Turkey Wild Rice Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms
These Turkey Wild Rice Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms are all dressed up for the holidays. Giant mushroom caps are filled with a flavorful, lightly creamy mixture of wild rice and turkey. A sprinkling of fresh herbs and shiny, ruby-red pomegranate seeds are the final festive, delicious touch!
Easy & Festive Stuffed Mushrooms
While I love traditions, sometimes I just get bored and need to change things up. Because I also love to explore new things. These turkey stuffed mushrooms are one example of that, a result of my boredom with the traditional Thanksgiving dinner menu!
This Turkey Wild Rice Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms recipe looks a little non-traditional for a Thanksgiving meal, yet includes the flavors that are commonplace on the holiday table. With a flavorful, lightly creamy mixture of turkey and wild rice, it definitely fits right in. And that sprinkling of bright pomegranate seeds says, “Let the holiday festivities begin!”
If you’re looking for something a little different for your holiday celebration this year, I hope I have your attention. These stuffed portobello mushrooms make for a nice lighter meal that can be largely prepped ahead of time, beautiful with a fresh green salad.
But if you don’t serve these on Thanksgiving, at least promise me you’ll make these mushrooms sometime during the holidays! These beautiful stuffed mushrooms would be perfect for Friendsgiving or if you find yourself hosting multiple Thanksgiving celebrations. Or if you’re just inviting some friends over for a nice dinner during the holiday season.
What You’ll Need
Since there are multiple parts to the recipe and some ingredients – like the mushrooms, wild rice, and turkey – need to be prepared separately, I’ve listed the ingredients to each part of the recipe.
FOR THE PORTOBELLO MUSHROOMS:
- Portobello mushrooms – You’ll want large portobello mushrooms, with the stems removed and saved, and the gills scraped out and discarded.
- Olive oil
- Salt & black pepper
FOR THE WILD RICE:
- Chicken broth – I use low sodium chicken broth so I can control the amount of salt.
- Minnesota wild rice – Look for whole, not cracked, wild rice.
FOR THE TURKEY:
- Unsalted butter – Softened but not melted.
- Garlic powder
- Poultry seasoning – You can substitute your favorite seasoning mix.
- Salt & black pepper
- Turkey breast – You’ll need a 3 to 4 pound bone-in turkey breast with skin.
FOR THE TURKEY WILD RICE MIXTURE:
- Olive oil
- Unsalted butter
- Yellow onion
- Garlic
- Mushroom stems – Reserved from the portobello mushrooms. The stems should be chopped small.
- Heavy cream – A small amount adds just a bit of creaminess to the dish.
- Soy sauce – Adds a savory umami flavor.
- Salt & black pepper
- Fresh herbs – Add minced parsley, thyme, and rosemary to the turkey wild rice mixture. And then sprinkle some extra thyme and rosemary over the tops right before serving.
- Pomegranate seeds – Fresh pomegranate seeds give a festive touch to this dish, with little pops of brightness in the mouth!
How to pick & clean portobello mushrooms
When making stuffed portobello mushroom caps, I always look for mushrooms that are large, dry, and fresh looking. Do not use mushrooms that have a funky odor, a shriveled or bruised appearance, or a slimy texture.
This recipe calls for eight large portobello mushrooms. The ones shown in my photos are 4-1/2″ to 5″ in diameter. I know that seems rather big, but they will shrink significantly once they’re cooked. The caps and the gills are nicely firm. And they have deep wells, perfect for cupping that turkey and wild rice mixture.
I like to use a just-barely-damp paper towel to wipe each mushroom, one at a time, to remove any dirt. Some insist that you lightly rinse the mushrooms with cool water and then pat dry with paper towels. Just be careful to not completely soak them, or they will absorb water.
How to Make Turkey Wild Rice Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms
These turkey wild rice stuffed mushrooms do require some planning and some time to prepare and assemble. But each step is simple and straightforward!
- Roast the portobello mushrooms. Lightly grease a sheet pan with olive oil and then place the portobello mushrooms, stem side up, on the pan. Brush the tops with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes, or until tender. Allow to cool, then drain and discard any moisture. Lightly dab with a paper towel to remove any remaining moisture and then set aside.
- Cook the wild rice. Bring chicken broth to a boil and add in the rice. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until the wild rice is split open and curled. This will take about an hour. Drain any excess liquid, fluff with a fork, and set aside.
- Roast the turkey. Combine the butter, garlic powder, and poultry seasoning. Place the turkey breast on a rimmed sheet pan and rub the butter mixture over the turkey breast and underneath the skin. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Loosely tent the turkey with foil. Roast until the internal temperature reaches 165° F, which should take about an hour.
