I used to be vegetarian for nearly a decade. What I keep in mind most from that point—moreover folks continually asking if there was sufficient protein in my weight loss plan—is the sheer quantity of mushrooms I ate. (Which was nice, since mushrooms are extraordinarily scrumptious!) At eating places, vegetarian choices nearly all the time included a risotto or creamy pasta with mushrooms. At dinner events, pals whipped up meat-free variations of beouf Bourguignon full of creminis, shiitakes, and oyster mushrooms for me. And at cook-outs, I grilled hefty portobello mushrooms to sandwich between burger buns with lettuce and tomatoes.

Although I’m now not vegetarian, I nonetheless incessantly fold mushrooms into soups, stews, and salads for his or her savory depth of taste. They’re additionally the star of certainly one of my favourite appetizers: stuffed mushrooms. At their greatest, stuffed mushrooms pack plenty of taste right into a small bundle, hitting savory, candy, and particularly umami notes suddenly. They mix textures—a creamy filling, crispy topping, and a young, by no means soggy, and completely browned exterior—and are sufficiently small to eat in a single chunk, making them the best celebration meals. At their worst, they’re soggy, bland, and rubbery, and doubtless the very last thing you wish to eat. Fortunately for us (and also you!), our Birmingham, Alabama-based check kitchen colleague Renu Dhar has a stellar recipe for vegetarian stuffed mushrooms. 

Renu’s stuffed mushrooms tick all of the packing containers: They’ve cream cheese and Parmigiano-Reggiano for richness, chopped mushroom stems for a meaty chunk, and sun-dried tomatoes that carry a contact of sweetness. Panko breadcrumbs present a satisfying crunch, and a intelligent technique prevents the mushrooms from getting soggy. As a substitute of getting you bake your mushrooms on a sheet pan or in a baking dish, she has you employ a forged iron skillet, which retains warmth properly and successfully browns the underside of the mushrooms. “Between the excessive warmth [of the oven] and the warmth from the forged iron, the mushrooms get cooked actually quick,” says Renu, “which ensures they don’t flip soggy.”

The end result? Scrumptious, savory stuffed mushrooms that two testers individually described as having “marry me” vibes. You actually don’t should be a vegetarian to get pleasure from these, nor do it is advisable have a special day to make them. With simply 20 minutes of prep time and one other 25 minutes within the oven, you can have a spectacular mushroom feast for you and your loved ones in lower than an hour, which is a celebration in itself.