Stuffed mushrooms with quinoa and pistachios intrigued me because of the recipe’s fresh ingredients, plus I knew it would be pleasing to the eye with the green pistachios and red quinoa.
The original recipe, though tasty, seemed to lack a much-needed punch of flavor so I stirred some Parmesan into the mixture rather than just sprinkling it on top. I then added a small amount of pepper sauce and red pepper flakes. Cook’s note: If you’re looking for a great and I mean great pepper sauce to just have on hand, get Frank’s Red Hot Wings Buffalo Sauce! It has only fresh ingredients and is versatile for many dishes which I’ll share at another time. The addition of the heat was just what the recipe needed to lift it from good to gone in no time. These are easy to make and if you substitute the butter with olive oil this dish is instantly vegan-friendly.
The stuffed mushrooms are crunchy without tasting greasy and we ate them as a side dish. They are also a perfect party appetizer and can be made ahead and refrigerated. bake for less than 15 minutes, then serve them right out of the oven.
- 3 tablespoons quinoa
- 6 tablespoons water
- 20 white button or cremini mushrooms
- 1/4 cup butter Substitute Olive oil for vegan option
- 1/4 cup minced onion
- 1/4 cup finely chopped pistachios
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
- 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper sauce I use Frank's Buffalo Wing sauce or use Tabasco
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese divided
- Red pepper flakes optional
- Preheat the oven to 400F degrees.
- Bring the quinoa and water to a boil in a small saucepan. Cover, reduce to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Turn the heat off and leave the covered saucepan on the burner for another 4 minutes. Fluff with a fork and allow the quinoa to cool.
- Gently twist the mushroom stems to remove them. Finely dice the stems. Melt the butter or olive oil in a small saucepan and sauté the stems and onion on medium heat until the onion is opaque and tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
- Stir the quinoa, pistachios, parsley, oregano, pepper sauce, salt and 2 tablespoons of freshly grated Parmesan cheese into the mushroom and onion mixture. Using a teaspoon, scoop the filling into the mushroom caps and place them on a baking sheet. (They can be refrigerated at this point for up to 24 hours.)
- Bake for 13-15 minutes, depending on their size, until the mushrooms are tender. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese. Add a dash of red pepper flakes, if desired. Serve warm.
Recipe adapted from Quinoa 365.
