Mushroom Parmesan

5 from 3 votes

Cozy, hearty spinach cheese stuffed Mushroom Parmesan, is a one-pan dinner that your family is going to love! Even the orzo pasta bakes up in the pan with the cheesy mushrooms and marinara sauce! 1 pan, 1 baking Step Parmigiana!

Prep Time10

Cook Time30

Resting Time5

Total Time45

Course: Condiment, dinner, Main, Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: mushroom parmesan, mushroom parmigiana

Servings:

Author: Vegan Richa

Equipment

8x10" baking pan

Ingredients

For the Mushrooms

8 mushrooms 2” to 3” in size, use white, cremini, or baby portobello mushrooms.

For the Pasta and Sauce

1/2 cup dried orzo or other small pasta
11 ounces marinara sauce
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1 cup water or stock
1/4 cup or more mushroom stems

For the Spinach-Cheese Filling

5 ounces frozen spinach thaw and press lightly to remove excess moisture
1/2 cup firm or extra firm tofu crumbled
1/4 cup vegan cheese I use a mix of mozzarella and parmesan
2 teaspoons Italian herb blend
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast

For the Breadcrumb Topping

1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/2 cup vegan cheese such as mozzarella or a mix of mozzarella and parmesan
1 teaspoon Italian herb blend
1 to 2 teaspoons olive oil as needed

For Topping

crushed red pepper flakes optional
fresh basil

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 415° F (213° C),and prep the mushrooms. Wash the mushrooms, and pat them dry, then remove the stems. Discard the dirty part of the stems, and then chop the rest of the stems and set aside, as we will use them with the pasta sauce. Reserve 2 tablespoons of pasta sauce
In an 8x10” baking dish, mix the pasta sauce, balsamic vinegar, water, 1/4 teaspoon or more salt(if pasta sauce isn’t salted), and mushroom stems, then sprinkle in the orzo. Mix well, and even it out in a layer.
Make the spinach and tofu mix: crumble the tofu and add to a bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients of the spinach-cheese filling ingredients to a bowl, and press and mix to break down the tofu and mix everything really well. Set aside.
To make the breadcrumb topping, mix the breadcrumbs, vegan cheese, and Italian herb blend and set aside.
To assemble, place the mushrooms on top of the orzo layer, bottom-side-up, placing them nicely snug in there. (If the mushrooms are big or too thick, you can also slice them into 1/4 inch slices and layer them). Then, optionally, you can add a teaspoon pasta sauce to each of the mushrooms.
Top the mushrooms with the spinach-cheese filling. You can top the entire baking dish or just the mushrooms, depending on your preference. Top with the breadcrumb mixture, then drizzle the olive oil all over. You can also sprinkle on some pepper flakes on top, if you like.
Bake for 20 minutes, then lightly cover with parchment paper and continue to bake for another 10 minutes. Use a toothpick to check if the mushrooms are cooked. It should pierce the mushrooms without much resistance. If not, continue to bake for another 5 minutes or so. Then, take the baking dish out of the oven. Let it sit for another 5 minutes or so. Then, scoop out the delicious cooked orzo, topped with the mushroom parmesan, garnish with some fresh basil and serve as-is or with toasted sourdough.

Video

Notes

This recipe is naturally nut-free, as long as you use nut-free vegan cheese. To make it gluten-free, use gluten-free breadcrumbs and orzo. For soy-free, omit the tofu and add some soy-free vegan cream cheese instead.

Mushroom substitute: make this with cauliflower slices or tofu, or vegan chicken.

Store: Leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for 3 days. I do not recommend freezing.

Make ahead: You can prep this in advance by layering everything but the breadcrumb mixture and keeping it in the fridge for up to 3 days. Sprinkle on the breadcrumbs and oil and bake as directed. Put the breadcrumb mixture on just before baking, because otherwise the breadcrumbs will get soggy.

Make with precooked pasta: Use 2 cups cooked pasta. Cook the marinara sauce and chopped mushrooms, omit the water, for 6-8 mins to cook the mushrooms stems. Then fold in the cooked pasta. Continue with the rest of the recipe - Stuff the mushrooms, top with breadcrumb mixture and bake. Once mushrooms are cooked, serve with the pasta.

Nutrition