Mac + Cheese Stuffed Brown Sugar Balsamic Portobellos.
With garlic brown butter breadcrumbs. Yes. That was just way too much to throw up there in the title.
I feel like I’m sort of committing a crime.
Stuffing something with mac and cheese?
Stuffing a vegetable with mac and cheese? Or, in my dad’s words, stuffing fungus with mac and cheese? That just sounds horrific though and I will forever classify a mushroom as a veg because it means I eat more than, like, three vegetables.
Mac and cheese purists probably want to punch me in the face.
I think it’s a proven fact that I’m a massive mac and cheese fan, but with all the crap I mix into my mac and cheese versions and with how much I trash the classic casserole up, I’m not really sure that I can be considered a mac and cheese purist.
But here’s the thing – I usually make a nice-sized portion of mac and cheese (read: obnoxiously American) and that just means that there is always a lot leftover.
Usually, I can pawn it off on my husband. He will take it for lunches with some chicken and green beans or have it as his sixth or seventh or whatever millionth meal of the day. But he also travels quite and bit and, well… that was my predicament this day.
The mac and cheese you see in these photos is actually the stovetop buffalo chicken shells that I made a few weeks ago. No… it hasn’t been sitting in my fridge all this time (however I do find some freaky stuff occasionally wedged into the corners of my overflowing refrigerator), but near the end of it’s run, I did this with it.
I stuffed some mushrooms with it.
I was bored. Mac and cheese had been a side dish at one too many meals and since it was so specifically flavored, I couldn’t really think of anything else I could mix it with. A normal person would probably just throw in some steamed broccoli buuuuuut… I am far from normal. I mean, in the boring sense I am completely normal but in the food sense I am wacky.
And I have this nutso love for mushrooms (like can find myself actually eating them as a meal), and I had mushrooms… and I had mac and cheese… and and and… this.
It happened.
This is essentially one big cop out recipe because you can really use any old leftover mac and cheese. And since you are cooking these gorgeous, juicy portobellos in balsamic with a hint of brown sugar, you still get all the creamy comforting goodness of the mac and cheese. And that bubbly cheese. Oh that freaking bubbly cheese.
One of my most memorable childhood moments: constantly eating the golden, burnt and bubbly cheese off the stouffer’s microwaved macaroni plastic tray. And like, actually microwaving it for longer that it called for in hopes of getting some burnt cheese.
If you’re fresh out of mac and cheese ideas, you should probably make some of this roasted vegetable mac or this arugula pesto mac for dinner tonight. Or how about this beer cheese mac or blue cheese mac or butternut mac or this FOUR cheese mac? Make one for dinner tonight, serve it with some chicken or something.
Make these for dinner tomorrow.
Life is easy.
Mac + Cheese Stuffed Brown Sugar Balsamic Portobellos
Ingredients
- 4 large portobello mushroom caps, stems removed
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 cups leftover macaroni and cheese
- 2 ounces freshly grated cheese, whatever kind you love
- 1 green onion, sliced
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs
breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 garlic clove, minced or pressed
- 1/3 cup seasoned panko bread crumbs
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Heat a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Add in the olive oil. Add the mushrooms stem side up and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Flip and cook for 3 to 4 minutes more. Flip the mushrooms again and add in the vinegar and brown sugar, moving the mushrooms around to coat evenly. Cook for another minute, then turn off the heat.
- Scoop a half cup or so of mac and cheese (it can be right from the fridge) into each mushroom cap. Add a little extra grated cheese on top. Place in the oven until warm and the cheese is melted, about 10-15 minutes. Make the breadcrumbs while the mushrooms are cooking, then remove the mushrooms and cover them with the breadcrumbs, herbs and green onions. Serve immediately!
breadcrumbs
- Add butter to a small saucepan over medium heat and whisk constantly while it bubbles. The minute brown bits begin to form on the bottom of the pan, remove from heat and whisk for an additional 30 seconds. (for more step by step photos of browning butter, click here) Let butter stand for 2 minutes, then add in minced garlic and whisk. Add in panko and stir well to coat and combine. Set aside.
Did you make this recipe?
Be sure to follow @howsweeteats on instagram and tag #howsweeteats. You can also post a photo of your recipe to our facebook page.
I appreciate you so much!
I guess you could also chop these mushrooms up and throw them in the pasta… but I must complicate things.
91 Comments on “Mac + Cheese Stuffed Brown Sugar Balsamic Portobellos.”
I think this is the only way you could get me to eat an mushroom! It looks delish!!!!
Seriously?! Again?! Girl, your recipe ideas are literally out of this world… this looks soooo good!
I am so down with this. For one, the brown sugar balsamic portobellos sound incredible, but stuffing with with mac and cheese? Too good to be true. Love it!
Meatless Mondays have no become everyday thanks to your recipes! The only thing I can think of is stuffing this into those biscuits you made a few post ago or burger.
I am such a sucker for portobellos, and that mac and cheese makes the whole thing cozy. Such a perfect Monday recipe.
