Mushrooms really do deserve their own month, and that’s why we’re bringing you this recipe: Cremini Mushroom Meatballs. A nutrient powerhouse; mushrooms are high in fiber, vitamins (potassium, B-vitamins) and antioxidants. AND, did you know, they’re the only source of vitamin D in the produce aisle? To be fair, they often don’t get the credit they deserve.
Watch Jennifer create this meatballs on Show Me St. Louis
In addition to nutrition, they’re versatile in the kitchen (check out our Creamy Mushroom Soup made with frozen mushrooms!). Due to their meat-like density and texture; they can be used as meat substitute or meat extender. That is exactly what we did in the Cremini Mushroom Meatball recipe. For mushroom month, we’re aiming to enjoy a mushroom a day. Sound challenging? Here’s an example week of mushroom packed ideas with a tidbit of information about each kind of mushroom.
Get Your Daily Dose Of Shrooms
Day 1: Breakfast: Toss some sliced shiitake mushrooms into scrambled eggs. Fresh shiitake mushrooms look like little brown umbrellas and have a light woodsy flavor and aroma.
Day 2: Lunch: Enjoy a broiled portobello mushroom sandwich topped with provolone cheese & arugula. Portobello mushrooms make a great meat substitute. They’re hearty texture stands up to grilling and stuffing; portobello pizzas anyone?
Day 3: Dinner: Cremini Mushroom Meatballs (recipe below) A cremini mushroom is actually a baby portobello mushroom! It’s a bit more firm and flavorful compared to it’s cousin below, the white button mushroom. You might see them advertised in your grocery as “baby bellas.”
Day 4: Lunch: White button mushrooms off your salad bar at work to make a hearty salad. Ninety percent of the mushrooms we eat are white buttons. They’re mild in flavor and can be easily eaten raw or cooked.
Day 5: Dinner: Oyster mushrooms saúteed in a stir-fry with tofu, snow peas and red bell peppers. Oyster mushroom are light in color and fan-shaped. They also have a mild flavor and are often used in Asian soups and stir-fries.
Day 6: Dinner: Enoki Mushroom Side Dish A delicately designed shroom, the edible portion includes shiny white caps attached to thin stems. With a bit of crunch, they’re delicious raw or saúteed in a bit of garlic.
Day 7: Breakfast: Mushrooms on Toast Our wild card mushroom recipe – any of the above shrooms will do!
Take a Trip to Your Farmer’s Market
One of the easiest ways to explore the variety of mushrooms the fungus world offers us is to visit the farmer’s market. On a recent trip to our St. Louis-based Soulard Farmer’s Market, we ran into a local mushroom grower. He sold us our own grow kit of Pink Oyster Mushrooms. They were a wonderful plant to grow because they’re ready to harvest in 10 days, and all you have to do is spray them with water! Let’s just say our family has a whole new appreciation for mushrooms that couldn’t have been cultivated with online grocery ordering (which by the way, I still love…)
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Cremini Mushroom Meatballs
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 25
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 6 (2 meatballs + sauce) 1x
Description
A nutty, plant-based meatball made with mushrooms to celebrate National Mushroom Month!
Ingredients
- 1 cup pecan halves, toasted
- ¾ cup rolled oats (instant or old fashioned)
- 1 T. olive oil
- 1 onion, small dice (roughly chopped)
- 8 oz cremini mushrooms, stems removed and caps sliced (any shroom WILL do)
- 3 cloves garlic, whole
- 1/2 c. fresh flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped
- 2 T. Parmesan cheese
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 2 t. balsamic vinegar
- 1 t. low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 t. maple syrup
- ½ t. red pepper flakes
- ½ t. onion powder
- 1/2 t. liquid smoke
- 1/4 t. salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Warm olive oil in a medium-sized saúte pan, lightly saúte mushrooms, onions and garlic for 4-5 minutes.
- In the bowl of a food processor, combine toasted pecan halves, oats, onion, mushroom, garlic, and parsley.
- Pulse until you have a chunky consistency that’s almost a paste. It should stick together, but you should still see little pieces of mushroom, pecans and oats. Transfer mixture to a mixing bowl.
- To the mushroom and pecan mixture, add the lightly beaten egg, parmesan, vinegar, soy sauce, maple syrup, spices, liquid smoke and salt. Using a rubber spatula, thoroughly mix everything until you have a sticky and slightly chunky paste. Give it a taste to check for seasoning and adjust if necessary.
- Divide the mixture into 8 equal portions and roll into balls.
- Place mushroom meatballs on the parchment-lined baking sheet or greased baking sheet.
- Slide the baking sheet into the oven and bake for 25 minutes, or until balls are firm on the outside and browned on the bottom.
Notes
Inspired by the “Giant Mushroom Meatballs with Garlic Toast” recipe from the First Mess
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 247
- Sugar: 3.4 g
- Sodium: 123 mg
- Fat: 16.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Carbohydrates: 21.3 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 7.5 g
- Cholesterol: 32.2 mg