Pico de Gallo Stuffed Portobello Caps and Cavatappi Pasta
Summer’s a time for light meals that are easy to digest, fun to prepare and good for you. When I think summer meals, i think of mushrooms, tomatoes and light sauces.
This meal is exactly that. Summer time. It’s just so beautiful and light that looking at it alone makes you hungry. My husband and I have been eating less and less red meat at home and opting for more veggies. At first i found it impossible to cut out red meat. It kept me full and tasted delicious but as i became more creative i realized that it wasn’t so hard after all. One of my tricks has been to cook with more mushrooms. Mushrooms are actually known to give off the meaty texture and mouth feel that we’ve come to love. It’s the perfect summer time substitute, especially for grills. Now, portabella mushrooms are next level grilling foods for me. They are HUGE and so texturally similar to a steak. They’re basically sponges so they soak up whatever marinate you put on them and they only take a few minutes to grill up. It’s ideal for summertime.
This dish is a combination meal. It’s a grilled and topped portabella mushroom with some cavatappi pasta (corkscrew pasta in Italian). If you choose to use a different type of pasta, that’s no biggie. I just think this particular one is so beautiful and has loads of surface area and inside crevasses that lock in that delicious sauce and flavor. The method i use for the pasta is one that i replicate for all of my light pasta dishes- butter, wine, herbs and spices, pasta sauce. This time i added some cooked down grape tomatoes for that extra summery feel. It’s the perfect addition to the wine and butter sauce. One thing i did want to note was that if you don’t drink alcohol, for whatever reason, keep in mind that this sauce, when cooked down, releases the alcohol and is left with just that aromatic and pungent white wine flavor, with no added alcohol. Also, when you finish this dish off, you add some fresh herbs. I used basil here. Always always always add your basil or herbs towards the end of the cooking, usually when the heat is off so that you don’t turn those gorgeous green herbs into a scorched brown mess.
If you decide to make a vegan version of this dish, substitute your mozzarella cheese with a vegan substitute and same goes for the butter in the sauce. I would personally substitute with coconut oil to give you that same rich flavor.
Give this recipe a try! Share your comments and some love. If you make this recipe and share it on social media, tag it with the hashtag #hungrilyhomemaderecipe
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 3-4 adult servings
Ingredients:
for the mushrooms
1. 4 portabella mushroom caps
2. 1/3 cup olive oil
3. 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
4. 1 tbsp herb de provence
5. 1 1/4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
for the pico de gallo
6. 3 large tomatoes, diced
7. 1 bunch cilantro, chopped
8. 1 small white onion, diced
9. 1 jalapeno, minced
10. 1 lemon, juiced
11. salt to taste
for the pasta sauce
12. 2 tbsp olive oil
13. 1 1/2 cup grape tomatoes, sliced in half
14. 2 tbsp butter
15. 1 cup white wine
16. 1/2 cup pasta water
17. 2 tbsp julienned basil
18. 2 green onions diced
19. salt & pepper to taste
for the pasta
20. 3 cups cavatappi pasta
Method:
1. Marinate your portabella mushrooms by drizzling your balsamic vinegar and olive oil all over them. Sprinkle with salt & herb de provence and let sit while you prepare the rest of your components.
2. Prepare your sauce by setting a large skillet on the stove and heating it with your olive oil. Add your grape tomatoes to the hot pan and allow to sizzle and cook down for 5 minutes, while stirring regularly to release the juices from the tomatoes and prevent sticking and burning. Add your butter and white wine to the skillet and reduce the heat to low. Allow to simmer and combine.
3. To make your pico de gallo mix together all of the ingredients listed under “for the pico de gallo” in a medium sized bowl. Dress with your lemon juice and salt and set aside.
4. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add your 3 cups of cavatappi pasta. Cook for 5-6 minutes or until al dente. Remove 1/2 cup of the pasta water and set aside. Strain the rest of the pasta.
5. Add your 1/2 cup of pasta water to your skillet with your sauce along with your cavatappi pasta. Turn the heat off and stir to combine. Allow the pasta to soak in the juices.
6. Heat your grill to medium high and place your portabella mushroom caps on the grates gills down first. Cook for 4-5 minutes on each side or until tender. Turn the heat off when they are tender and generously top your mushroom caps with your mozzarella cheese and close the grill top allowing the residual heat and steam to melt the cheese.
7. While the cheese is melting on the mushrooms, finish off your pasta by turning the heat back on to low and adding your basil, green onion, salt and pepper. Allow to finish off for 2 minutes in the skillet.
8. Remove your mushroom caps from the grill once the cheese has melted. Top each cap generously with pico de gallo.
9. In a large platter, lay down your pasta first and set your stuffed portabella mushroom caps on top. Enjoy as you breathe in the summertime herbs and flavors!
