The weather here in northeast Ohio has been super wonky the last couple of weeks. It’s been warm, then cold, and then straight up hot the next day. Repeat this cycle for a month or so and you’ve got “spring” in Cleveland. I’m hopeful warmer weather plans to stick around for a while. I could do without the 80˚ days so early in the season, but I’ll take what I can get. I’m ready to fire up the grill, make s’mores in the backyard, and enjoy a cool beverage in the evening air — and repeat this as many times as possible over the summer!
I have a secret to divulge. I’ve never had a portobello burger. At least not until a couple weeks ago anyway. When I make my grocery list for the week, I do so based on the meals we plan. And I plan my meals on two things: 1) my training schedule (aka no high fiber meals the evening before a run longer than 4 miles) and 2) the weather. If it’s hot out, I don’t want to be making a vegetable soup but if it’s cold I don’t want to be grilling brats. Make sense? During one of the warmer weeks we had in April, I made my grocery list according to said parameters and realized I wanted to be grilling that week. I’m not a huge meat person so I thought why not try something we had never had before? Enter portobello burgers.
When I set out to make portobello burgers (keep in mind I had never had one before), I knew I wanted the flavor to be a little zingy but sweet. Kind of like a really good pasta salad. You know the kind. The kind that has enough zing but not so much that it feels drenched in dressing. For my marinade, I experimented with salad dressing from the bottle (too generic), apple cider vinegar (too vinegary), and after several attempts, finally settled on using balsamic vinegar as the base.
O.M.G.
And I hope you think so, too…
Zingy Grilled Portobello Burgers
Ingredients
- 4 large portobello mushrooms (caps)
- 1/2 C balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 C olive oil
- 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp thyme
- 1 tsp basil
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1/4 tsp fine grain sea salt
- 1/8 tsp fresh ground pepper
Directions
Lightly brush dirt and debris from mushrooms with a mushroom brush and a little bit of water. Be careful not to soak the mushrooms as you do not want them to become water-logged. Set aside.
In a small bowl, combine balsamic vinegar and oil. Whisk until well combined. Add remaining ingredients and continue whisking until as uniform as possible.
Drizzle a little marinade on the bottom of a glass 8×8 baking dish. Make sure the bottom is covered. Place mushrooms in the dish and pour remaining marinade on top. Cover and refrigerate for 30-60 minutes (up to two hours).
Remove mushrooms from the refrigerator. Preheat the grill. Grill mushrooms for 5 minutes per side or until desired crispness is reached. Serve warm on a bun with desired condiments.
After eating this portobello burger, I honestly can’t believe it took me this long to have one. I feel like a whole world opened up when I took my first bite. Portobello burgers are easy to make, they’re absolutely delicious, and I had no guilt when I wanted more! I haven’t made my menu for this week yet… I’m thinking there may be more portobello burgers in my life.
I hope you enjoy this recipe for portobello burgers. It’s easy and delectable. Yum!
xo
TALK TO ME!
Have YOU had portobello burgers before?
What’s your favorite burger topping?
Linking up with Confessions of a Mother Runner and The Fit Foodie Mama for Meatless Monday.
