These Portobello Mushroom Pizzas are a kid-friendly choice for meatless Monday, and a great way to get kids to eat more veggies any day of the week. Experts say that putting new ingredients into familiar shapes or dishes (for instance, making mushrooms the base for “pizza”) can help even the pickiest eaters try something the first time. Worth a try, right?!

Thanks to our food contributor Kathleen Ashmore of Cat with a K Cooks for sharing this recipe!

Portobello Mushroom Pizzas!

Ingredients:
4 large Portobello mushrooms
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 lb. ground beef, turkey, or sausage
2 cups shredded mozzarella
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1⁄4 tsp dried oregano
1⁄4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
1 cup marinara sauce
Fresh chopped basil for garnish

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Set a wire rack on a rimmed baking sheet and set aside. With a spoon, scoop out the gills of the portobello mushrooms and discard the gills. Rub mushrooms all over with 2 Tbsp olive oil and set mushrooms aside.
3. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the remaining Tbsp olive oil.When hot, add the onion and a pinch of salt and cook for 3-5 minutes until soft.
4. Add the ground meat to the pan along with the garlic powder, oregano, 1 teaspoon of salt, and red pepper flakes. Cook, breaking up periodically, about 5 minutes.
5. Add the marinara sauce, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and simmer for 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat.
6. Top each mushroom with the meat and sauce mixture. Sprinkle mushrooms evenly with a generous amount of mozzarella cheese and a small pinch of salt.
7. Place the mushrooms on the wire rack and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the cheese is melted and mushrooms are tender. If you want to brown the cheese on the top, put the pan under the broiler for 1 minute.
8. Remove from the oven, top with chopped basil and let rest for 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!