This Week’s Vegetable Box Feature: Portobello Mushrooms

Did you know?

• They are of Italian origin and gets its namesake from Portobello, a town in Italy.
• They have a wonderfully earthy flavor that is often times described as meaty. They taste similar to cremini mushrooms or button mushrooms, but have a richer and more intense umami flavor.
• They make a fabulous meat substitute in vegetarian and vegan dishes because of their meaty flavor and thick, dense texture.
• They are full of great plant compounds like B vitamins, potassium, selenium, and copper.

 

What's the difference between a portobello mushroom, cremini and a button mushroom?

They are literally the same type of mushroom. They are all Agaricus bisporus, in fact, just different ages: button mushrooms, which are white, are the toddlers; cremini mushrooms, which are brown, are the teenagers; and portobellos, which are brown and much larger versions of their younger selves, are the adults.

 

How to Store Them?

Store them in a paper bag in the refrigerator for up to seven days. You can also wrap them in a paper towel and store them in a tupperware container in the refrigerator.

 

How to Prepare them:

Cleaning: Don't wash a portobello mushroom until right before you prep them for eating or cooking. When ready, wash them well under running water, removing all the dirt from the cap and running your fingers through the gills.

Prepping: Either trim the cap or pop it off completely and pat the mushroom dry.

Peeling: In some cases, you may want to peel the top layer of the cap! If cooking the mushroom caps whole, its found that peeling creates a better texture for portobello burgers and portobello steaks.

 

How to Use Them? Can you enjoy the whole mushroom?

The stems of large portabella, while technically edible, can be woody and fibrous and are usually discarded (or used to flavor stock). Likewise, the dark black gills can be eaten, but they'll turn your food a nasty, murky, scuzzy brown, so most like to scrape them out. Portabello mushrooms are best enjoyed cooked!

 

A few favorite ways to prepare portobello mushrooms:

Whole mushroom caps: These are wonderful as burgers, steaks, or even stuffed!

Sliced: Perfect for sautéing mushrooms and serving with pasta, stir fry, or a simple side dish.

Diced: Adds amazing flavor to soups and casseroles.

 

Recipes:

 

Portobello Mushroom Fajitas

Created by: The Modern Proper

A healthy, fast, vegetarian dinner is as easy and delicious as can be—meet our veggie-loaded portobello mushroom fajitas!

 

Ingredients:

¼ cup homemade taco seasoning (or 2 tbsp store bought)

2 tbsp olive oil

1 lime juiced, ¼ cup

1 ½ lbs portobello mushrooms, cut into thick ¾-inch slices

1 red onion, sliced

1 red bell pepper, sliced

1 orange bell pepper, sliced

1 yellow bell pepper, sliced small flour tortillas guacamole cilantro

 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450°F.

2. In a large bowl make a marinade using the taco seasoning, olive oil and lime juice.

3. Toss the portobello mushrooms in the marinade until evenly coated.

4. Spread ingredients across an oiled baking pan and bake for 20 minutes. If you want to add some char to the mushrooms and veggies, broil for another 3 minutes.

5. Serve with warm tortillas, salsa, guacamole, avocado, and fresh cilantro.

 

Breakfast Stuffed Portobellos

Created by: Makinze Gore

Stuffed mushrooms have never failed us and this breakfast version is no exception. An easy low-carb breakfast that is filled with garlicky tomatoes and spinach, eggs, and cheese. It's just the thing to get you out of bed in the morning.

 

Ingredients:

1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

4 cups baby spinach

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Pinch red pepper flakes

4 portobellos, stems removed

4 large eggs

1 cup shredded white cheddar Freshly chopped parsley, chopped

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat oil. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Add cherry tomatoes and cook until starting to burst, 5 minutes. Add spinach and cook until wilted, 2 minutes more. Season with salt, pepper, and a pinch of red pepper flakes.

2.Place mushrooms stem side up on a small baking sheet. Spoon spinach mixture into each mushroom. Crack eggs over spinach and sprinkle cheese over egg.

3. Bake until whites are just set, about 30 minutes.

4. Garnish with parsley before serving.

 

Hearty Vegan Cream of Mushroom Soup with Coconut Milk

Created by: Iryna

This soup will leave vegans and meat eaters alike satisfied. This easy Hungarian vegan soup is the perfect weeknight dinner with some crusty bread on the side.

