Even though I love my Beet Burger recipe, grilled portobello mushrooms make incredible burgers. In my opinion, portobello mushrooms, make the best vegan meat replacement for a variety of dishes. But, my grilled portobello recipe makes the easiest and tastiest mushroom burger around.
HOW TO SELECT THE BEST PORTOBELLO MUSHROOMS AT THE STORE
When shopping for portabella mushrooms, avoid any spots, which indicate the beginning of rot. Instead, look for caps that are firm and uniform in color. And, look for dry mushrooms, not ones that appear wet or slimy. For example, I prefer lighter colored mushrooms, as opposed to darker ones, for a more delicate flavor. On the other hand, if you prefer a deeper earthy taste, look for darker mushrooms, but be careful or spots and texture. Sometimes, a darker mushroom can appear dry, but it may actually be starting to get slimy, and no one likes slimy.
HOW TO STORE PORTOBELLO MUSHROOMS UNTIL YOU ARE READY TO USE THEM
Once you get the portobello mushrooms home, place in the refrigerator in the packaging. But, if you selected the mushrooms yourself, without packaging, do not leave in a plastic bag. Plastic bags, for instance, break down the mushrooms causing them to smell and get slimy.
Again, to avoid the slime, place the portobello mushrooms in a paper bag, such as a lunch bag until ready to use. In fact, when you buy any mushrooms without packaging, you should always store them in a paper bag to prolong freshness.
Whatever you do, make sure you always cook portobello mushrooms before you freeze them, which will store for up to one month in the freezer. Then, when you wish to reheat the mushrooms, just make sure you thaw completely before reheating.
HOW TO PREPARE PORTOBELLO MUSHROOMS FOR GRILLING
Although some experts suggest to only clean mushrooms with a clean towel and no water, I disagree. And, portobello mushrooms are delicate, so be careful as you remove the stem. Using a small amount of water, wash the outside of the mushroom cap, gently washing away any dirt. Do not, for example, submerge the mushrooms to wash them. Instead, use the water to help remove the dirt and carefully use a paper towel or cloth towel to dry off the mushroom.
HOW AND WHY ARE THE GILLS REMOVED BEFORE GRILLING PORTOBELLO MUSHROOMS
In order to remove the gills, turn the cap over to the open side, and carefully remove the gills by scraping the gills with a small spoon. Then, make sure you use minimal water and paper towel to pat dry. Even though the gills are edible, I think they produce a yucky brown residue that makes a mess of your plate.
MARINATING GRILLED PORTOBELLO MUSHROOMS BEFORE GRILLING
- Balsamic Vinegar
- Minced Garlic
- Dijon Mustard
- Fresh Lemon Juice
Generally, I suggest marinating overnight, but not this time. Because portobello mushrooms contain so much water, you only want to marinate for an hour or two at most.
HOW TO GRILL PORTOBELLO MUSHROOM BURGERS
- Preheat the grill to medium or 400 degrees, so it is hot before placing the portobello mushrooms on the grill.
- Begin grilling the portobello mushrooms with the opening up, so the marinade cooks inside the cup of the mushrooms.
- Grill the portobello mushrooms for 3 to 5 minutes on each side to allow them to gain color and of course grill marks. I love grill marks.
- Once you flip the mushroom, brush the mushroom caps with extra marinade to replace the moisture if the grill starts to dry them out.
- You do not need any oil. The marinate, for example, will provide enough moisture without needing oil.
BUILDING THE GRILLED PORTOBELLO MUSHROOM BURGER
One helpful tip when building the grilled portobello mushroom is to lay the opening side up on the base bun. Not only does this help keep the bun dry, but it creates a bowl to stuff your toppings inside a crevice. For basic illustration I used classic burger toppings:
- Sliced Onions
- Tomato Slices
- Dill Pickles
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Romaine Lettuce
OTHER POSSIBLE TOPPINGS FOR GRILLED PORTOBELLO MUSHROOM BURGER RECIPE
But, let's consider the other possibilities to fit inside a grilled portobello mushroom cap!
