How long it takes: about 35 minutes Equipment you’ll need: grill or grill pan Servings: 4 large mushrooms We like these mushrooms as a side dish for grilled chicken, but I’ve always been a huge mushroom fan and I could easily make a meal out of these babies with a nice big leafy salad. They’re perfect for Meatless Mondays, too!
Fabulous Grilled Portobellos
Endless ways to enjoy them. People say that portobellos are the steak of the mushroom world, and just like strips of steak, you can use these grilled portobello mushrooms as an addition to meal bowls, tacos, salads, and more. I share some of my favorite ideas later in this post! Filled or unfilled: you have options! You can marinate the mushrooms, grill them up, and serve them as is, OR you can stuff them with creamy cheese and spinach for a satisfying vegetarian main dish. A flavorful marinade. Portobello mushrooms really benefit from the addition of a sauce or marinade, and this marinade is delicious and incredibly easy to whip up. You might even have all the ingredients you need already!
Ingredient Notes
Portobello Mushrooms: When buying mushrooms, look for ones that are dry, firm, and smell earthy but not funky. Balsamic Vinegar: Use a syrupy aged balsamic vinegar if you can; these lean sweeter than the thinner, younger varieties, and they also have much more depth. Olive Oil: No need for anything fancy here! A cooking olive oil (as opposed to extra-virgin olive oil) will do. Dried Thyme: If you happen to have fresh thyme on hand, you can use that, but there’s no need to go out and buy fresh if you don’t! Seasoning: Garlic powder, kosher salt, and coarse ground black pepper add all the flavor you need and they are easy pantry items. Optional: Fresh parsley or basil for garnish.
For the Optional Filling
Cream Cheese: Soften the brick of cream cheese so it’s easy to mix in the other ingredients. Simply take it out of the refrigerator an hour ahead of time. You can use a reduced-fat cream cheese if you’d like, but I don’t recommend fat-free. Parmesan Cheese: Freshly grated is best but packaged shreds will also work. Shelf-stable grated Parmesan cheese is my last choice—it doesn’t melt as smoothly as the others. Garlic: Mince the garlic cloves or push it through a garlic press. Fresh Spinach: You can use frozen spinach if you have it on hand, but you’ll need to thaw it first, then wrap it in a cheesecloth or paper towels and wring out all the excess moisture.
How to Make Grilled Portobello Mushrooms
Prepare the mushrooms. Twist off the stems, scrape the gills from the bottom sides of the mushrooms, and brush dirt off the tops of the mushrooms. A soft brush usually does the trick but if you have some stubborn bits of dirt, you can use a damp paper towel to loosen them. Make the marinade. Whisk the vinegar and oil with the seasonings until the mixture emulsifies. Alternatively, you can combine everything in a jar and give it a good shake. Marinate. Arrange the mushrooms in a shallow dish with the top side up; do your best to fit them in an even layer. Brush both sides with the marinade (I like to use a silicone brush because it doesn’t absorb the mixture as much as bristles), then marinate for up to 15 minutes at room temperature. You can pour the extra marinade into the wells of the mushrooms. Cook. Near the end of the marinating time, begin preheating your grill or grill pan. Set the mushrooms on the grill and cook for 5 to 7 minutes on each side, or until they’re easily pierced with a fork or knife. Carefully baste the portobellos with the marinade as you grill them. Serve. Plate the grilled portobello mushrooms and garnish with fresh herbs.
Tips and Variations
Choose the right mushroom shape. If you’re planning on stuffing the grilled portobello mushrooms, look for portobellos that have edges along the bottom to hold the cheese mixture in place. You’ll see that some mushrooms are flatter than others on the bottom—you don’t want the flat ones because the filling can slide off once it starts melting on the grill. Make sure your mushrooms are roughly the same size. This isn’t always possible because sometimes grocery stores only have a few portobellos to choose from, or they’re all pre-packaged. But if you can, buy mushrooms that are the same size and shape, as this will ensure that they all finish cooking at the same time. Don’t wash the mushrooms in the sink. I know it’s tempting, but resist the urge to submerge or rinse! You can use a damp paper towel to clean the mushrooms, but rinsing them under water or submerging them in a bowl to clean them will have them soaking up water—which means they won’t have room to soak up your marinade. Make them ahead. If you want to get a head start on this recipe, you can whisk together the marinade and marinate the mushrooms in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Cover the dish and turn the mushrooms occasionally. Tweak the filling. Add chopped artichoke hearts for spinach artichoke stuffed mushrooms, or swap the Parmesan for gouda to give this recipe a different spin.
Serving Ideas
Make them into burgers. Serve them on ciabatta rolls with a slice of melted cheese (havarti is excellent!), arugula, and balsamic reduction. Slice them up for tacos. Tuck the grilled portobello slices into tortillas with black bean corn salsa and cotija cheese. Add them to meal bowls and salads. They’d be excellent with warm kale salad or quinoa bowls. Serve them as a side dish. Since you’re grilling anyway, pair them with grilled salmon.
Storage & Reheating
Refrigerate: Transfer leftovers to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days, or for up to 2 days if you’ve made the mushrooms with the spinach cream cheese stuffing. Freeze: You can freeze unstuffed grilled portobello mushrooms in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw them in the refrigerator before reheating. Reheat: I recommend warming up these mushrooms in a skillet set over medium heat, but the microwave will work in a pinch. You can also set them on the countertop for a few minutes to come to room temperature—this is a great option if you’re using them in a salad or sandwich. Interested in a weekly meal plan that includes this recipe? Take a look at Meal Plan #87. You’ll find a wholesome recipe for each weekday plus a categorized grocery list. We add a new meal plan weekly. Quick-Start Guide!
