These amazing portobello mushrooms stuffed with orzo pesto and topped with Parmigiano Reggiano are packed with flavors. This vegetarian friendly dish is so versatile that you can serve it as an appetizer or side dish!
What you will need to make this recipe:
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is pesto? Pesto is a Northern Italian dish. Authentic pesto is made of fresh basil leaves, olive oil, garlic, pine nuts and cheese. I love pesto for its freshness and versatility, whether it is to use on a Caprese Salad, as a spread or like this in this recipe, orzo with pesto stuffed portobello mushrooms.
What’s the use of pasta water? Adding pasta water creates this luscious pasta texture in your dish! By cooking the pasta, the water becomes starchy and this helps binds everything together when added to the sauce and pasta mix. You should always cook the pasta about 2 minutes less than the directives on the package because it will finish cooking in the sauce. If you were to cook as per the directives, you will end up with soggy pasta.
Why toasting the pine nuts? I am not a big fan of raw pine nuts because I find they taste slightly bitter. However, when toasting them, the bitterness is removed and instead, you get that sweet buttery taste. All you need to do is to add the pine nuts on a hot skillet as a single layer and toast them for about 2 minutes, tossing them halfway through. They will become nicely browned.
How to store fresh pesto? If you you leftover pesto from the pasta, it can be refrigerated up to 5 days in an airtight jar. It may lose some of that vibrant green color as a result of oxidation. Another way to store pesto is to freeze it in an airtight jar or using ice cube trays. Pesto can be frozen for 6 months.
VARIATIONS FOR THIS RECIPE
Cheese variations: I use Parmigiano Reggiano, which is a cheese made in the provinces of Parma, Reggio Emilia, Modena and Bologna in Italy. The aging process makes the cheese naturally lactose-free so it is a good option for people who are lactose intolerant. I love cooking using Parmigiano Reggiano for its sharp, but fruitty and nutty flavor. However, you can use other cheeses such as Pecorino Romano, Grana Padano or Asiago. For a vegan friendly option, you can use nutritional yeast.
Pesto variations: Additionally, you can use cashews, pistachios or almonds instead of using pine nuts. Cashews will yield a smoother texture in the pesto.
Equipment
- Blender or food processor
- Baking tray
- Small or medium-sized pot
Ingredients
- 4 big portobello mushrooms (about ¾ to 1 lb, stems removed)
- 2/3 cup orzo pasta
- 1/3 cup Parmigiano Reggiano
- ¼ cup pasta water
For the pesto
- 2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
- 2/3 cup Parmigiano Reggiano grated
- ¼ cup pine nuts toasted
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 3 cloves garlic
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- In a pot, bring salted water to a boil and cook pasta 2 minutes less than indicated on the cooking instructions. Drain pasta but keep about ¼ cup of pasta water.
- In a food processor bowl or blender, make the pesto by adding basil leaves, Parmigiano Reggiano and toasted pine nuts. Pulse several times and scrape the bottom with a rubber spatula. Pulse until the mixture is well chopped. Add lemon juice and garlic and pulse again several times by drizzling slowly olive oil until all combined.
- Return the cooked pasta into the pot on low heat and mix it with the pesto until lusciously combined. Add pasta water if necessary.
- Stuff the portobello mushrooms with the pesto and orzo mixture and top with Parmigiano Reggiano.
- On a baking tray lined with parchment paper or silicone mat, place the stuffed portobello mushrooms and cook for 20 minutes. Change oven setting to broil and broil for 3 minutes.
- Serve warm as an appetizer or side dish.
