Mushroom Appetizer Recipes

Here we take the elements of a vegetarian lasagna filling--ricotta, spinach and Parmesan cheese--and nestle them into roasted portobello mushroom caps. The recipe works best with very large portobello caps; if you can only find smaller ones, buy one or two extra and divide the filling among all the caps. Serve with a tossed salad and a whole-wheat dinner roll or spaghetti tossed with marinara sauce.

Serve this vegetarian pâté recipe as an appetizer with crackers and pickled onions or try it as a sandwich spread. Nutritional yeast, rich in vitamin B12, adds a cheesy flavor without any dairy. Look for the yellow yeast powder or flakes in natural-foods stores.

This healthy stuffed mushroom appetizer is a nice balance of soft mushrooms, creamy filling and crunchy topping. This combination tastes downright decadent, but it's actually good for you. Be sure to get all of the moisture out of the chopped mushrooms before moving on to the next step; if not, the filling will be soggy and make the mushroom caps watery.

This vegan version of beef jerky has the same level of smoky spice you'd expect from the real thing. It can be enjoyed as a snack or on top of a salad for a jolt of meaty, umami goodness. It's also a great snack to take camping! The mushrooms stay pretty chewy (no crunch except for some of the crispy ends); this method is a great option if you don't have a dehydrator.

We use portobello caps to make these dinner-sized stuffed mushrooms that are big on flavor without being overly rich. Rather than the traditional sausage filling, this recipe calls for lean ground turkey blended with fresh herbs and spices, topped with golden, melted fontina cheese. Add a tossed salad and a slice of crusty whole-grain bread to complete the meal.

In this healthy turkey meatball recipe, a base of sautéed mushrooms, celery and garlic adds flavor and helps keep calories in check and portions hearty. Serve these meatballs with marinara as an appetizer, on top of spaghetti or on a roll for a healthy meatball sub.

This finger food is the perfect healthy appetizer to get your party going. Three ingredients are all it takes to make this elegant hors d'oeuvre--no one will ever guess how easy they were to make! Want to keep things plant-based? Use vegan pesto in the breadcrumb stuffing. You can also swap the whole-wheat breadcrumbs for gluten-free.

The wide variety of veggies in this tempura recipe provides vitamins, minerals, and health-promoting plant compounds. The mustard in the dipping sauce contains curcumin, a compound that makes mustard yellow and exhibits anticancer and anti-inflammatory properties.

This crab-stuffed mushroom recipe is perfect for Christmas, New Year's Eve and other holiday parties or any other time you need a quick and easy appetizer. The filling is light and fresh thanks to hearts of palm, a tender vegetable with a mild flavor (similar to artichokes) that doesn't mask the rich, sweet flavor of fresh crabmeat.

If you're looking for a new way to enjoy portobello mushrooms, look no further. These meaty mushrooms are sliced, then coated in crispy breadcrumb topping. Hot out of the oven, they're served with a creamy ranch sauce. They're a perfect lower-carb alternative to regular french fries!

Although traditional risottos use refined arborio rice and require constant stirring, you can achieve excellent results with this oven-baked version using short-grain brown rice, taking advantage of its whole-grain benefits.

Serve these rich and tender mushrooms filled with panko breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese alone as an appetizer or alongside anything from pork to fish. To ensure even cooking, look for mushrooms that are similar in size.