No Fuss Vegan Stuffed Mushrooms Recipe

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Stuffed mushrooms are a hugely popular appetizer because they're easy to make and pack plenty of satisfying umami flavor. However, because they're often loaded with creamy, cheese-based fillings, they're not always vegan-friendly. Thankfully, these savory bites are also wonderfully versatile. With the help of recipe developer Catherine Brookes, we've created a completely plant-based version of this dish. And, with these no-fuss vegan stuffed mushrooms, there's no compromising on flavor. The filling is a perfectly seasoned mixture of onion, lentils, walnuts, and breadcrumbs, with a delicious savory balance of herbiness, tanginess, and aromatic goodness.

In this recipe, we use larger portobello mushrooms, which allow plenty of room for that flavor-packed filling mixture. We don't waste the stems of the mushrooms, which are removed and finely diced and then sauteed with the onions and other filling ingredients. Once the mushrooms have been baked until tender, they are generously piled with the nutty lentil medley and popped back into the oven for a final browning. The result is a hearty, nutritious, and flavorful dish that would work as a satisfying meal with a side salad and some crusty bread, but would also serve as a side dish or appetizer that's perfect for pairing with other plant-based proteins.

Start by grabbing some large portobello mushrooms and wipe them down with a damp cloth to remove any dirt. Then, for the filling mixture, you'll need some olive oil, onion, garlic, tomato paste, Italian herbs, canned brown lentils, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, chopped walnuts, breadcrumbs, and some salt and pepper to taste. There's also the option to add some chopped fresh parsley as a fresh finishing touch once the stuffed mushrooms have been baked.

Preheat the oven to 400 F.

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Remove and finely dice the stems of the mushrooms. Set aside.

Brush the mushroom caps all over with one tablespoon of the olive oil and arrange on the baking sheets. Scatter over some salt to taste.

Bake for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, add the remaining tablespoon of oil to a frying pan over medium heat.

Add the onion and saute until softened, for about 5 minutes.

Add the mushroom stems and garlic, and saute for another 2 minutes.

Add the tomato paste, Italian herbs, and some salt and pepper to taste. Stir well and cook for another 2 minutes.

Add the lentils, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, and chopped walnuts. Stir and continue cooking for another 5 minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the breadcrumbs.

Pile the lentil mixture on top of the mushroom caps.

Bake for another 10 minutes.

Scatter with some fresh parsley to serve, if desired.

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The lentil and walnut filling for these vegan stuffed mushrooms certainly isn't short on flavor, but if you'd like to play around with the overall vibe of the dish, there are plenty of other options to consider. If a spicier result is what you're after, try switching the Italian herbs for some paprika or cayenne pepper, perhaps alongside a pinch of cumin or turmeric. You could throw some fresh serrano chili peppers into the mix, too. Just dice them finely and add them into the pan at the same time as the mushroom stems. To really turn up the heat, you could always drizzle your stuffed mushrooms with some hot sauce before serving.

There's also the option to give this dish an Asian-inspired twist. Try removing the tomato paste, Italian herbs, and nutritional yeast, and instead opting for a combination of rice vinegar, soy sauce, maple syrup, and sesame oil. Mix them together and add them to the walnuts and lentils. Some grated fresh ginger would taste fantastic here too, which can be tossed in with the garlic.

Whichever approach you take, feel free to customize your mushrooms with some additional toppings. Shredded vegan Parmesan or cheddar cheese would be great options, as would a sprinkling of crispy onions, toasted sesame seeds, red pepper flakes, or some finely grated lemon zest.

Adapting these vegan stuffed mushrooms to different dietary preferences is no problem at all. To make them gluten-free, simply switch out the breadcrumbs for a gluten-free version. These can be found in many large grocery stores, but you can also make your own by toasting slices of gluten-free bread, letting them cool, and blitzing them up in a food processor. Or, go for a non-bread-based alternative, such as toasted rolled oats, crushed cornflakes or rice cereal, or even crumbled up potato chips.

If you want to make the mushrooms nut-free, you could simply omit the walnuts. But if you want to replace these with something that'll add an equal amount of bite to the filling, try pumpkin, sunflower, or sesame seeds, which would all work brilliantly. Alternatively, you can increase the amount of breadcrumbs for extra texture, or switch these to the slightly crunchier panko variety.

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