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Caprese-Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

Caprese-Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms reads umami 6.1, richness 5.8 and earthy 5.0 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Italian main, about 24 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 6.4 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 4.5 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 4.4 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 5.3 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 6.3 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 5.0 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 6.1 · Richness 5.8 · Earthy 5.0 · Herbaceous 4.4 · Sourness 4.0 · Sweetness 3.7 · Allium 3.6 · Salinity 3.4 · Fruity 2.8 · Floral 1.9 · Nutty 1.7 · Warm Spice 1.5 · Citrus 1.4 · Bitterness 1.4 · Heat 0.8

What's in it (10)

• portobello mushroom caps — 400 g
• olive oil — 41 g
• garlic — 6 g
• balsamic vinegar — 15 g
• salt — 4 g
• black pepper — 1 g
• mozzarella — 227 g
• tomatoes — 240 g
• basil — 15 g
• balsamic — 44 g

Time & effort: about 24 min · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 101.4 kcal, 7.1 g protein, 5.6 g fat, 5.4 g carbs

Dietary: Vegetarian · Contains dairy — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (9 steps)

1. Preheat the oven to 425 F and line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Using a spoon, scrape the dark gills from the underside of each portobello cap and discard them; this keeps the finished filling from turning muddy brown as the mushrooms roast.
2. Brush both sides of the mushroom caps with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, then season the gill sides with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and all of the pepper. Arrange the caps gill-side down on the baking sheet.
3. Roast gill-side down until the caps begin to soften and release their liquid, 8-10 minutes; this dry first roast drives off the mushroom's natural moisture before any filling goes in, so the finished dish isn't watery.
4. Flip the caps gill-side up and tip out any liquid that has pooled on the sheet. Roast until the caps are tender when pierced with a paring knife, 8-10 minutes more.
5. Meanwhile, stir together the garlic, balsamic vinegar, and remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a small bowl to make a quick dressing.
6. Remove the mushrooms from the oven and brush the interior of each cap with the garlic-balsamic dressing.
7. Layer the tomato slices, then the mozzarella rounds, into each cap, overlapping slightly to cover the surface; season the tops with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt.
8. Return the sheet to the oven and bake until the mozzarella is fully melted and beginning to gold at the edges, 5-7 minutes.
9. Scatter the sliced basil over the caps, drizzle with the balsamic glaze, and top with the whole basil leaves. Serve immediately, while the cheese is still molten.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Paella Valenciana — Spanish
• Holubtsi z Hrechkoyu (Lenten Cabbage Rolls with Buckwheat and Mushrooms) — Ukrainian
• Dhansak (Goat with Three Lentils, Pumpkin and Fenugreek) — Indian · Parsi
• Fasolada — Greek
• New Potato, Chickpea and Tomato Stew — Spanish

Keep reading: what umami, richness, earthy mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.