Mushrooms And Walnuts Make For Hearty Meatless Stromboli

If you're looking for a flavorful and satisfying substitute for meat, it's hard to go wrong with the combination of mushrooms and walnuts. Each ingredient by itself is a flavor and nutrition powerhouse, and together they are the perfect complementary match-up. And then when you roll them up in a tender homemade dough baked with cheese inside and out, as Annabelle Randles did in this amazing stromboli recipe, you'll wonder why you haven't put this plant-based team together on your plate more often.

Mushrooms bring the flavor punch of umami as well as a meaty texture to the filling. Sauteed with onions, garlic, and herbs, they soak in all those aromatic flavors as well. Earthy walnuts contribute crunch and an underlying savory character with a hint of bitterness that balances all the rich cheese in this stromboli. Plus, they're packing some serious protein and fiber. Just one ounce gives you 4 grams of protein and 2 grams of fiber.

If you've indulged in a traditional stromboli, heavy with cured meat and cheese, you'll be delighted with this lighter but still very satisfying version. The yeasted dough comes together easily by hand or in a mixer, and just needs an hour to rise. That's the perfect time to prepare the mushroom and walnut filling, giving it a little while to cool down and drain excess moisture before rolling out the dough.

Once the dough is shaped into a rectangle, it gets a scattering of mozzarella cheese and then the main filling, and for extra flavor one more layer of flavorful shredded cheese before it's rolled into a log. The amount of cheese is just enough to melt beautifully into the mushroom and walnut filling, helping to bind it together but not weigh it down. While some vegetarian fillings can be mushy, this one provides both good texture and great taste. Randles likes to brush the completed roll with herb butter and give it a final dusting of Parmesan cheese before it bakes to a perfect golden brown. Served with a side of marinara sauce, this modern vegetarian update is full of sophisticated, tempting flavors that will make you come back for seconds.