Grilled Portobello Mushrooms
on May 22, 2023, Updated Jul 10, 2024
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An easy basting sauce turns these big, "meaty" portobello mushroom caps into a beautiful grilled dish or mushroom burger.
A grilled portobello mushroom is just the thing when you want some slightly meaty satisfaction in your vegetables. You can serve them on a bun as a kind of portobello mushroom burger, with condiments or maybe a sauce like feta sauce or a creamy dill sauce. Some lettuce, onion, and a slice of tomato will make it feel even more like a burger!
Or just serve them as a side or part of a larger assort of grilled veggies. Think of adding these to your next BBQ menu — they are a great grilling alternative to meat for vegans and vegetarians, and most meat eaters love them as well! Also, think about Grilled Cauliflower Steaks, which are similarly substantial and satisfying.
The mushrooms are just plain delicious on their own, but you can give them a brush of Basil Oil or Garlic Oil as you remove them from the grill for even more flavor.
Table of Contents
An easy basting sauce turns these big, “meaty” portobello mushroom caps into a beautiful grilled dish.
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Preparing Portabellos for Grilling
Portobello mushrooms can range greatly in size, from 3 to about 6 inches. Any size works fine on the grill. The whole mushroom is completely edible and very versatile. Many people find that the taste and texture of portobellos are reminiscent of meat, and so vegetarians are fond of this type of mushroom as it can provide that eating satisfaction and meaty texture without the actual meat part.
Make sure to trim the stem and wipe the mushroom caps with a damp paper towel to remove any dirt before grilling. Portobello mushrooms take well to all kinds of marinades, but you should brush on the marinade vs. allowing the mushrooms to sit in the marinade for an extended amount of time, which could make the mushrooms very soggy. Mushrooms are very porous, so they absorb flavor well but also absorb liquid quickly. See below for marinade suggestions.
Ingredients for Grilled Portobello Mushrooms
- Large portobello mushrooms – This recipe only uses the mushroom caps, though the stems can also be delicious. Try using the stems in a quiche or a quesadilla.
- Olive oil – Helps the mushrooms brown up on the grill.
- Worcestershire – Substitute in soy sauce if you’re making a totally vegan or vegetarian meal. Both options give the mushrooms a meaty, umami flavor.
- Minced garlic – Another perfect seasoning for mushrooms.
- Salt and black pepper – Season these thick mushrooms with a generous amount of salt and pepper on the top and the bottom.
How to Grill Portobello Mushrooms
- Trim: Trim the bottoms of stems from the mushrooms. Toss or save them for stock.
- Make the sauce: In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, Worcestershire or soy sauce (make sure to use soy sauce if you want to keep these vegan/vegetarian), garlic, salt, and pepper. Brush the mushrooms on both sides with the basting sauce.
- Season: Sprinkle the mushrooms with a bit of additional salt and pepper.
- Grill: Preheat the grill to medium-high. Grill the mushrooms for about 4 to 5 minutes total per side, turning them as needed so that they brown nicely and evenly. Baste with the remaining marinade as they cook.
- Serve: Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.
FAQs
A portobello mushroom is done cooking when it has reduced in size, the texture has become soft instead of spongy, and the outside is browned. Luckily, portobello mushrooms are safe to eat raw, so you don’t have to be afraid of undercooking. Generally, when the mushroom starts to brown and char and seems tender, it’s done.
It is generally recommended to grill the inside, or the gills side, of a portobello mushroom first. This way, while the mushroom cooks on the second side, any flavorful juices can gather inside the cup of the mushroom and be retained when eating.
Variations on Grilled Portobello Mushrooms
- You could swap in a different marinade for the simple one in this recipe to spice up your grilled mushrooms. Try this Lemon Garlic Marinade, Ginger, Mint, and Lime Marinade, or a Jamaican Jerk-Style Marinade.
- Try serving these grilled mushrooms sliced over a salad. These portobellos would be great added to a composed Grilled Chicken Salad or with a Caesar Salad.
- You can also make grilled portobellos with an indoor grill pan, in which case you would do everything the same with the pan on high heat. (It might take a minute longer for the mushrooms to get brown because a grill pan will never get as hot as a real grill.)
What to Serve With Grilled Portobello Mushrooms
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Grilled Portobello Mushrooms
Equipment
Ingredients
- 6 large portobello mushroom caps
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire or soy sauce (optional; use soy sauce for a vegan/vegetarian version)
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Wipe the portobello mushroom caps clean with a damp paper towel.
- In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, Worcestershire or soy sauce, garlic, salt, and pepper. Brush the mushrooms on both sides with the basting sauce. Sprinkle the mushrooms with a bit of additional salt.
- Preheat the grill to medium-high. Grill the mushrooms for about 4 to 5 minutes total per side, turning them as needed so that they brown nicely and evenly. Baste with the remaining marinade as they cook.
- Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.
