• Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking pan with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

Prep the mushrooms

• Clean the mushrooms by wiping them with a damp cloth or paper towel. Remove the stems and use a spoon to scrape out the gills. This provides more room for the stuffing and also removes the somewhat bitter taste of the gills.
• Lightly brush the caps with olive oil and season them with salt and pepper. Place them, gill side up, on the prepared baking pan.

Cream cheese

• Drain the soaked sunflower seeds and place them in a high-speed blender or food processor (a small personal blender works best).
• Add the nutritional yeast, salt, apple cider vinegar, and water. Blend until the mixture reaches a smooth, creamy consistency. You may need to stop and scrape down the sides a few times or add a little more water to achieve the desired texture. Once blended, set aside.

Filling

• Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium. Add the diced onion and bell peppers. Sauté for 4-5 minutes until the onions are translucent.
• Add the minced garlic and thyme, cooking for another 1-2 minutes. Stir in the chopped fresh spinach, allowing it to wilt down for another 2-3 minutes.
• Remove the skillet from the heat, then transfer in the blended “cheese” mixture, stirring to incorporate. Taste and season the filling with additional salt and pepper to your liking.

Stuff & bake

• Evenly divide the mixture among 4 large portobello mushroom caps (or 6 medium caps), pressing gently to ensure the filling sits well inside.
• Bake the stuffed mushrooms for 20 minutes, or until the mushrooms are tender and the filling is slightly golden on top.
• Serve your vegan stuffed portobello mushrooms while hot, garnished with additional fresh thyme, parsley, or other herbs of your choice. Happy eating!