Vegan Stuffed Mushrooms Recipe: How to Make Stuffed Mushrooms

Vegan stuffed mushrooms involve removing the stems from mushrooms and filling the caps with various vegan fillings. Traditional stuffed mushroom recipes use crab or dairy ingredients; however, a vegan version like the recipe below replaces the animal products with plant-based, dairy-free swaps. Stuffed mushrooms make for a great appetizer, side dish, snack, or hors d’oeuvre at a party.

When making vegan stuffed mushrooms, you have two primary decisions to consider: the kind of mushrooms you use and the flavor profile of the stuffing. Fresh shiitake mushrooms, brown or white button mushrooms, cremini mushrooms, and portobello mushrooms are all ideal for stuffing.

There are a few common ways to fill mushrooms.

1. 1. Italian vegetables: The stuffed mushroom recipe below uses Italian seasoning. For added Italian flavor, consider adding finely chopped artichokes or sun-dried tomatoes to the recipe below.
2. 2. Seasonal vegetables: Use chopped celery, small cubes of bread, shallots, and fresh herbs for a Thanksgiving flare. Add peas, carrots, and white onions for a spring vegetable stuffed mushroom. Winter squash also makes an excellent mushroom filling.
3. 3. Faux-crab filling: Create a faux-crab meat filling by mixing vegan mayonnaise, Old Bay seasoning, mashed chickpeas, and roughly chopped hearts of palm. This option is also gluten-free.

Consider these tips for preparing perfect mushrooms for filling.

1. 1. Brush the mushrooms. Use a kitchen brush to remove large specks of dirt from the mushrooms. A cooking brush or even damp paper towels will work as well.
2. 2. Rinse the mushrooms quickly. If you leave the stems on and work quickly, the mushrooms absorb less water, which makes them less likely to become soggy. Simply place the whole mushrooms in a colander and give them a light rinse in the sink, quickly removing them from the colander once you’ve removed any remaining bits of dirt.
3. 3. Use paper towels to dry the mushrooms. Using a dry paper towel, wipe the whole mushrooms to ensure you get them as dry as possible.