These quinoa stuffed mushrooms will remind you of Italian stuffed shells, but with a few ingredient swaps. They're vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free!
Can food as comforting as stuffed shells be given a new twist?
The old me would have said no way. Not a chance. The new me? I jump at the opportunity to prove the old me wrong.
So that's what we have today. Stuffed shells without ANY of the usual suspects…including the shells. Instead, it's quinoa stuffed mushrooms filled with a dreamy cashew + spinach ricotta, covered in a thick red sauce. Reminiscent of a childhood favorite, but reimagined.
Now I'm not going to pretend these stuffed mushrooms are light fare, because they’re definitely rich. Anything with a nut base tends to be on the indulgent side when it comes to flavor and texture.
But honestly, there’s something deeply satisfying about biting into a mushroom filled with creamy cashew ricotta and fluffy quinoa. It’s a totally different experience compared to a plate of pasta shells stuffed with ultra-processed cheese. Even if there’s a hint of spinach in that dish, it’s kind of overshadowed by everything else going on.
Okay, okay — maybe I’m being a little dramatic. But I really just want to say: there’s absolutely no reason to fear a meal loaded with nuts. They're rich, satisfying, and bring so much depth to a dish.
So nuts = awesome.
Cashews whipped into a creamy, dreamy ricotta? Even better.
Can we all just take a moment and agree that the picture above really does look like a ricotta-spinach filling? It's amazing how after all this time of cooking with alternative ingredients, my mind still plays tricks on me.
This recipe really couldn't be easier to make. As we've established, the “cheese” is a base of cashews with some nutritional yeast, lemon juice and a few other ingredients to give it a cheese-like flavor. Then mix that all up with some fresh, sautéed spinach, cooked quinoa and a few spices, and you've got the dreamiest vegan cheesy filling on your hands.
Once I had my filling made, I was contemplating regular old shells, but decided on mushrooms because a) I thought they would provide a flavor base, and b) I knew they would soak up the flavors of the cheese way more. This meal was already going to be delicious, we mind as well give our tastebuds the most bang for our buck and add as many veggies in there as possible!
So if you have an Italian comfort food lover in your house, but you want something delicious to serve, these quinoa stuffed shells need to go on the menu. I served mine with some pesto zucchini noodles and as a meal that I figured Matt would most certainly despise, his plate was cleared without any complaint. He gobbled it up and said he loved it. If we can convince him, I know you and your family will love it too.
Your turn…
What's your go-to comfort food that you would like to see be remade? This is the kind of recipe that I have the most fun with and so I'm always looking for new ideas! And if you end up making this recipe (or any of the others on this site), don't forget to use #simplyquinoa when you upload a picture. I love to see your creations!
xo Alyssa
More Delicious Vegan Comfort Food Recipes to try:
- Crispy Tofu Tacos with Vegan Lime Crema
- Chipotle Butternut Squash & White Bean Burgers
- 5-Ingredient Quinoa Flour Pizza Crust
- The Easiest Slow Cooker Vegetarian Chili
- Vegan Roasted Cherry Tomato Pasta Sauce
- Sweet Potato Pizza Bites with Lentil Bolognese
Vegan Ricotta + Quinoa Stuffed Mushrooms
Ingredients
- for the cashew ricotta:
- 2 cups raw cashews soaked at least 4 hours
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 3 large garlic cloves
- 6 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon miso paste
- 1 teaspoon wheat free tamari
- 2 teaspoons ground basil
- 2 teaspoons ground oregano
- 1 - 2 tablespoons water if needed
- for the stuffed mushrooms:
- 5 cups fresh spinach roughly chopped
- Cashew ricotta
- 1/2 cup cooked quinoa
- 6 portobello mushroom caps
- 1 jar tomato sauce
- Nutritional yeast/cashew crumbles for topping
- Fresh basil optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
- In a high powered blender (or food processor), blend the ricotta ingredients until smooth and creamy. It should resemble a soft ricotta. Transfer ricotta to a bowl and set aside.
- Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add spinach and cook until just wilted (either use a little water or oil to help it along if needed). Remove from heat and press any liquid out of the spinach that might have collected in the pan.
- Add spinach and quinoa to the bowl with the ricotta and stir together until combined.
- Remove the stems and scrape the gills out of the mushroom caps. Line a baking pan with half of the sauce then arrange mushrooms in the pan. Evenly divide the ricotta spinach mixture between the mushroom caps. Top each with sauce and bake for 30 - 35 minutes until mushrooms are tender.
- Let sit for 5 minutes then transfer to serving plates and garnish with nutritional yeast and basil (if using).
Notes
Nutrition
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Please let me know what size can/jar of tomato sauce is needed. Thank you.
The standard 24oz 🙂
Is it weird that I can’t stop eating the ricotta as I make everything? I think I have an addiction!
It’s that good!!
Hey there Alissa – I am prepping for making vegan ricotta, and I am wondering about a few things things:
— What kind of miso do you use? (white/yellow/red)
— Is it OK to make the ricotta ahead of time, and to keep it for a day in the fridge, before preparing the stuffed mushrooms?
— Will leftovers keep well in the fridge for a couple of days?
Hi there! Excited to hear how they turn out for you 🙂 You can use any type of miso you’d like – I used white because that’s what I had. You can definitely make the ricotta the day before, you’ll just want to bring it to room temperature before you mix in the other ingredients. And YES! Leftovers will certainly keep – so yum!
Wow. I didn’t know cashews could be made into ricotta. And stuffed mushrooms are right up my alley. Just looking at the pictures is making me hungry.
Hi Alyssa, I always enjoy your recipes and this looks rather lovely…. BUT…. I don’t get the “jar of tomato sauce” ingredient. If I am to go in such lengths to ensure that my meal is healthy, nutritious and clean and even make my own “cashew ricotta”, making a simple tomato marinara sauce is the least I can do. Most jarred tomato sauces are either chockablock full of sugar or sodium or both. It is the easiest thing to make a good thick home made marinara sauce and keep in the freezer portioned out if needed. Just a thought
Hi Anna – if you want to go homemade, by all means! However I don’t think that everyone will have that same luxury. I also should have made it a point to mention that I only buy jarred sauces with very clean ingredient lists – no sugars added, no broths, low in sodium, etc. Luckily there are lots of great options out there! But if you have a tomato sauce recipe you love, then these would be delicious with it 🙂 Enjoy!
These sound amazing! I’m going to make this this weekend for my girls’ party!
Can’t wait to hear what you all think! xo
This looks A-ma-ZING! You have to say it like my 3 yr old son does, sounds more impressing that way. Now I only need to get some miso and I can make it.
Everything about these is just perfect!! I agree that we shouldn’t be afraid of fats – I’d much rather have one of these than a box of processed sugar and cheese. It’s all about healthier swaps! I can’t wait to try these; I bet the mushrooms give it such a good flavor.
Totally agree, Emilie! <3