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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Sounds yummy! When i hear ‘substitute’ in relation to vegetarian products what comes to mind are replacements for the proteins and vitamins usually found in meat. When referring to meat-like products i usually call it veggie meat… I
I love, love, love portobello mushroom burgers!
One of my favorite protein substitutes is seitan. Super easy to make, it gives texture to stir fries, without being mushy. My husband doesn’t love the chewiness of it, but I like the Mongolian barbecue seitan recipe from chloe coscarelli, the sauce makes it!
You look absolutely stunning in that photo, Mushroom-Covered Katie! (Just kidding, I think chocolate suits you better! Did I mention that I set a shortcut on my phone so I don’t have to spell out all nine letters of chocolate?)
LOL 🙂
To me, fake meat tastes best when homemade, and you call it by its proper name. For example, instead of “chik’n,” frozen tofu, or seitan instead of “meate.” That way, there’s no sense of being poorly tricked.
Is it just me or does the portobello burger in the first pic look photo-shopped into it? Heheh! It does to me… 🙂 oh, and then i scrolled down to see if i could find a pic that had the portobello burger looking exactly the same and i did. the third one.
Hi Claire,
Nope, they’re not the same picture lol. It is the same burger, though. And I definitely did edit the burger quite a bit so that it would stand out more and be the focus (as opposed to me being the focus of the photo).
Oh! Hahah! Okay! It still looks really yummy! And you look pretty too! God bless! 🙂
I feel the same way about vegan “meats.” They shouldn’t be looked at as substitutes for real meat. Of course they’re not going to taste the same as meat! Nothing but animal flesh is going to taste like animal flesh. I’m an omnivore who’s always loved tofu and tempeh, but I’ve never bothered with things like “chick-un” or any of the other highly processed, chemical-laden meat substitutes. Too weird. Tofu and tempeh aren’t pretending to be anything they aren’t. “Tofurkey” on the other hand…well, you see what I mean. It’s trying to be turkey. Wannabes are never cool! 😉
Oh my, Katie you are STUNNING!
Hm, I guess you could say I have ‘beef’ with substitutes. I don’t really like the thought or taste of them, but if they help more people choose meatless, then that is awesome!
Katie, thank you, thank you for the entree recipe. Please keep them coming in your blog. I love your site, and want to build my whole meal around your recipes. Later this summer I will start blogging again, and I would love to link to your website as I prepare your recipes. You are the best!
Thanks, Linda. Good luck when you start up again!
Katie! I’ve been followed your blog for years, and I don’t think I’ve commented before until now. I just wanted to say what a beautiful woman you’ve grown up to be. You look so healthy, happy, and radiant! I
P.S. Your hair is fab!
This really made me smile. THANK YOU 🙂
The vegan Boca burgers are not anywhere near what a burger tastes like, but I’ll eat them if I have to. The best meat substitutes I’ve ever eaten are Trader Joe’s soy chorizo and Gardein “chicken” tenders. I still get a little freaked out when I eat them because I feel like I’m eating meat!