Cremini mushroom caps are stuffed with crunchy, smoky almonds, spinach and sun-dried tomatoes in a base of creamy white beans to make this healthy and flavorful appetizer.
In a small bowl, toss the almonds together with the soy sauce and liquid smoke. Arrange them in an even layer on a lipped baking sheet or pan. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until most of the liquid has dried up. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
After placing the almonds into the oven, lightly rub the outsides of the mushrooms with about 1 tablespoon of oil, and arrange them, stem sides up, on a baking sheet. Bake until tender, about 15 minutes. If some liquid has accumulated within the caps after baking, just soak it up with a paper towel.
Once the almonds have cooled, chop them finely with a large knife.
Coat the bottom of a large skillet with remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and place over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté for about 1 minute, until very fragrant. Add spinach and sun-dried tomatoes. Continue to sauté until spinach has wilted, about 2 minutes. Add beans to the skillet and mash lightly with a fork or potato masher. Remove from heat and stir in almonds, breadcrumbs, red wine vinegar and chives. The mixture should hold together when pressed between your fingers. If it seems a bit crumbly, add a splash of water. Season the mixture with salt and pepper to taste.
Scoop a heaping tablespoon of the bean mixture and press it firmly into a ball, then stuff it into a mushroom cap. Repeat until all filling is used.
Return the mushrooms to the oven, just long enough to heat the mushrooms and filling, about 4 minutes. Serve immediately.
Craving more veg-friendly recipes? Shop our collection of vegetarian and vegan cookbooks, including our new Vegan Thanksgiving and Vegan Christmas cookbooks!