Mushrooms and cheese are a match made in heaven, and when you add herbs to it, it’s a cocktail mix of delicious flavors. I will take the earthy umami flavor of mushrooms paired with cheese and herby flavors each time. This stuffed dish can also be made with regular white mushrooms, but to offset the richness of cheese, the robust and stronger flavor of Cremini works very well. Portobello, cremini, and regular white mushrooms are all of the same variety, just from different ages. If you consider white mushrooms as toddlers, the brown Cremini have been aged some more, and when they are really old, it will be the portobello. With its bigger size and very mature earthy flavor, this Creamy spinach stuffed portobello mushrooms is a fantastic stuffed hit that I have made many times.
Add chopped sundried tomatoes, cooked spinach, finely red bell peppers, etc. I think crispy bacon bits are a great addition if you don’t want to keep it vegetarian. Instead of only cream cheese, use a mix of cream cheese, parmesan, and mozzarella.
Prepare mushrooms
Clean the mushroom and brush off any dirt using a brush or damp kitchen towel. Unless the mushrooms are too dirty, avoid washing them as they soak water like a sponge and turn black. If washing, then immediately dry them. Snap off the mushroom stems and chop them finely. Saute chopped stems along with chopped garlic and thyme until all the water evaporates.
Baking it immediately or later
Once stuffed and coated with breadcrumbs, you can either bake it immediately or keep it covered with clingwrap in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Then bake for 18-20 minutes. To store uncooked mushrooms – Place stuffed mushrooms topped with breadcrumbs in a single layer, cover the tray tightly with cling wrap and freeze for up to 3 months.
