Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms (Meaty, Juicy, Meat-Free Winner)

Scrape the dark gills out of each portobello with the edge of a spoon before you do anything else. They hold water, and water is what turns a stuffed mushroom into a soggy puddle on the parchment. Brush the caps with olive oil inside and out, then build the ricotta and cream cheese filling thick enough that it sits up in the cap instead of running. Twenty minutes at 375 and the breadcrumb top goes golden while the cheese underneath stays creamy.

By Nora Calloway

Swaps & Substitutions

• Ricotta → swap in cottage cheese (blend it smooth first) or, for dairy-free, a thick cashew cream; the texture goes a little looser but it still holds.
• Cream cheese → use mascarpone for richer, or thick Greek yogurt for a tangier, lighter filling.
• Spinach → chopped kale or Swiss chard work; squeeze them dry hard, since they carry even more water than spinach.
• Breadcrumbs (panko) → gluten-free panko is a direct swap, or crushed cornflakes for crunch; skip them and the top just won't crisp.
• Mozzarella → any good melter like fontina or provolone; pre-shredded works but the anti-cake starch makes it melt a touch greasier.
• Parmesan → Pecorino or Grana Padano; for a vegetarian-strict table, check for a microbial-rennet version since classic Parmigiano uses animal rennet.

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