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.
Link Of The Day:
While I’m not a vegan, I do think that foods from any lifestyle should be presented on their own merits. Vegan food is obviously not going to be like carnivorous food- so why present it as such? To me, a portabella mushroom “burger” sounds just as good as a hamburger. But I have found that many of your recipes taste just like the real thing, so I’m never set up for disappointment 🙂 On the other hand, I do think that these kind of products make the transition to a vegan diet easier for some who may want some semblance of their favorite foods as they start out.
BTW, the pics are gorgeous! I just got a Canon Powershot ELPH 110 HS, and I love it- hopefully I can take photos as nice as these. I don’t have a blog or anything, but i do LOVE photography. And stupid question, but did you just use a curler or something? Your hair is so cute!
Not a stupid question at all! I actually didn’t use a curling iron, but a Babyliss Miracurl (I think that’s what it’s called). I saw it on sale and thought it sounded fun. You just put your hair into the machine and it twirls the hair from inside a chamber. Kind of hard to explain, but it really works well.
Thanks! I just googled it and the reviews look really good! Unfortunately, its like 230 bucks in Amazon- i hope there’s a sale soon!
Yeah :(. I had a 40%-off coupon, but it still is expensive.
My non-vegan boyfriend and I went to a vegan restaurant for Valentine’s Day. He order some fake chicken drumstick things and was really disappointed. “They taste like bad chicken!” I had to explain (while stifling a giggle) that vegans don’t actually remember what real chicken tastes like so we don’t really notice how close it is to real chicken. His expectations were for real chicken, so he was disappointed.
He has since learned and now LOVES vegan food – he makes falafel better than I do! Now we call burgers for what they are – black bean burgers, masala burgers, mushroom burgers – because they aren’t MEAT burgers. And they’re much more delicious for it!
I love portobello mushrooms! And I agree with you about “fake meat”; people should just embrace the plant-based foods as what they are, rather than trying to make them taste like meat. Teach people how to cook vegetables and tofu/soy products to highlight the unique flavors, not to make them meat-like.
When I was a vegetarian, the only fake meats that passed my test were Quorn chick’n strips and Morning Star sausage links. All others had that fake smoke flavor and were just off in texture and flavor. I much prefer subbing in veggies like this. So much better.
This looks really yummy. I have doubts about my brothers eating it, though. They would look at it and say “that’s not meat.”
“I know that! It’s a veggie burger!” I would reply cheerfully.
“HUMPH! Vegtables aren’t food, vegtables is what food eats.” Would say a grumpy brother of mine. Well, maybe they’d eat it. I got them to eat Quinoa for breakfast, once. I made it look – and taste – like Cream of Wheat hot cereal.
Anyway, this is kind of off- topic, but in your “Haggen Dazs” ice cream recipe, do you think it’s possible to substitute blanched almonds for the cashews? Not that I can’t get a hold of cashews, but around here they are about $5.00 per cup. Almonds are so much cheaper!!
I did try it once… was kind of grainy, but it did still work.
Awesome pics Katie and that burger looks delicious! I’ve had some really delicious store-bought veggie burgers and some really delicious home-made ones too. Love how yours is so easy and healthy.
I still have yet to try portobello burgers, for some reason I imagine them tasting so weird – although these do look quite delicious.
And I really agree with your thoughts on fake meat. In my opinion, I don’t even like hamburgers so why would I want my “fake meat” to taste like it. Your right it just ends up leading to a disappointing meal when it doesn’t taste like the real thing.
yummy! I made Portobello pizzas this week. so good!
First of all, you look gorgeous, Katie! The burgers look so packed with flavor 🙂
This looks great! I eat grilled portobello’s all the time! I also agree with you on that whole fake meat thing; I’m not a fan.
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