First, make vegan ricotta and vegan parmesan cheese. You would need 1/2 batch of vegan ricotta and 1/2 batch of vegan parmesan. If you are using store-bought vegan ricotta and parmesan, skip this step.
Prep the mushrooms
As mushroom release a lot of liquid while baking, we will double bake them. The first time they will get cooked through and release juices which we'll use for the stuffing, then stuff them and bake again to combine flavors.Preheat the oven to 400 F or 200C.Break the stems of the mushrooms and set aside to use for the filling. Place mushroom caps on a baking sheet (I use a grid over my baking sheet) with the hollow side up (the side where the stem used to be). Bake for 15 minutes or until they release juices.
Prep the spinach for the filling
While the mushroom are baking, prepare the stuffing. Finely chop the mushroom stems and mince the garlic. Heat a lug of olive oil in a large skillet and cook mushroom stems over medium-high heat for a few minutes, stirring often, then add garlic. Cook for 1 more minute and add baby spinach to the skillet. If you want the texture to be more fine, you can chop the spinach upfront but I didn't do it.Cover the skillet with a lid and let cook until it decreases in volume. Add liquid from the mushroom caps. Let the liquid evaporate by letting it cook for a few more minutes.
Prepare the filling
In a large or medium mixing bowl, combine the cooked spinach with vegan ricotta, Italian seasoning and add some salt and pepper to taste.
Assemble
Stuff each mushroom cap with the filling (about 2 tablespoons per mushroom, depending on their size) and top with vegan parmesan.
Bake
Bake again for about 10 minutes until they start to get golden brown on top. Sprinkle with chopped chives or other herbs of your choice to garnish. Serve warm or cold. Enjoy!
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Cook’s Tips
These festive vegan stuffed mushrooms are a perfect appetizer for the holiday season. They are packed with plant-based protein and umami flavor while being dairy- and gluten-free.
While this recipe uses 6 ingredients (besides salt and pepper) and 30 minutes, it requires 10 minutes of extra prep work and a few more ingredients for homemade vegan ricotta and parmesan.
As mushroom release a lot of liquid while baking, we will double bake them. The first time they will get cooked through and release juices which we'll use for the stuffing, then stuff them and bake again to combine flavors.
If you want the texture of the stuffing to be more fine, you can chop the spinach upfront before cooking it (I didn't do it).