- Grilled onions
- Grilled mushrooms
- Grilled or raw jalapenos
- Pineapple (yep, it fits right in the mushroom hole)
- Vegan cheese (of choice)
- Vegan Coney Chili Sauce
- Skinny Blackberry Dijon Sauce
- Guacamole
- Salsa
- Grilled or raw avocado
- Simple Rosemary Infused Pickled Red Onions
- Vegan Pineapple Coleslaw
- Vegan Coconut Bacon
- Skinny Nacho Cheese Sauce
- BBQ sauce
Regardless of your toppings or fillings for the mushroom cap, everything stays right inside and makes the perfect grilled portobello mushroom burger.
WHAT DO I SERVE WITH GRILLED PORTOBELLO MUSHROOM BURGERS?
- Oven-Baked Fries
- Steak Fries Air Fried and Crispy
- Grilled Caesar Salad
- Vegan Potato Salad
- Vegan Macaroni Salad
- Vegan Broccoli Salad with Coconut Bacon
- Asian Coleslaw
- Vegan Pineapple Coleslaw
- Vegan Coleslaw
- Skinny AF Sweet Potato Fries
- Smashed Red Potato Recipe
Grilled Portobello Mushroom Burger
Portobello mushrooms are a healthy meat substitute for the perfect grilled portobello mushroom burger, filled with your favorite burger toppings, all tucked inside the cap. Cook dinner in under 10 minutes!
Ingredients
- 2 larger portobello mushrooms, of similar size, cleaned and stem removed.
Grilled Portobello Mushroom Marinade
- 3 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 Tablespoon Dijon Mustard
- 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Other Ingredients
- Bun of Choice (gluten-free, oil-free, whole grain)
- 4 slices of white onion
- 4 slices of tomato
- 6 dill pickle chips, or pickles of choice
- Ketchup
- Yellow Mustard
- 2 Romaine lettuce leaves
Instructions
CLEAN PORTOBELLO MUSHROOMS
- Wash away any dirt and debris from the mushrooms
- Carefully remove the step, being careful to keep the mushrooms intact.
- Using a spoon, scrape the gills from the inside of the mushroom caps.
- Rinse lightly with water, and dry the inside and outside of each portobello mushroom
GRILLED PORTOBELLO MUSHROOM MARINADE
- Whisk together all ingredients.
- Pour a small amount of marinade into the base of a container.
- Place the portobello mushrooms, opening up in the container.
- Then, pour the remaining ingredients inside the mushroom caps.
- Refrigerate for 1-2 hours ONLY
GRILLING PORTOBELLO MUSHROOM BURGERS
- Preheat the grill to medium or 400 degrees, so it is hot before placing the portobello mushrooms on the grill.
- Begin grilling the portobello mushrooms with the opening up, so the marinade cooks inside the cup of the mushrooms.
- Grill the portobello mushrooms for 3 to 5 minutes on each side to allow them to gain color and of course grill marks. I love grill marks.
- Once you flip the mushroom, brush the mushroom caps with extra marinade to replace the moisture if the grill starts to dry them out.
- You do not need any oil. The marinate, for example, will provide enough moisture without needing oil.
BUILDING GRILLED PORTOBELLO MUSHROOM BURGERS
- Toast buns of choice
- Place each mushroom, opening up, on the bottom bun.
- Layer/stuff ingredients directly into the mushroom cap opening
- Add the top bun and enjoy!
Nutrition Information
Yield
2 servingsServing Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 150Total Fat 2gSaturated Fat 0gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 1gCholesterol 0mgSodium 344mgCarbohydrates 29gFiber 4gSugar 12gProtein 6g
Nutrition facts may not be 100% accurate.
Hi! My name is Kathy, I am a retired high school English teacher & vegan enthusiast and blogger. My entire blog is fully plant-based vegan. I truly believe what we eat & how we live determines our health & the preservation of our planet! 🙂
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