Air fryer cheesy spinach stuffed mushrooms made with cottage cheese and sharp cheddar. A quick, high-protein appetizer ready in 10 minutes with just a smidge over 50 calories per piece.
Course:
Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack
Keyword:
cottage cheese, mushroom, spinach
Servings: 16Stuffed Mushrooms
Calories: 53kcal
Ingredients
1lb.White Button or Cremini mushroomsmedium to larger sized ones work best
1tablespoonolive oil
Salt and ground black pepperto taste
2/3cup2% cottage cheesedrained VERY well
4ozgrated white sharp cheddar cheese
2cupspacked fresh baby spinach
1tbspwater
1/4tspgarlic salt
¼tspground black pepper
2tbsppanko bread crumbsor gluten-free crushed cracker option or gluten-free panko
Instructions
Preheat air-fryer to 380°F (Or oven to 350°F).
Drain cottage cheese well to remove the excess liquid. The best way to do this quickly is using the back of spoon to push out liquid through mesh strainer.
Remove the stems from the mushrooms by gently twisting them off. Save about half of the fresher-looking stems to chop up and back into the mixture.
Place mushroom caps on air fryer try (or baking sheet), smooth side up, and brush with olive oil and season with a little salt and pepper. Flip mushrooms back over so openings are face up. Set aside.
In microwave-safe bowl, add spinach and 1 tablespoon of water. Steam in microwave for 1 minute. Let cook for several minutes, until cool enough to squeeze as much liquid out as possible.
Mix together the squeezed spinach (loosened up with fork), drained cottage cheese, and the cheddar cheese. Mix in about 1/4 cup chopped mushroom stems.
Season with garlic salt and ground black pepper, stir well.
Fill each hollowed-out mushroom with the cottage cheese mixture, pressing down to compact it in.
Sprinkle tops with a little bit of panko bread crumbs.
Cook in pre-heated 380F air fryer for 10 minutes (or traditional oven at 350F for 20 minutes) or until nicely browned, cheese is melty and panko is golden.