Portabella mushrooms. Those savory, earthy caps are deserving of a little bit of my attention. Sadly, I’d neglected them until recently.

Even though I love mushrooms, I always put off trying the 4.5″ caps as a base because I didn’t think I’d really like the earthy, fleshy fungus as a believable bottom. This is one of those times when I was so glad I delved out of my comfort zone and tried these Vitamin-rich bits of fabulosity.



Not only did I put this delicious ‘shroom to the test, I tested it three different ways, using fresh basil, spinach, some cheeses, and a simple, garden-variety no-sugar added store brand pizza sauce. I know you can’t afford to be too fussy, and neither can I. In the end, it has to taste good, and with the ingredients we can find, right?

Notice how a bunch of parsley can really pop those red colors? That’s because red and green are complementary colors on the color wheel. Try looking for colors that work well together in dishes for food that looks pretty enough to eat–but that you almost don’t want to…

I always sample different flavors because I love variety, so I made a simple pizza (above, right), a Greek-styled option (above, top), and one suitable for company (above, lower left), in a cute little ramekin that’s perfect for serving individually at dinner.

All three were positively addicting and delicious. These mushroom bottoms are tops as far as I’m concerned. Versatile, delicious, and not imposing as I’d once imagined, I am pretty freaky-pleased with how many things I could do with the produce, and, moreover, how much I every iteration.

Here (above), I topped a mushroom with red bell pepper, feta, and fresh parsley for a colorful pop of color and flavor. The robust, earthy kick of the sauce and the peppers offset the cooling parsley and the pungent feta and mushroom.

I especially love how beefy the stem is. One chopped stem per mushroom, and you have an ample amount of mushroom gladness for every bite. It’s also the quintessential comfort food as we ease into spring from winter, but it’s also wonderful enough that you can serve this to your vegetarian friends (skip the pepperoni) and impress them with your mad culinary skills.



This dish (above) is definitely company-worthy. You can place mushroom caps in separate ramekins, or you can bake them all together in a casserole dish in the oven. If you do decide to bake several in the oven in the same dish, still check the dish after 12 minutes. The mushrooms don’t need long to cook. Fresh parsley adds the perfect finishing touch to an already pretty, hearty, filling meal.

I love these decadent caps because they feel beefy are aren’t at all fussy. They mimic protein in their behavior in cooking. They’re filling, and they’re also incredibly low in calories and in carbohydrates (important for those of us watching out blood sugars). Honestly, just writing this post and reliving these recipes has me wanting to visit the store again to make more of these filling little pizzas.

Even as leftovers, each dish was positively delicious reheated (covered) in the microwave, so make extras ahead and take them with you to work.

Easy Peasy: 1 tsp Olive oil + Portabella Mushroom + Pizza Sauce + Provolone + Pepperoni*

Instructions: Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Gently wash mushroom caps and gently pat dry with paper towels. Pop out the center stem and set aside as a topping. Brush the bottom of each cap with oil. Place on the ungreased sheet and top with desired ingredients. Bake for 10-12 minutes, checking at 10 minutes, and then at 12, or until cheese is lightly golden and melted.

Share. Maybe.

*Note that this dish is not vegetarian, but the other two are. For that reason, I still chose the “vegetarian” distinction.



Per pizza: 207 Cals.; 9 g Carbs.; 3 g Fiber; 6 g Net Carbs. ; 10 g Protein; 15 g Fat

Greek to Me: 1 tsp Olive oil + Portabella Mushroom + Pizza sauce + Red bell pepper + Mushroom stem+ Feta + Minced garlic + Fresh parsley

Instructions: Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Gently wash mushroom caps and gently pat dry with paper towels. Pop out the center stem and set aside as a topping. Brush the bottom of each cap with oil. Place on the ungreased sheet and top with desired ingredients. Bake for 10-12 minutes, checking at 10 minutes, and then at 12, or until cheese is lightly golden and melted.

Share. Maybe.

Per pizza: 185 Cals.; 10 g Carbs.; 3 g Fiber; 7 g Net Carbs. ; 7 g Protein; 11 g Fat

A Touch of Italy: 1 tsp Olive oil + Portabella Mushroom + Pizza sauce + Fresh Spinach + Mushroom stem + Minced garlic + Fresh parsley + Provolone + Pesto

Instructions: Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Gently wash mushroom caps and gently pat dry with paper towels. Pop out the center stem and set aside as a topping. Brush the bottom of each cap with oil. Place on the ungreased sheet and top with desired ingredients. Bake for 10-12 minutes, checking at 10 minutes, and then at 12, or until cheese is lightly golden and melted.

Share. Maybe.

Per pizza: 170 Cals.; 10 g Carbs.; 4 g Fiber; 6 g Net Carbs. ; 10 g Protein; 10 g Fat

As you can see, it is so easy to bend mushroom caps to your will. They flatten out with baking, don’t detract from the flavors of the dish, and, in fact, are an amazing way to try a mushroom, even if you’ve never been a mushroom fan before. The ease of this dish means kids can even prepare their own toppings.

A pizza bar just might be in order for your next Friday feast fest.

I love to hear from you, so please leave a comment below: How so you like to top your portabella mushroom pizzas?