Grilled portobello burgers are a great vegetarian alternative to traditional meats, but they can easily fall flat. Though the grill adds delicious char, plain grilled mushrooms can be boring. We wanted boldly flavored grilled portobello burgers that were easy to make. The first thing to do was marinate our mushrooms in olive oil and red wine vinegar seasoned with garlic, salt, and pepper. The second was to create a tangy, cheesy filling that would fit into the domed shape of a portobello that is perfect for stuffing. Then, while the mushrooms marinated, we set up the grill.
Once the mushrooms were nicely charred, we packed them with our feta and sun-dried tomato mixture and put them back on the grill until the filling was warmed through. We served these hearty burgers on keto-friendly lettuce wraps. And we didn’t stop there: A summery lemon-basil mayonnaise finished this rich, satisfying dish with hints of tart and sweet. Use portobello mushroom caps measuring 4 to 5 inches in diameter. We find it best to use a spoon to scrape the gills off the underside of the portobellos.
Jump to RecipeInstructions :
- Using sharp knife, cut ¼-inch slits, spaced ½ inch apart, in crosshatch pattern on surface (non-cupped side) of mushrooms. Combine oil, vinegar, garlic, salt, and pepper in 1-gallon zipper-lock bag. Add mushrooms, press out air, seal bag, turn bag to coat mushrooms, and let sit for 15 minutes.
- Combine feta and tomatoes in bowl. Whisk mayonnaise, basil, and lemon juice together in separate bowl.
3A. For a charcoal grill : Open bottom vent completely. Light large chimney starter filled with charcoal briquettes (6 quarts). When top coals are partially covered with ash, pour evenly over grill. Set cooking grate in place, cover, and open lid vent completely. Heat grill until hot, about 5 minutes.
3B. For a gas grill : Turn all burners to high, cover, and heat grill until hot, about 15 minutes. Leave all burners on high. - Clean and oil cooking grate. Remove mushrooms from marinade, reserving any excess marinade. Place mushrooms cupped side up on grill and cook until mushrooms have released their liquid and are charred on first side, 4 to 6 minutes. Flip mushrooms, brush with reserved marinade, and continue to cook until charred on second side, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Transfer mushrooms cupped side up to plate and divide feta mixture evenly among caps, packing it down with your hand. Return mushrooms to grill, feta side up, and cook, covered, until heated through, about 3 minutes.
- Stack lettuce leaves together to create 4 lettuce wraps. Serve mushrooms on wraps, topped evenly with sauce.
Grilled Portobello Burgers
Ingredients
- 4 portobello mushroom caps 3 ounces each, gills removed
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 garlic clove minced
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 4 ounces feta cheese crumbled (1 cup)
- ½ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes patted dry and chopped
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise
- ⅓ cup chopped fresh basil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 8 large iceberg lettuce leaves
Instructions
- Using sharp knife, cut ¼-inch slits, spaced ½ inch apart, in crosshatch pattern on surface (non-cupped side) of mushrooms. Combine oil, vinegar, garlic, salt, and pepper in 1-gallon zipper-lock bag. Add mushrooms, press out air, seal bag, turn bag to coat mushrooms, and let sit for 15 minutes.
- Combine feta and tomatoes in bowl. Whisk mayonnaise, basil, and lemon juice together in separate bowl.
- 3A. For a charcoal grill : Open bottom vent completely. Light large chimney starter filled with charcoal briquettes (6 quarts). When top coals are partially covered with ash, pour evenly over grill. Set cooking grate in place, cover, and open lid vent completely. Heat grill until hot, about 5 minutes.
- 3B. For a gas grill : Turn all burners to high, cover, and heat grill until hot, about 15 minutes. Leave all burners on high.
- Clean and oil cooking grate. Remove mushrooms from marinade, reserving any excess marinade. Place mushrooms cupped side up on grill and cook until mushrooms have released their liquid and are charred on first side, 4 to 6 minutes. Flip mushrooms, brush with reserved marinade, and continue to cook until charred on second side, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Transfer mushrooms cupped side up to plate and divide feta mixture evenly among caps, packing it down with your hand. Return mushrooms to grill, feta side up, and cook, covered, until heated through, about 3 minutes.
- Stack lettuce leaves together to create 4 lettuce wraps. Serve mushrooms on wraps, topped evenly with sauce.