You guys.Let me just start off this post by saying that if you don’t try this recipe at least once in your life, you will have not lived. I swear, when I came up with this recipe while craving a salty snack one day, I was so excited to see that it actually worked…but alsothat it was completely amazing…well, I was just beside myself.
It’s actually super easy to make, especiallyif you’ve ever breaded anything in your life (pork or chicken, anyone?) then you already have a good handle on how to make these.
But if you’ve never done it before, then the video below will absolutely help you out. And if you’re a pro already, then watch the video anyway because there’s a super hilarious joke in the beginning, as always. :P
These make for such a great side dish to compliment ANY meal; you can serve them alongside a soup or a salad, or just have them as a super healthy snack! They can even serve as a meat replacement in a meal for someone who is still missing that hearty, beefy portion of meat — what a great sub!
And don’t worry, if you don’t have portabella mushrooms, you could easily do the same thing with any mushroom as well, but the cooking time will need to be adjusted based on how thickly you slice them.
These Mushroom Fries are also a super great option to serve as an appetizer at a holiday party or a friends and family get-together. Imagine Thanksgiving or Christmas with these as a finger-food appetizer or even as part of the main courses!! They are totally classy enough for that. ;)
I have also even eaten these cold right out of the fridge and I LOVE them that way as well, though I admit that is a decidedly less classy way to eat them. :P
As a Nutritarian, you already know that mushrooms are an absolutely must-have food each and every single day, if we can manage it. This is because of their extremely potent immunity-boosting properties. Check this out from DrFuhrman.com:
The immune-enhancing actions of mushrooms are thought to help the body to more effectively attack microbial invaders and developing tumors. According to a study on healthy volunteers who ate mushrooms daily, mushrooms may also help to prevent respiratory infections by improving the production of protective immune substances by mucosal surfaces (like the mouth, nose and throat).
Mushrooms are unique in their breast cancer preventing effects.
Frequent consumption of mushrooms (approximately one button mushroom per day) has been linked to a 64 percent decrease in the risk of breast cancer. Mushrooms are thought to protect against breast cancer particularly because they inhibit an enzyme called aromatase, which produces estrogen. Several varieties of mushrooms, especially the commonly eaten white button and portobello mushrooms, have strong anti-aromatase activity.
This is one of the best benefits of this recipe I think; because it provides a whole new way to prepare and love mushrooms. When these are in my fridge, I can’t resist having one or two every day at least…and that’s all you really need to reap the benefits!
One thing I used to always hate about cooking meat was the risk of salmonella. Especially when you’re cooking chicken and you’re so worried about cross-contamination — that used to annoy me so much!
When I went vegan, I realized that those food safety issues were a COMPLETE thing of the past for me! Never again would I have to wash my hands like 35 times in the course of making a meal.
And I used to especially hate breading chicken or pork. My hands would get so clumped up with the breading mixture and I’d have to wash them repeatedly in between rounds of breading just to get through it. Sound familiar? And I never got that whole “use a fork” technique down…too cumbersome!
But in this recipe, you don’t even have to worry even a tiny bit about salmonella poisoning: so you can literally bread your own fingers and then lick them clean in the process of cooking! I LOVE THAT! :D HAHA!
And did I mention, the breading is so good, you will totally WANT to do that as well. Just don’t tell anyone how much of the breading you ate while preparing this… Your secret is safe with me… :P
Of course, I have to give credit where it is due, guys. I didn’t get the idea to bread things using marinara sauce right out of my own little peabrain: that’s too genius for me. No, I originally saw a recipe for breaded tofu on DrFuhrman.com in the member center. I am going to be posting an adapted recipe for that very soon, because I feel I’ve perfected that, at least in my own head. :P
But once I’d gotten the concept of that down (you really can’t screw up the breading mixture, and you can use so many different spice options), I really wanted to try it on mushrooms one day. And I was so surprised to see that it worked, and now it’s become one of my very favorite recipes in the whole world.
And also so helpful in getting us to our Mushroom Eating Every Day goal.
Let me know what you think of this recipe if you make it, and be sure to share this recipe with the other mushroom-lovers in your life!
Roasted Portabella Mushroom Fries Recipe | Nutritarian | Vegan | Gluten-Free
Cook time
Total time
Adapted from the Crispy Marinara Baked Tofu on DrFuhrman.com
Author: cheri
Serves: 20 fries
Ingredients
- 2 large portabella mushrooms, sliced into ¼ inch slices
- 1-2 cups no sodium marinara sauce (I love Trader Joe's brand)
- ¾ cup raw, unsalted almonds
- ¼ cup corn meal
- 4 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (or to taste)
- OR use 2 teaspoons Mrs. Dash, your flavor choice, in place of the garlic, basil, oregano and cayenne
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In a food processor, add all ingredients except the mushrooms and marinara. Blend until mixture reaches the consistency of almond flour. Pour the mixture into a very large bowl.
- Set up your breading station by setting an aluminum-foil lined baking sheet nearby. Put your breading mixture bowl close to you. On a large plate, dump 1 cup of the marinara and add more if needed.
- To bread the mushrooms, take one of the sliced mushrooms and dunk it completely in the marinara sauce, covering all sides of the mushroom. Then remove it and place it in the breading mixture. Cover the mushroom in enough breading to cover all sides and leave no exposed marinara. Place your mushroom on the baking sheet. Repeat until all mushrooms are breaded and spread on one layer on the baking sheet.
- Bake mushrooms for 15-20 minutes, depending on how juicy you like your mushroom fries. Shorter cooking time will yield juicier mushrooms inside, but I also like them dry inside. Serve warm or cold!
