There is nothing better than a deliciously roasted portobello mushroom cap filled with spicy sauce, hearty meat, and sautéed vegetables! These Portobello Cap Personal Pizzas are both healthy and satisfying and taste great as a snack, side dish, or for lunch! There are many ways to add some extra spice to this recipe if you’re looking for more heat. Just marinate the portobello mushroom in herbs and spices before adding toppings, or add jalapeños and other peppers as the vegetable topping. A dish this flexible helps add variety to your everyday meals!
Serves 4
• 4 large portobello mushroom caps
• 1/2 pound (907 g) lean ground beef
• 1/2 teaspoon (10 ml) cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 2 cups (480 ml) Fiery Marinara (see recipe for Bison Meatballs and Fiery Marinara in Chapter 2)
• 1/2 cup (480 ml) chopped onions
• 1/2 cup (480 ml) chopped bell peppers
• Drizzle of olive oil
• Salt and pepper, to taste
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil and place 4 mushroom caps, top side down, on the sheet.
2. Heat ground beef over medium-high heat in a medium skillet until cooked through but still juicy. Drain the fats and add cayenne pepper and red pepper flakes. Stir together until well blended. Add a quarter of the meat to each portobello mushroom cap. Top each meat-filled mushroom with the desired amount of spicy marinara sauce (1⁄2 cup (480 ml) is recommended), chopped onions, and peppers. Top each with a small drizzle of olive oil and salt and pepper to taste.
3. Bake in the oven for about 20–25 minutes, until the mushrooms and vegetable toppings are well roasted. Remove from heat and enjoy hot.
fire MUSHROOM MADNESS
Using portobello mushroom caps is a wonderful way to present food. They are large, resilient, and have an earthy, meaty flavor that adds depth to many meals. Try filling your roasted portobello mushroom cap with a breakfast dish like the Tasty Taco Scramble (see Chapter 1), or fill them with cauliflower couscous or “rice” for a superbly satisfying side.
More Recipes You'll Love
Portobello cap personal pizzas use big, meaty mushroom caps as the crust — roasted and loaded with spiced ground beef, fiery marinara, and chopped peppers. Each cap is its own single-serving pizza, which means no slicing and no sharing. They are hearty enough for lunch and flexible enough for whatever toppings you have on hand.
Pro Tips
- Roast the portobello caps top-side down first. This lets the mushroom's natural moisture drain away instead of pooling under the toppings.
- Brown the beef until cooked through but still juicy, then drain the fat before seasoning. Greasy filling would make the mushroom caps soggy.
- The cayenne and red pepper flakes are what make this a fiery pizza — add sliced jalapeños as a topping if you want to push the heat further.
- Mushroom caps are endlessly fillable: try them with taco scramble or cauliflower rice as the recipe suggests for a different meal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to pre-cook the portobello caps?
No pre-cooking needed — the 20-25 minute bake softens the caps perfectly while the toppings roast and the flavors meld together.
What can I use instead of the fiery marinara?
Any thick, well-seasoned tomato sauce works. Just keep it thick rather than watery so the mushroom cap does not get soggy.
Can I make these vegetarian?
Yes — pile the caps with extra roasted vegetables and the marinara, or stuff them with cauliflower rice as the recipe's tip suggests.
How many servings does this recipe make?
Four personal pizzas — one loaded portobello cap per person, perfect as a main with a side salad.
Recipe Card
- 4 large portobello mushroom caps
- 1/2 lb lean ground beef
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 2 cups Fiery Marinara (see recipe for Bison Meatballs and Fiery Marinara in Chapter 2)
- 1/2 cup chopped onions
- 1/2 cup chopped bell peppers
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil and place 4 mushroom caps, top side down, on the sheet.
- Heat ground beef over medium-high heat in a medium skillet until cooked through but still juicy. Drain the fats and add cayenne pepper and red pepper flakes. Stir together until well blended. Add a quarter of the meat to each portobello mushroom cap. Top each meat-filled mushroom with the desired amount of spicy marinara sauce (1⁄2 cup is recommended), chopped onions, and peppers. Top each with a small drizzle of olive oil and salt and pepper to taste.
- Bake in the oven for about 20–25 minutes, until the mushrooms and vegetable toppings are well roasted. Remove from heat and enjoy hot.
[object Object]
[object Object]
