Cozy, hearty spinach cheese stuffed Mushroom Parmesan, is a one-pan dinner that your family is going to love! Even the orzo pasta bakes up in the pan with the cheesy mushrooms and marinara sauce! 1 pan, 1 baking Step!
I wanted to make a simple mushroom parmesan pasta bake, because I had plenty of mushrooms on hand. And I wanted to reduce the pans and time in the kitchen. Enter this cozy 1 Pan Orzo bake!
The mushrooms are stuffed with this delicious spinach-tofu-cheese mixture that I often use to make stuffed shells, then I top it with a cruncy breadcrumb topping and pair it with a pasta, I use orzo, but other shapes will work too! The pasta and the sauce at the bottom, topped with cheesy stuffed mushrooms, and a crisp breadcrumb topping. Everything cooks in just one pan and one baking step!
The prep is very simple. Just make your spinach-tofu-cheese mixture by adding everything to a bowl and mixing it. Prep your mushrooms by removing the stems, and that’s it!
It’s an easy recipe that’s pretty flexible, too. You can add some veggie grounds or vegan ground meat substitute in with the pasta sauce to add extra protein to the meal. The recipe is already nut-free, and it’s easy to make soy-free and gluten-free, too.
You want to use about two- to three-inch mushrooms. Larger mushrooms take longer to cook, and pasta will overcook in that much time, so medium-sized works best here. I also use the mushroom stems in the recipe, so don’t discard them. Just trim away the tough end of the stem and discard that, but save the rest of the stem to chop up into the pasta sauce.
I paired this mushroom parmesan with orzo pasta, because it cooks up really easily in the baking dish and it works out just amazing. You can add a different pasta of choice, as well, just bake a few minutes longer until the pasta is cooked to preference.
Why You’ll Love Mushroom Parmesan
- hearty mushrooms with marinara sauce and pasta
- cheesy spinach and tofu topping with crunchy breadcrumbs on top
- easy to make in 1 pan in under an hour
- naturally nut-free with easy gluten-free and soy-free options
For the Spinach-Cheese Filling
For the Breadcrumb Topping
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Preheat the oven to 415° F (213° C),and prep the mushrooms. Wash the mushrooms, and pat them dry, then remove the stems. Discard the dirty part of the stems, and then chop the rest of the stems and set aside, as we will use them with the pasta sauce. Reserve 2 tablespoons of pasta sauce
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In an 8×10” baking dish, mix the pasta sauce, balsamic vinegar, water, 1/4 teaspoon or more salt(if pasta sauce isn’t salted), and mushroom stems, then sprinkle in the orzo. Mix well, and even it out in a layer.
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Make the spinach and tofu mix: crumble the tofu and add to a bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients of the spinach-cheese filling ingredients to a bowl, and press and mix to break down the tofu and mix everything really well. Set aside.
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To make the breadcrumb topping, mix the breadcrumbs, vegan cheese, and Italian herb blend and set aside.
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To assemble, place the mushrooms on top of the orzo layer, bottom-side-up, placing them nicely snug in there. Then, optionally, you can add a teaspoon pasta sauce to each of the mushrooms. Top the mushrooms with the spinach-cheese filling. You can top the entire baking dish or just the mushrooms, depending on your preference. Top with the breadcrumb mixture, then drizzle the olive oil all over. You can also sprinkle on some pepper flakes on top, if you like.
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Bake for 20 minutes, then lightly cover with parchment paper and continue to bake for another 10 minutes. Use a toothpick to check if the mushrooms are cooked. It should pierce the mushrooms without much resistance. If not, continue to bake for another 5 minutes or so. Then, take the baking dish out of the oven. Let it sit for another 5 minutes or so. Then, scoop out the delicious cooked orzo, topped with the mushroom parmesan, garnish with some fresh basil and serve as-is or with toasted sourdough.
Mushroom substitute: make this with cauliflower slices or tofu, or vegan chicken.
Store: Leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for 3 days. I do not recommend freezing.
Make ahead: You can prep this in advance by layering everything but the breadcrumb mixture and keeping it in the fridge for up to 3 days. Sprinkle on the breadcrumbs and oil and bake as directed. Put the breadcrumb mixture on just before baking, because otherwise the breadcrumbs will get soggy.
