnuts or pinenuts, if desired.
Preheat oven to 375 F. Clean the portabellas and remove the stem and any fluffy flesh that surrounds it. Brush a baking dish with a few drops of olive oil, and use the same brush to brush the bottoms of the mushrooms. Fill the mushrooms with the potato mixture, heaping it in the middle, and set them in the baking dish. Sprinkle the tops with the vegan Parmesan, if desired. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until mushrooms are tender and potatoes are beginning to brown. Serve hot.
Serves 6 as an appetizer, 3 as a side dish
Nutrition (per side-dish serving, without optional ingredients): 249 calories, 65 calories from fat, 7.8g total fat, 0mg cholesterol, 29.7mg sodium, 2186.9mg potassium, 37.6g carbohydrates, 7.6g fiber, 6.2g sugar, 14.6g protein, 7.6 points.
Azahara
September 11, 2009 at 6:29 amThanks Susan! This is delicious!
Kristin, I served the portabellas with some roasted asparagus.
axel g
February 19, 2010 at 3:23 amThat's a beautiful recipe!
I love healthy food +_+
Emerson
April 9, 2011 at 9:04 pmI found this recipe to be most excellent.
I was able to obtain many pounds of Basil last season and still have a freezer full of oil/fat free vegan pesto. Today, with the weather being rainy & overcast, I was looking forward to this comfort food. It was delectable.
Being a patient Dr. McDougall and a devout follower of his teachings, I eliminated all oil from the recipe. Instead of oil I cooked the mushrooms on parchment paper. It worked well.
Thanks for the recipe.
PatB
August 8, 2012 at 11:49 amI am unable to use soy due to allergy. Oat milk works well in mashed potatoes.
Nancy
August 8, 2012 at 12:01 pmThis looks fantastic! Can’t wait to try it. I also love how you usually put the nutritional info for most of your recipes. Do you happen to have it for this one?
Susan Voisin
August 8, 2012 at 12:18 pmNancy, I’ve just added the nutritional info. It’s for 3 servings of 2 mushrooms each.
Nancy
August 8, 2012 at 12:26 pmThanks!!!
Jen Havard
August 8, 2012 at 12:38 pmWhat are your thoughts on using sweet potato instead of the white in this recipe?
Susan Voisin
August 8, 2012 at 12:41 pmHmmm. I don’t really associate sweet potato with pesto, but if it sounds good to you, go for it!
lindsey
September 24, 2012 at 3:32 pmHi Susan,
I want to make these for dinner tomorrow but am wondering what would pair nicely as a main for this side? Any suggestions? BBQ Tofu sounds good with it but we’re having that tonight. đ
Thanks in advance for your thoughts!
Pam
October 5, 2012 at 7:29 amHi Susan,
Can I make these ahead? I need to bring a dish to a pitch-in party with our boating club, at another marina. We will be cruising on our boat so I will only have a microwave to heat it back up. I can put it in a chaffing dish too.
Thanks for all your wonderful recipes!
Pam
Susan Voisin
October 5, 2012 at 8:08 amYou can try, but I’m not sure the results will be very good. I could be wrong–I’ve never tried it–but that’s just my gut instinct.
September
June 4, 2013 at 8:19 pmOh yes! This was really yummy, thank u SO much for the recipe! My two daughters loved it as well!
debalou3
July 4, 2013 at 12:08 pmGot these in the oven right now, can’t wait to try it all together….I licked the bowl from the potatoes :)…didn’t have walnuts but had pecans so I used them and it tasted wonderful.