Personal Portobello Pizza’s – Another Use for Leftover Spaghetti Sauce

Yesterday while I was working on my post for Loose Pepperoni Pizza Burgers I started thinking about the different meals I use leftover spaghetti sauce for. In going through my list of recipes that I have been collecting to do blog posts for, I came across at least four additional recipes that use leftover spaghetti sauce. Today I’m going to share another one of the families favorites – Personal Portobello Pizza.

I made this for the first time in May of last year and it was an immediate hit.I’m not sure whether you would consider this an appetizer, a side dish, or a main course. Actually I think it could be considered all of the above. When I served it, it was as a side dish/appetizer. Being that this is very rich, I’m not sure if as the sole main course it could hold its own, but if you were to have something else with it I think it would work out fine.

The first step in making a personal Portobello pizza is to remove the stems and scrape the gills from large Portobello mushroom caps. I have seen this recipe made where they don’t scrape the gills but it makes for a nicer presentation without them. The gills tend to make the mushrooms watery and by removing them it does cut down on how much liquid is in the cap after it has been baked.

Once the gills have been scraped, sprinkle the insides with salt and pepper, 1/8 to ¼ tsp of minced garlic and drizzle with olive oil . Then place your mushroom caps on a baking sheet. I like to put mine on foil rings. This elevates the caps slightly off of the baking sheet which not only stabilizes the mushroom cap but it also allows heat to circulate around the caps. Plus, if any liquid is released, the mushroom will not sit in the liquid.

Place the baking sheet in 375 preheated oven for 5 minutes.

After 5 minutes, remove from oven. Top mushrooms with spaghetti sauce, cheese, olives, and pepperoni. Here you can actually add any type of toppings you like after the spaghetti sauce and the cheese. Other suggestions include: Italian sausage, ham, bacon, diced onions, green, yellow, or red peppers, or anything you would put on a bread crust pizza. Also instead of using spaghetti sauce you could use homemade or jarred pizza sauce. And when it comes to cheese — the sky is the limit. We like mozzarella, provolone, and on occasion goat cheese.

Once the toppings are in place , bake the mushrooms for an additional 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted and golden. Remove from oven and allow them to stand 5 minutes before serving.

What I really like about this dish is that it only calls for a very small amount of spaghetti sauce. So even if I’m just scraping the bottom of the pan, I will typically have enough to throw a few of these together for a quick snack or an easy side dish. I love it when I can use every last drop of spaghetti sauce and have no waste, and for this I am — Simply Grateful.

Personal Portobello Pizza

• Servings: 1 Serving Per Mushroom Cap
• Print

Ingredients

• 1 large portobello mushroom, stem removed and gills scraped
• Olive Oil for drizzling
• 1/8 to 1/4 tsp. Minced Garlic
• 2 to 4 tablespoons spaghetti sauce or pizza sauce
• 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese
• 1 slice provolone cheese
• 1/2 tablespoon sliced olives
• 4 slices pepperoni cut into quarters

Directions

1. The first step in making a personal Portobello pizza is to remove the stems and scrape the gills from large portobello mushroom caps. I have seen this recipe made where they don’t scrape the gills but it makes for a nicer presentation without them. The gills tend to make the mushrooms watery and by removing them it does cut down on how much liquid is in the cap after it has been baked.
2. Once the gills have been scraped, sprinkle the insides with salt and pepper, minced garlic and drizzle with olive oil .
3. Place mushroom caps on baking sheet. I like to put mine on foil rings. This elevates the caps slightly off of the baking sheet which not only stabilizes the mushroom cap but it also allows heat to circulate around the caps. Plus, if any liquid is released, the mushroom will not sit in the liquid.
4. Place the baking sheet in 375 preheated oven for 5 minutes.
5. After 5 minutes, remove from oven.
6. Top mushrooms with spaghetti sauce, cheese, olives, and pepperoni.
7. Once the toppings are in place , bake the mushrooms for an additional 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted and golden.
8. Remove from oven and allow them to stand 5 minutes before serving.

Cooking Note

When it comes to toppings you can add any type of toppings you like. From the sauce to the cheese, the possibilities are endless. Instead of using spaghetti sauce you could use homemade or jarred pizza sauce.  When it comes to cheese — the sky is the limit. We like mozzarella, provolone, and on occasion goat cheese. Topping suggestions include: Italian sausage, ham, bacon, diced onions, green, yellow, or red peppers, or anything you would put on a bread crust pizza. 

Recipe by: Tilly Frueh, Simply Grateful Cooking at https://simplygratefulcooking.wordpress.com/ – 2017

 

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