Make with precooked pasta: Use 2 cups cooked pasta. Cook the marinara sauce and chopped mushrooms, omit the water, for 6-8 mins to cook the mushrooms stems. Then fold in the cooked pasta. Continue with the rest of the recipe – Stuff the mushrooms, top with breadcrumb mixture and bake. Once mushrooms are cooked, serve with the pasta.
Calories: 289kcal, Carbohydrates: 42g, Protein: 13g, Fat: 9g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 659mg, Potassium: 709mg, Fiber: 6g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 4618IU, Vitamin C: 10mg, Calcium: 173mg, Iron: 4mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- mushrooms – Use white, cremini, or baby bella mushrooms. Save the stems to mix in with the sauce ingredients. If you don’t like mushrooms, you can use cauliflower or vegan chicken or tofu instead to make the respective Parmigiana topping
- dried orzo – This is your pasta. You can use other pasta of choice, just add baking time, if needed, until the pasta is al dente. Gluten-free pasta is fine to use.
- marinara – Or use your favorite pasta sauce.
- balsamic vinegar – Adds tang and a hint of sweetness.
- spinach – Thawed, frozen spinach makes the cheesy filling so delicious!
- tofu – Gives the cheesy filling a ricotta-like texture.
- vegan cheese – For the filling and the breadcrumb topping. I like to use a mix of vegan mozzarella and parmesan.
- herbs and spices – For the filling, you will need Italian herb blend, garlic powder, onion powder, pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. Italian herbs also go into the breadcrumb mixture. You can also use some pepper flakes for topping before baking. Garnish this dish with chopped, fresh basil.
- breadcrumbs – For topping the mushroom parmesan.
- olive oil – For drizzling on top. This helps the breadcrumb mixture get browned and crisp in the oven.
💡 Tips
- You want to use about two- to three-inch mushrooms. Larger mushrooms take longer to cook, so medium-sized works best here.
- Don’t discard the mushroom stems! Trim off the woody ends, but you will chop the rest of the stems and mix them into the pasta sauce.
- For extra protein, you can add veggie grounds or tvp to the pasta sauce mixture.
How to Make Mushroom Parmigiana
Preheat the oven to 415° F (213° C),and prep the mushrooms. Wash the mushrooms, and pat them dry, then remove the stems. Discard the dirty part of the stems, and then chop the rest of the stems and set aside, as we will use them with the pasta sauce.
In an 8×10” baking dish, mix the pasta sauce, balsamic vinegar, water, optional salt and mushroom stems, then sprinkle in the orzo. Mix well, and even it out in a layer.
Make the spinach and tofu mix by adding all of the spinach-cheese filling ingredients to a bowl, and pressing and mixing to break down the tofu and mix everything really well. Set aside.
To make the breadcrumb topping, mix the breadcrumbs, vegan cheese, and Italian herb blend and set aside.
To assemble, place the mushrooms on top of the orzo layer, bottom-side-up, placing them nicely snug in there. Then, optionally, you can add a teaspoon pasta sauce to each of the mushrooms. Or directly add the spinach filling.
Top the mushrooms with the spinach-cheese filling. You can top the entire baking dish or just the mushrooms, depending on your preference. Top with the breadcrumb mixture, then drizzle the olive oil all over. You can also sprinkle on some pepper flakes on top, if you like.
Bake for 20 minutes, then lightly cover with parchment paper and continue to bake for another 10 minutes. Use a toothpick to check if the mushrooms are cooked. It should pierce the mushrooms without much resistance. If not, continue to bake for another 5 minutes or so. Then, take the baking dish out of the oven. Let it sit for another 5 minutes or so.
Then, scoop out the delicious cooked orzo, topped with the mushroom parmesan, garnish with some fresh basil and serve as-is or with toasted sourdough.
What to Serve with Mushroom Parmesan
Serve this as-is or with toasted sourdough. You can also serve with a salad, like my shaved Brussels sprouts salad, on the side or some garlic bread.
Frequently Asked Questions
This recipe is naturally nut-free, as long as you use nut-free vegan cheese. To make it gluten-free, use gluten-free breadcrumbs and orzo. For soy-free, omit the tofu and add some soy-free vegan cream cheese instead.
Leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for 3 days. I do not recommend freezing.
You can prep this in advance by layering everything except the breadcrumb mixture and keeping it in the fridge for up to 3 days. Sprinkle on the breadcrumbs and oil and bake as directed. Put the breadcrumb mixture on just before baking, because otherwise the breadcrumbs will get soggy.
