I love mushrooms. I know I’ve said that in other posts, but it’s true. On top of loving mushrooms, I really love stuffed mushrooms. Any time of the year, I’m happy to have a stuffed mushroom, but at Passover, they’re one of my favorite things to make. These are perfect for a light dinner and if I’m lucky enough to have one leftover, they make the best lunch.

The recipe does call for some cheese, but if you need a vegan dish for Passover, just leave the cheese out. The quinoa provides lots of great protein and there’s lots of flavour in the stuffing with or without the cheese.

You can bake these ahead, keep in the fridge for a day or two, and reheat gently in the oven (though I’ll just reheat one for my own workday lunch in the microwave).

Ingredients

• 1/2 cups quinoa (84 grams / 3 oz)
• 1 cup water
• 4 portabella mushrooms
• 4 to 5 Tbsp. olive oil
• 2 large garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 small yellow onion, peeled and finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. black pepper
• 3 green onions, trimmed and thinly sliced
• 4 packed cups of baby spinach leaves (142 grams / 5 oz)
• 114 gram / 4 oz feta or chevre, broken into small pieces (optional)

Preheat your oven to 400°F / 205°C.

Rinse the quinoa well in a mesh strainer, under cool water. Place the rinsed quinoa, water, and a pinch of salt in a small pot and place over high heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer gently for 10-15 minutes, or until all the water is absorbed. Remove from the heat, loosely cover, and let sit for approximately 20 minutes, then fluff with a fork. Set aside.

In a small bowl, mix 4 Tbsp. of olive oil together with the crushed garlic. Remove the stems from the Portabellas, wash well, and dry. Chop the stems finely (only the stems!), and set aside. Use a spoon to gently scrape the dark gills from the underside of the mushrooms. Rinse well and pat dry, then brush both sides of the portabellas with the garlic oil and place in a baking dish.

Pour the remaining oil and garlic in a large sauté pan. If your mushrooms took most of the oil, add an extra Tbsp. of olive oil to the pan. Place over medium heat. As soon as the garlic starts sizzling, add the onion, salt, and pepper and sauté for 3-5 minutes, or until the onions start to soften. Add the finely chopped Portabella stems and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Add the green onions and cook another 2-3 minutes.

Add the spinach and cook until it’s JUST wilted. Remove the pan from the heat, add the quinoa and mix through. Add the crumbled cheese (if you’re using it), mix through and then taste and check the seasoning for salt and pepper.

Fill the Portabellas with stuffing and place the dish in your preheated oven. Cook for 30-35 minutes, until the mushrooms are cooked through and the edges of the cheese and quinoa are just starting to brown. Serve immediately or cool and keep refrigerated until you’re ready to serve. Then reheat in the oven, covered, until heated through.