Spinach and Feta Stuffed Mushrooms (Gluten Free)
Spinach and feta stuffed mushrooms are really easy, and the perfect – not to mention iconic – holiday appetizer. Healthy, gluten free, and low sodium, they’re sure to be on everyone’s wish list!
How to prep the mushrooms
Prepping the mushrooms for these gluten free stuffed mushrooms is easy. Cleaning is the first step. I like to use a special mushroom brush for this. I know that sounds silly, and I don’t have too many tools that only do one thing. But a mushroom brush is worth it. They have very soft bristles that allow you to remove dirt and debris from mushrooms without damaging their delicate flesh. Mine is pretty ragged at this point, but still works great!
You can gently run the mushrooms under water to remove tough dirt, but try not to if you can help it. And don’t run water through the gills – only over the cap and bottom of the stem as needed. This will help keep your stuffed mushrooms with spinach and feta from being soggy.
Once the mushrooms are clean, gently wiggle the stem back and forth until it comes out of the cap. Set the stems aside for now (you’ll use them later!), and arrange all the caps, top down, on a lined baking sheet.
Now your mushrooms are all ready to be stuffed!
Ingredient tips for Healthy Stuffed Mushrooms
Stuffed mushrooms usually aren’t the most unhealthy appetizer at the party, but there’s so much room for improvement! High sodium, high fat ingredients mar that delicious, healthy mushroom’s name! Make sure your ingredients are healthy, and your spinach feta stuffed mushrooms will be, too.
What are the best mushrooms for stuffed mushrooms? Use a medium cap mushroom, that is relatively firm. You need something that will stand up to both the stuffing (plus a little man-handling to stuff them), and the cooking process. Using either white button mushrooms or baby bellas (AKA crimini or baby portabella mushrooms) are your best bet.
Small mushrooms will hold very little stuffing, so choose only the medium or larger ones for stuffed mushrooms.
Giant portabellas will work, but they’ll be more of a meal than an appetizer. Plus, you have to scrape out the gills of the larger portabellas before you stuff and cook them.
I find white buttons or criminis to be about the perfect size. Plus they are usually more bowl shaped once you remove the stem – excellent for stuffing with yumminess!
Choose sundried tomatoes packed in oil. Usually, you want the opposite, but for these feta stuffed mushrooms, sundried tomatoes packed in oil is the way to go. Yes, it adds a bit more calories and fat, but it also adds moisture, which is what you want in the stuffing mixture. I kept the calories low otherwise so I had a bit of leeway. Another option here is to use sundried tomato bruschetta if you have it on hand.
Squeeze out the thawed spinach as much as you can. While we do want some moisture in the stuffing, there is far too much packed into spinach leaves, which will leave our spinach stuffed mushrooms super soggy. Not desirable. You can squeeze it with your bare hands, or wrap it in a clean kitchen towel and wring it out. If you want to use fresh spinach, either sauté or steam it first, then squeeze it out, and it will be ready to go.
Use fat free feta cheese. I like feta cheese because it has a saltier taste than most cheese, so we can use less of it. Opt for fat free feta to keep the stuffed mushrooms as healthy as they can be. Reduced fat feta can be used in a pinch if the selection in your store is low.
What to serve with Stuffed Mushrooms
If you’re wondering what goes well with stuffed mushrooms, let me assure you, you almost can’t go wrong. The beauty of appetizers is that they can go with so many different foods! Here are my favorite 10 ideas for what to serve with stuffed mushrooms:
- Healthy Mushroom Soup
- Chips and French Onion Dip
- Italian Style Black Bean Meatballs
- Cocktail meatballs
- Zucchini Lasagna Rolls or most any other Italian inspired dish
- Veggie sticks and hummus
- Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers
- Stuffed grape leaves (dolmas)
- Marinated Vegetable Skewers (cooked in the oven if it’s cold out!)
- Pita chips and baba ghanoush
Love mushrooms? Try some of these other mushroom recipes: Healthy Mushroom Soup, Low Sodium Mushroom Chili, or Quinoa Mushroom Burgers with Black Beans.
If you try Spinach and Feta Stuffed Mushrooms, tell me about in the comments below!
Spinach and Feta Stuffed Mushrooms
Spinach and feta stuffed mushrooms are really easy, and the perfect holiday appetizer. Healthy, gluten free, and low sodium, they're sure to be on everyone's wishlist!
Ingredients
- 1 lb Cremini Mushrooms (AKA Baby Bellas), cleaned
- 2 tsp Olive Oil
- ½ medium Onion minced
- ¼ cup Sundried Tomatoes in oil, minced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 8 oz Frozen Spinach thawed, excess liquid squeezed out
- ¼ cup Chopped Parsley
- ¼ cup Fat Free Feta Cheese
- Freshly Ground Black Pepper to taste
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 400° F.
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Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
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Gently remove the stems from the mushroom caps, and place the caps on the baking sheet, top side down.
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Chop the mushroom stems small.
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Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
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Add the mushroom stems, onion, sundried tomatoes, and garlic to the skillet, and saute until the onions are translucent.
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Turn off the heat, and add the spinach, parsley, feta, and black pepper. Stir until well combined.
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Carefully fill each mushroom cap with a spoonful of the filling. It can be packed down a bit.
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Bake for 20-30 minutes, until the mushrooms are browned and not releasing any more liquid.
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Serve immediately.
Recipe Notes
Note: These won’t hold well once they’re cooked. If you are bringing these to a party, it works best to bring the stuffed, but unbaked mushrooms in a baking dish, and bake onsite for immediate service.