 

Ingredients:

2 TBSP olive oil or vegetable broth

14 oz mushrooms Portobello or white Button mushrooms, thinly sliced

1 medium yellow onion finely minced

2 stalks celery diced

4 tsp arrowroot starch or 2 TBSP of all-purpose flour

2 tsp sweet paprika

4 medium potatoes diced

2 TBSP Tamari or soy sauce

2 tsp dried thyme

5 cups vegetable broth

1 cup coconut milk

¼ cup plant-based yogurt optional or regular if you don’t need it vegan

2 cloves garlic salt, pepper

Directions:

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large pot and over medium heat. Add mushrooms and sauté stirring occasionally until all liquid evaporates and mushrooms start to brown, about 10 minutes. Add ¼ teaspoon of salt, stir and transfer mushrooms to a plate.

2. In the same pot, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil and add onion and celery. Sauté for 5-7 minutes or until the vegetables have softened.

3. Add in arrowroot starch (or flour), paprika and stir for 1 minute. (Add more oil or broth if necessary).

4. Add potatoes, soy sauce, thyme, broth, ½ teaspoon of salt and ¼ teaspoon of pepper. Bring soup to a boil, then reduce to medium-low heat and cook for 10 minutes.

5. Add ¾ of cooked mushrooms back into the pot along with coconut milk and cook for 5 more minutes or until the potatoes are soft.

6. Stir in yogurt, garlic pushed through a garlic press, adjust the seasoning and remove soup from the heat.

7. Optional step: you can leave soup as it is, or you can use an immersion blender to blend half of the soup.

8. Divide the soup among serving bowls, top with remaining mushrooms and drizzle with some more plant yogurt if desired.

 

Caprese Portobello Mushroom Pizzas

Created by: Trish Bozeman

Easy 20-minute caprese portobello mushroom pizza recipe! Vegetarian pizza stuffed portobello mushroom caps perfect for a weeknight meal.

 

Ingredients:

4 large portobello mushroom caps

3 tsp olive oil, divided

½ tsp salt

½ tsp pepper

8 TBSP pizza sauce

½ tsp Italian seasoning

8 oz fresh mozzarella, cut into ¼" cubes

6 medium cherry tomatoes, sliced

sliced fresh basil leaves and Italian seasoning for serving

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 450° F. Grease a baking sheet with 1 teaspoon of the olive oil.

2. Remove the stem from the caps and carefully wash them. Thoroughly clean through the gills or remove them. Pat the caps dry. Rub each cap with the remaining 2 teaspoon olive oil and season with the salt and pepper. Place them gill side up on a baking sheet.

3. Divide the pizza sauce evenly amongst the portobello caps and spread along the gills. Sprinkle each one with ⅛ teaspoon of Italian seasoning. Divide the mozzarella cheese evenly amongst the portobello caps and spread evenly. Then top with the tomato slices.

4. Cook them in the oven for 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and starting to brown. Prepare a large plate covered with a few paper towels to soak up liquid after cooking. When the pizzas are done, carefully transfer them to the paper towel lined plate and let cool slightly.

5. Sprinkle fresh basil and a bit more Italian seasoning if desired on top of each pizza. Serve immediately.

 

 

Garlic Butter Portobello Mushroom

Created by: Holly

This side dish is easy with hearty umami flavor while the unexpected bread crumb topping makes it next level, one of the best side dishes ever! The perfect addition to anything from perfect pork tenderloin to baked chicken breasts!

 

Ingredients:

3 large portobello mushrooms

1 ½ TBSP olive oil

2 TBSP butter divided

¼ tsp thyme

1 clove fresh garlic

2 TBSP panko bread crumbs

1 TBSP grated parmesan cheese optional

Directions:

1. Add 1 tablespoon butter and panko crumbs to pan over medium heat. Cook while stirring until lightly toasted. Place in a dish and set aside.

2. Wipe mushrooms clean with a damp paper towel. Use a spoon to scrape and gently remove the gills underneath. Slice mushrooms ¼" thick.

3. Heat olive oil in a frying pan over medium high heat. Add thyme and mushrooms stirring just to mix.

4. Cook mushrooms 4-5 minutes without stirring or until caramelized on one side. Stir and continue cooking until mushrooms are cooked. Add in 1 tablespoon butter, garlic and salt & pepper to taste. Cook 1 minute more.

5. Sprinkle Panko crumbs over mushrooms (with parmesan cheese if using) and serve.

 

 

Recipes are curated by Lauren