- Make the turkey wild rice mixture. Heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet with tall sides. Cook the onions for 2 minutes then add the garlic and mushroom stems. Stir regularly and cook until the onions and mushrooms have completely softened. Add the remaining butter, plus cream, soy sauce, salt, and black pepper. Fold in the wild rice and turkey, and cook for 5 minutes. Then stir in the herbs. This stuffing mixture is SO GOOD!!
- Assemble the stuffed mushrooms. Increase the oven temperature. Place a baking rack in the sheet pan. Set the roasted mushroom caps, stem side up, on the rack then stuff each cap with the turkey wild rice mixture, ensuring it gets under the mushrooms’ outer rims. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until thoroughly heated. Serve immediately, with additional herbs sprinkled over the top, along with pomegranate seeds.
How to Make Ahead
If you’d like to free up some prep time on the big day, you can easily prepare much of this recipe in advance. Here’s what you can do the day before:
- Clean up the portobello mushrooms. Remove the stems, chop them up, and store in a covered container in the refrigerator. Scrape out the gills and discard. Store cleaned mushroom caps in a covered container in the refrigerator.
- Cook the wild rice and store in a covered container in the refrigerator.
- Cook the bone-in turkey breast. Remove meat from the bone and cut it into 1/4″ to 1/2″ sized pieces, enough for 2 cups for this recipe. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator.
With all of this done the day prior, this special meal then comes together very quickly!
Tips for Success
For the most perfect turkey and wild rice stuffed mushrooms, here are a few helpful hints to keep in mind.
- Always pre-cook the mushrooms. Mushrooms have a high water content. So it’s important to pre-cook the mushroom caps prior to stuffing them. This time in the oven will also help to cook the mushrooms sufficiently (because they ARE big!) and to intensify that wonderful mushroom flavor.
- Make sure the wild rice cooks fully. If after an hour, much of the rice is not split open and curled, continue cooking for an additional 15 minutes.
- Use leftover turkey. To make these wild rice stuffed mushrooms even easier to prepare, use leftover turkey. Leftover smoked turkey is our preference, but any roasted, baked, or fried turkey will be great!
Serving Suggestions
My favorite way to serve these turkey wild rice stuffed portobello mushrooms is with a fresh green salad. Sprinkle some of your favorite chopped nuts over the top and add a few slices of fresh apple or pear. Then drizzle a tangy vinaigrette over it all.
A few vinaigrette suggestions: the maple Dijon dressing from this Holiday Wild Rice Salad, my Herby Lemon Vinaigrette, the ginger lime vinaigrette from my Chopped Ramen Salad, or the balsamic vinaigrette from this Caprese Pasta Salad.
How to Store Leftovers
- How to store leftovers. Stuffed mushrooms are definitely best when enjoyed immediately. However, leftovers can be kept in the fridge, in an airtight container, for a couple days.
- How to reheat. Reheat the stuffed mushrooms in the oven until just warmed through, or simply use a microwave.
More Wild Rice Recipes:
- my almost famous Creamy Wild Rice Soup (a perfect recipe for turkey leftovers!)
- Mushroom and Wild Rice Stuffed Peppers
- Creamy Wild Rice Casserole with Sausage and Mushrooms
- Mashed Potato and Wild Rice Stuffed Mushrooms (a great Thanksgiving side dish!)
- Chicken Wild Rice Casserole with Gruyere
Like this recipe? Save it to Pinterest!
Turkey Wild Rice Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms
Ingredients
for the portobello mushrooms:
- 8 large portobello mushrooms 4.5″ to 5″ in diameter, stems removed and saved, gills scraped out and discarded
- olive oil
- kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
for the wild rice:
- 4 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup whole not cracked Minnesota wild rice
for the turkey:
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon poultry seasoning or your favorite seasoning mix
- kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 1 3 to 4-pound bone-in turkey breast with skin
for the turkey wild rice mixture:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
- 1 cup diced yellow onion
- 3 large cloves garlic minced
- reserved mushroom stems chopped small
- ⅓ cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme plus a bit more for sprinkling over the tops
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary plus a bit more for sprinkling over the tops
- fresh pomegranate seeds
Instructions
- For the portobello mushrooms – Place oven rack in center position and preheat oven to 400° F. Brush the bottom of a large rimmed sheet pan lightly with olive oil. Place the portobello mushrooms, stem side up, on the sheet pan. Brush tops lightly with olive oil. Sprinkle fairly generously with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes, or until tender. Remove from oven and let cool a bit. Then carefully drain and discard any moisture from the mushroom caps. Lightly dab the mushroom caps with a paper towel to remove any remaining moisture. Set mushroom caps aside.