I will be serving these at my next poker game.
Whaaaaat!?!??? This is crazy!! And I love it – happy Monday Jess!
This has my n
I meant to say This has my n
Omg. I’m going to lose my mind if my phone doesn’t let me finish what I’m trying to say. Anyway… This has my name written all over it. Carbs are my happy place. Like I could dive straight into them and live there forever.
ha ha ha i am laughing so hard. :)
this looks incredible!
Oh my…I am speechless!
mmmm love mac n’ cheese! and intrigued by the idea of putting them on portobellos.
OMG – this looks insanely delicious! I will be making this soon.
Great idea! Brown sugar balsamic portobellos sounds fantastic then add mac and cheese. Oh my – I need to make this. YUMMM!
You had me at Mac + Cheese Stuffed.
Don’t you love it when life’s big question is what to do with too much mac n cheese on your hands? Genius idea!
I made that mac & cheese for my husband and it was a HUGE hit. Love this repurposed version!
Perhaps this is the way to get my mushroom hating man to enjoy some fungi with me. I mean, if not I’ll just be left with more mac and cheese stuffed shrooms for mah self. WIN.
If I didn’t want to marry you beforehand, I do now. This is the best thing I’ve ever seen.
Everything. I. Love. Is. Right. There. So. Yeah.
Ooooooh, that marvelous burnt cheese from the Stouffer’s mac… how I miss it. These stuffed mushrooms will certainly do as a replacement, though. YUM.
I have never seen that before!! Super creative!
Such a good idea! Now I can eat a boatload of macaroni and cheese and it’s totally ok ’cause there is vegetables. Totally disqualifies all the cheese. Win!
Ummmm. Maybe this would make Chris a mushroom lover? It’s just got to.
This is blowing my mind right now!
I believe Mac n’ Cheese purists wouldn’t consider this “trashing” up their fave dish. I think they will probably make you their president or something. Like, you’ll probably receive an email notification later about your nomination. :)
Finding new ways to make mac n cheese always makes for a good day. Just awesome.
The brown sugar balsamic portobellos is where it’s at for me. They look incredible and I would go to town on them! Dont even need the mac n cheese, just those! And I knew you had a lot of mac n cheese recipes but it’s amazing seeing all those links in the last paragraph!
X__x
That’s me. Dead. Over this. ♥♥♥
Wow these look to die for. I haven’t had portobellos in a while, but I just might have to pick some up and make this recipe.
I love your wild and crazy food ideas when this is the result. :) This looks amazing! I want to eat it right off the screen!
Will definitely be trying this soon….
I thought I was the only one who was happy to get burnt cheese with their microwaved Stoffer’s mac and cheese. I actually did this on accident the other day with my Trader Joe’s mac & Cheese….pure bliss.
ooooh so delicious. love garlic bread crumbs. sounds amazing.
This may be a cop out recipe but it is a delicious one!
Wow, what an incredible combination. This would be a hit at a party!
http://liveitinerantly.com
Who thinks to stuff mac n’ cheese in a mushroom? Bloody brilliant!
I dig this in a major way – LOVE. You can stuff a portobello with pretty much anything and I’ll love it, but this?! Freaking genius.
This is pure genius!! My husband usually throws a fit when I make a vegetarian dish but I’m confident he wouldn’t miss the meat in this! So trying it
I love plain old mac and cheese, but I love it even more when it’s trashed up. Especially with mushrooms! I mean, that mess of pasta and cheese is just a blank canvass for other delicious things. How can you resist?
Yup, you’re brilliant. Who knew mac and cheese could be improved?
I share a link for this recipe on my blog . It looks delicious!
So this looks absolutely amazing, but I have to wonder if its not too mushy? The Mac, usually little crunch, and when I make portobellos, they’re usually pretty soft and easy to chew, do the bread crumbs give it enough texture? I’m really considering making this this weekend, but in my head I picture it being, well, mushy. I hope I’m wrong :)
Yum times infinity! You’re fantastic for coming up with this…love the creativity! or the sheer boredom with plain old mac & cheese, and abundance of mushrooms in your fridge…either way, it’s freaking awesome
Mac and cheese stuffed mushrooms may just be one of the best ideas ever!!
this is the most epic combination…I love mushrooms and LOVE mac and cheese even more :-)
Oh my goodness, this sounds absolutely amazing! I love my stuffed portabella’s, but you just took the crown with this recipe… thanks for sharing!
-Shannon
Amazing! I love the way you combined 2 things I love, mushrooms and mac & cheese…. yum! Perfect!
Pingback: Acorn Squash (aka Happy Fall!) | Our Sister Kitchens
Hello dinner! These look amazing!
I don’t even like mushrooms and I would totally eat this. Especially with that blue cheese macaroni you linked to up there…ohmyyes that’d be perfecttt!
oooh mushrooms! How did i forget about mushrooms? I kind of wish i had this and a beer right now. Maybe i’ll enjoy it on the beach in MEXICO next week … eeek can’t wait.