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:
I used to eat A LOT of fake meat products when I first turned vegan (I am not strictly vegan anymore, but do try to eat mainly vegan…so I don’t call myself vegan). Anyway, last year I was on a ‘diet’ to lose extra weight and I found myself eating a lot of fake meats again. Chicken strips one day, ‘fish’ the next, ‘burgers’ the next…then i started getting these awful tummy cramps. I have a fairly high pain threshold with tummy cramps, but these were something else! I would wake up at 3am in AGONY, and throw up for 3 days straight. No Dr could figure out what it was! I’m pretty sure it was because of my fake meat habit. As soon as I stopped, the problem went away! That’s not to say that there isn’t room for a bit of fake meat when the mood strikes (very occasionally).
However, I agree that we should be celebrating the amazing tastes and textures of natures plant based food! I LOVE portabella mushie burgers! I cannot wait to try your recipe! Look sooo delish!
Fake is just another word for imitation. Imitation foods are never as excellent as the real thing and usually cost more at the store. I like the real thing, like portobello mushroom burgers. Youth of today just don’t seem to be as interested in cooking, as in my heyday. And yes, I am over 55 and love to cook. Favorite phrase “Smell that … that is the smell of love.”
I’m so glad to see this yummy recipe, I had forgotten I wanted to try (is it portabelllO or portabellA? Both of those got zapped by my spell-check! :0)) these as a burger. Looks sooo yummy! The fries look amazing as well, so glad to have stumbled upon your Blog today while Googling another chocolate thing!
When I hear “Fake Food”, my mind goes one place: GMO! So we should definitely save that word for food that really is fake!
Question – I’m not having a lot of luck getting the nutritional ‘stuff’ for the mushrooms, do they have any protein? If not I’m sort of running ideas for sides through my head.
Thanks and thank you for sharing your recipes, I will be back to check out more recipes!
Hi Amy,
Each burger has about 3.6g protein. Here are more nutrition facts: https://lett-trim.today/mushroom-burgers-nutrition-facts/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
Hi there! I run a food blog called Floptimism, and every Saturday I write a round-up of all of the amazing recipes, pictures, ideas, inspiration, etc. I’ve found on the web over the past week. I wanted to let you know that I loved this post so much – I completely agree that it’s much better to look at things like black bean burgers or portobello burgers as fun new recipes rather than wannabe-meat dishes – that I featured it in my post. I’ve included the link to the post in case you’re interested in checking it out. Either way, thank you for such an interesting read! Have a great weekend!
http://floptimism.blogspot.com/2013/07/weekend-wrap-up-progress.html
Thanks, Jess!
Portobello mushrooms or portabella mushrooms as they are more rightfully called, which range between four and six inches in width, are large enough to be a delicious filling in hamburger buns. Barbequed Portobello mushrooms are juicy and mouthwatering and the garlic and thyme used in these Portobello burgers really bring out the rich mushroom flavor. Once you have removed the dark gills of the Portobello mushrooms with a spoon, you are ready to generously brush the mushroom caps with the oil mixture. You can serve these grilled Portobello mushrooms as they are, in the bun, or you can add a little mayonnaise or salsa for some extra flavor.
I’ve fixed portabella mushrooms numerous ways from fajitas to stuffed to burgers. My husband was grilling them as burgers again today so I decided to try your marinade for something different. They were AWESOME! The marinade really took the burgers over the top. This recipe is a definite keeper. I’d like to mention that I use organic Tamari soy sauce in recipes – it’s so much better than the regular bottled stuff and worth the extra cost. Thanks again for sharing such a great recipe!
Aw, you look so pretty!! Nice to see your lovely face! 🙂 Thanks for this recipe… you never disappoint!
Oh wow, these look yummy, I will definitely be making these soon, thanks for posting!!
http://cakesplanesandthingymabobs.blogspot.com
These mushrooms were amazing! Such terrific flavor, my carnivores gobbled them up and asked for seconds. Thank you, Katie, for another great healthy recipe.
Wowww that looks SO good. I wish I could get those mushrooms >_<
These were fantastic; they had the perfect favor and texture! I used the four-serving marinade to make only two burgers, however, and let them soak for about 5 hours. I’m unsure if it was due to either of these two factors or if mushrooms naturally do shrink, but my mushrooms shrank A LOT upon grilling – they were like sliders! Nevertheless, I’ll make sure to buy bigger mushrooms next time!