- For the wild rice – While mushrooms are roasting, heat a medium to large sauce pan over high heat. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Stir in wild rice. Turn heat down to low/medium-low, cover, and simmer until wild rice is split open and curled. This should take right around 1 hour. If you see a good amount of wild rice still not split open, simmer for another 15 minutes. Remove from heat and drain any excess liquid. Fluff with a fork and set aside.
- For the turkey – (If you have 2 cups chopped leftover turkey to use instead, then skip this step.) Preheat oven to 350° F. In a small bowl, combine butter, garlic powder, and poultry seasoning. Place turkey breast, skin side up, on a small rimmed sheet pan. Loosen skin with your fingers and rub the butter mixture over the turkey breast and underneath the skin. Sprinkle all over with salt and pepper. Tent turkey loosely with foil. Roast until the juices run clear and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast, without touching bone, reads 165° F. For this size turkey breast, this should take about 1 hour. Remove turkey from oven and let rest. Once it has cooled a bit, cut the meat from the bone. Reserve 2 cups of turkey meat cut into 1/4" to 1/2" sized pieces for this recipe. Save the rest for another use.
- For the turkey wild rice mixture – In a very large skillet with tall sides, over medium to medium-high heat, heat olive oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter. Stir in onion and cook for 2 minutes. Add garlic and chopped mushroom stems, stirring to combine. Cook, stirring regularly, until onions and mushrooms have completely softened, about 6 to 8 minutes. Then add remaining 4 tablespoons of butter, cream, soy sauce, salt, and black pepper; stir to combine. Fold in wild rice and turkey, and then heat for 5 minutes, stirring periodically. Stir in parsley, thyme, and rosemary. Remove skillet from heat.
- To assemble – Increase oven temperature to 400° F. Place a baking rack inside the same large rimmed sheet pan. If you don't have a rack that fits, no worries, just go without. Set roasted mushroom caps, stem side up, on the rack. Fill each mushroom cap with turkey wild rice mixture. Pack the mixture in firmly, making sure it gets under the mushrooms' outer rims. And then mound it up generously over the top. Place sheet pan in oven and bake for about 10 to 15 minutes, or until heated through. Serve immediately, with additional thyme and rosemary sprinkled over the top, plus pomegranate seeds.
Notes
- Clean up the portobello mushrooms. Remove the stems, chop them up, and store in a covered container in the refrigerator. Scrape out the gills and discard. Store cleaned mushroom caps in a covered container in the refrigerator.
- Cook the wild rice and store in a covered container in the refrigerator.
- Cook the bone-in turkey breast. Remove meat from the bone and cut it into 1/4" to 1/2" sized pieces, enough for 2 cups for this recipe. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator.
Nutrition Information:
* This is a sponsored post, created in partnership with Minnesota Turkey.
Minnesota has much to be proud of when it comes to turkeys.
In 2017, our family was invited to a farm near Alexandria, Minnesota to meet the Presidential Turkey Flock. Yes, the same turkeys who travelled to the White House for the annual turkey pardoning tradition by our nation’s president!
Did you know?
- Minnesota ranks #1 in turkey production in the U.S., with 450 turkey farm families. Many of these farmers are 3rd, 4th, and even 5th generation turkey farmers.
- Minnesota raises 42.5 million turkeys annually
For the Presidential Turkey Flock, turkeys are chosen each year from the home state of the chairman of the National Turkey Federation. And now in 2018 the turkeys are coming from South Dakota, my home state! The presentation will mark the 71st anniversary of a tradition that has continued through twelve successive administrations. (Look for links at the end of the post, to follow along.)
For more information about the Minnesota Turkey Growers Association, including recipes and nutritional information, visit their web site. Also find them on these social media channels: Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. Join in on the conversation using #ServeTurkey.
And follow along with this year’s Presidential Turkey Flock on the National Turkey Federation’s Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram accounts!
This post is sponsored by our local Minnesota Turkey. All opinions are 100% my own. It was originally published in 2018 and then updated in 2021.
This is a brilliant idea!
A very pretty and delicious (healthy!) holiday recipe!
I love how festive it looks! So flavorful, too!
These are so wonderfully festive! Perfect for the holidays.
I love the pop of color from the pomegranate seeds.