Grilled-to-perfection homemade portobello mushroom burgers.
I’m not going to tell you that my boyfriend took a bite out of one of these grilled portobello mushroom burgers and declared it to be the “best burger ever!”
And I’m not going to tell you that my younger sister, who worked at a fast-food restaurant for three years and really loves burgers, decided it tasted exactly like a real hamburger. No, portobello mushroom burgers are not hamburgers.
But that’s completely okay!
I think one of the main problems with fake meat products is they claim to be just that: fake. Trying to pretend a mushroom burger is a hamburger or a slab of tofu is a chicken wing will just set you up for disappointment. Why not celebrate these plant-based foods for their own unique textures and flavors? Some of the so-called fake meat products are pretty darn good when they’re not being passed off as something else.
Like these portobello mushroom burgers… Thick, juicy, tender, and hearty, these burgers get the stamp of approval from both vegans and carnivores; from not only me, but also from my burger-loving sister and my vegetable-hating boyfriend (we’re working on that whole vegetable-hating thing…).
In the photos: a portobello mushroom burger with a side of Crispy Sweet Potato Fries.
What are your thoughts on “fake meat” substitutes?
On the one hand, I worry that labeling a vegetarian dish a “substitute” makes it sound inferior; like we are missing out or trying to trick ourselves into believing whatever we’re eating tastes exactly like the food it is supposed to be mimicking. It also makes it seem like people who still eat meat don’t need to bother trying the “substitute” because they can have the real thing.
Yet on the other hand, calling a food by a familiar name (such as chicken nuggets or barbecue ribs) attaches the food to something people already know and love, thus enabling them to make a positive connection. So I guess there are pros to both sides; it’s just not a black-and-white issue.
Portobello Mushroom Burgers
Portobello Mushroom Burgers
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tsp olive or vegetable oil
- sprinkle of salt
- 4 portabella mushroom caps, gills removed
- burger buns and fixins
Instructions
Portobello mushroom burgers recipe: Whisk first 6 ingredients together in a medium bowl. (Technically, you can leave out the oil if you absolutely must, but it really helps the marinade adhere to the mushrooms and keeps the mushroom burgers from sticking to the grill.) Poke a few holes in each mushroom. Set mushrooms, top-side down, in a large rectangular container. (I use a lidded container so I can just flip the entire thing instead of flipping each mushroom individually when the time comes to turn them.) Pour the marinade evenly over the mushrooms, then turn the mushrooms over. Allow to marinate no less than 2 hours.
Preheat your grill to medium heat (if you don’t have a grill, you can always fry the mushroom burgers in a pan). Use a grill pan with small grids, or cook on foil. Grill the mushrooms 5 minutes, flip, 5 minutes. Then 5 more minutes on each side. So grill a total of 20 minutes. Dress with your burger fixins of choice.
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This looks so yummy!
I like your intro to this post a lot. Vegan food doesn’t have to be a “substitute” for some non-vegan counterpart; it can stand on its own merits. It wouldn’t make sense to claim that a mushroom tastes like ground beef!
I tend to resist calling foods “fake” for that very reason–I think it takes away from that food’s own unique goodness. But at the same time, it’s useful to use analogous words (like “chicken nuggets” or “mayonnaise”) to describe a type or style of food/flavors/textures that you are trying to achieve. Sometimes if I’m making something for a non-vegan (for example, pasta with “alfredo” sauce), I’ll tell them I’m serving “pasta with cashew sauce; the texture is similar to an alfredo sauce.” That way, they have a point of reference but can also appreciate the sauce’s own unique flavor and ingredients.
I want to try this. I’ve made my own veggie burgers, but never done the portabella mushroom thing. We use the substitute name like “Veggie Burger” but put out the caveat that it’s not a hamburger replacement. It’s a veggie burger. We’re omnivores but we enjoy eating some vegetarian or vegan meals occasionally.
Yum! Those burgers look so tasty and filling! Just my kind of meal! Also, I love the way your hair looks in this photo, it’s so stylish and ideal for summer!
awesome burger katie…looks like it has good chew-factor!
have you tried the company, Beyond Meat?? they’re chicken-free, gf, vegan.
comes in grilled, southwestern style and litely seasoned. love the sw style,
and there’s a 75 cent coupon in the packaging (thnx, blogging friend!)
i’m off soy, and this product, although faux, tastes amazing.
I don’t think I have. I will look out for them!
That is a BEAUTIFUL picture of you, Katie!
Aw thanks! 🙂
I’ve been both vegetarian and vegan in the past, and I have not liked fake meats. I’ve also had portobello burgers and enjoyed them – the recipe I used to have was similar to yours, I think. The only problem I have with portobello burgers is that there is just not enough protein in them. Maybe I could sneak in a small ground beef or turkey patty with the mushroom and do it that way… 🙂
Haha, a meat and portobello burger — never would have thought of that! As I stick with my vegan proteins, I like to mix hummus and lentils (or quinoa) and slather that over the mushroom. I usually turn the shroom upside down so it holds all of my toppings better.
Other options: serve with a side of Katie’s baked beans and/or a high-protein dessert! 🙂
Lindsey, I like your ideas! Mine stems from liking both portobello burgers and regular burgers, and my need for higher protein levels than I was ever able to find as a vegan (I don’t think there were any good vegan blogs back when I was trying to eat vegan).
Hi, Katie! I’m 13 years old and a healthy eater. I mainly eat a clean and organic diet. I love your breakfast recipes! Those are mainly what I eat for breakfast… I can’t wait for your cookbook! Thank you for being a great role model! 🙂
I totally agree with you, veggan foods are not substitutes, they are foods of their own! There are classic veggan dishes that have been around hundreds of years before the word veggan was coined, and it makes me sad to see that restaurateurs and chefs feel compelled to add “veggan” to the dish name in order to sell it… I think veggan dished have their own flavour and personality, sometimes it is loss when trying to mimick meat (notice I am not saying “protein”, there is “protein” in vegetables too) 😉
By the way, your burger looks yummy, thanks for the recipe!
Hi Katie,
You bring up an interesting question regarding vegetarian meat substitutes or “analogs” as some call them. One very important aspect to all of them which
bothers me is not that the companies that make them are trying to give vegetarians
or vegans a substitute food that is similar to things they may remember eating and/or enjoying as a kid- but most important to me is the ingredients used. Many are GMO and aren’t very healthful and are processed too. I have yet to find any including the most popular brands LifeLight (smart dogs or Tofu Dogs…soy crumbles etc) and , Gardein products, that cannot prove they are Non GMO and none of their products use organic soy at all. I have written to both companies and they admit they are not organic and say they use Non GMO, but that is likely not true because from what I have gathered online- if it’s wheat, soy, soy isolates etc it’s likely GMO if it is not labeled organic. So nowadays you have to read labels very well to avoid GMO,. There are many wheat products that are not organic and you have to be careful what you buy. even gluten free- many rice products are not organic so you have to be careful. I love your recipes by the way- and please keep coming up with meals rather than sweets! Your sweets are lovely but I’d rather see more meals myself! Oh by the way you are gorgeous!!