Stuffed Portabella Pizzas
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Recipe type: gluten-free, low carb, easily made vegetarian or vegan
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 3 servings (two mushrooms a piece)
 
These stuffed portabella pizzas are a quick and fun appetizer, or light meal. I've included some suggested toppings in this recipe, but feel free to mix it up and use what you like. By controlling the toppings, you can make these vegetarian, or even vegan.
Ingredients
The Basics:
  • 6 large portabella mushrooms
  • about ½ cup marinara sauce (storebought or homeade -- I had some in the freezer from our garden last year. This is simply tomatoes, garlic, salt, pepper, and olive oil cooked until thick and saucy.)
  • 2-3 oz. shredded mozarella cheese (or other good melting cheese, or your favorite vegan substitute)
Toppings (these are just some suggestions -- use any or all that you like. You'll only need a small amount of each for these mini-pies):
  • Meats: pepperoni, crumbled sausage or bacon (cooked first), diced ham, shredded chicken
  • Veggies: finely chopped green bell pepper, red onion, black olives, chopped artichoke hearts, mini button mushrooms (mushroom on mushroom action!), baby arugula or spinach, etc..
  • Other add-on ideas: crushed red pepper flakes, finely chopped fresh basil (optional but recommended), tiny pinch of garlic powder or cajun seasoning, a sprinkling of parmesan cheese, ranch powder, etc..
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F., and (optionally, for easier clean-up) line a rimmed baking sheet with foil or parchment. Prepare all your toppings and have them at the ready (if you're using meats, cook them and set aside. Chop all your veggies, grate the cheese, etc.)
  2. Wipe the surface of the mushrooms clean with a damp cloth, then remove the stems with a paring knife and scrape away the gills using a spoon. The gills are perfectly edible, but removing them will give you more room for stuffing, and help reduce the amount of moisture in the mushrooms.
  3. Place the mushroom caps open-side up on the baking sheet, and roast for 12 minutes. Remove from the oven, and gently use a pair of tongs to pick up each mushroom and drain off any moisture that has pooled in it.
  4. Return the mushrooms to the baking sheet, and add a small spoonful of marinara sauce to each. Top with a little cheese, and then a small amount of whatever toppings you like. I made some with meat and some without. My favorite was the sausage / green pepper / red onion pizza. (Go figure, these were my dad's favorite pizza toppings, too.)
  5. Once the pies are topped, return them to the oven. Let cook for about 5 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and golden. If you want, you can switch on the broiler in the last minute or two to get the cheese nice and browned. Once baked, you can add fresh ingredients like baby arugula or chopped fresh basil. Serve.
Notes
You can fill these porta-pizzas with anything you like. I've included some suggestions in the recipe above, but feel free to think outside the box and use what sounds good to you!

One other option, which I didn't try this time but plan on doing next time, is to use a little of your favorite barbecue sauce in place of the marinara. Top with shredded chicken and sliced red onions, and you've got yourself a barbecue chicken pizza! If you want my favorite BBQ sauce recipe for this kind of pizza, you can find that here: Barbecue Chicken Pizza With Homemade Sweet Baby Ray's Barbecue Sauce.
Recipe by Will Cook For Friends at https://www.willcookforfriends.com/2017/01/stuffed-portabella-pizzas-gluten-free-low-carb.html