This past Sunday, our potluck of snacks included mini donuts along with an array of chips with dips, so I decided to add some veggies to the mix with these easy pesto stuffed mushrooms. I was afraid I might be the only one who found the mushrooms appealing, but to my surprise the entire batch was gone in just minutes! Everyone went back for seconds, choosing these mushrooms over Krispy Kreme donuts. I call that a win. What I love about these mushrooms is that they’re vegan and paleo-friendly, without relying on any fake cheese substitutes. All you need to prepare them is a mini food chopper (I’ve used this cheap one since college!), a few whole food ingredients, and about 10 minutes of hands-on time. Easy!
— Vegan Pesto Stuffed Mushrooms Makes 12-14 pieces Ingredients: 1/2 cup pecan halves 1 cup fresh spinach, tightly packed 1 cup fresh basil leaves, tightly packed 1 large garlic clove, minced 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice 1/2 teaspoon sea salt 2 tablespoons water, or as needed to facilitate blending 8 ounces whole crimini mushrooms Directions: Preheat the oven to 350F and prepare the pesto. In a mini food processor, pulse the pecans into a fine meal. Add in the spinach, fresh basil, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and water and process until a uniform texture is achieved. You might have to scrape down the sides and process a couple of times to get it all evenly combined. Set aside.
Gently remove the stems from the mushrooms and wipe off any dirt with a damp cloth. Fill the center of each mushroom with about a teaspoon of the pesto and arrange all of the stuffed mushrooms in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake them at 350F for 20-25 minutes until the mushrooms are tender. Serve warm.
If you have any leftover pesto, it makes a great dip for veggies or can be tossed with your favorite pasta. Note: This recipe is easily adaptable to suit your tastes. I like to use a mix of spinach and fresh basil to create a generally-appealing pesto flavor, but you can use all basil if you prefer or another leafy green. This pesto recipe is on the saltier side to account for the fact that the flavor will be diluted when stuffed into the mushrooms, but feel free to use less salt or lemon juice if desired. Enjoy! — Reader Feedback: What are your favorite game-day snacks?
