Grilled Portobello Burger

I must admit - I might be biased on this one. I *love* portobello burgers. Or rather, I just love mushrooms of all kinds. But even for the more discerning mushroom eaters out there, I think these are worth trying. It's not because it's a meat substitute... it's just because it's good. This is a delicious meal all by itself without the need for comparing it to other things or sticking it in a group. 

The trick here, of course, is marinating the mushrooms. Give them time to soak up the delicious flavors of balsamic vinegar, rosemary, and more, before grilling them. Don't worry, while the marinading takes a few minutes to sit, the rest comes together quite quickly. I then served my mushrooms with cheese, tomato, and aioli, all of which are in the menu below, but you should feel free to embellish however you like. Grilled (or not) red onion, leafy greens of some sort, and avocado would all be great additions as well!

Time: 50 min

Grilled Portobello Burger

Ingredients:

4 portobello burger caps

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp low sodium soy sauce

1 tbsp olive oil

2 tsp dried rosemary (or 1 tbs fresh, diced)

4 onion rolls (or other buns)

4 extra thin slices cheese (I used Monterey Jack)

1 tbsp ketchup, no sodium added

1 tbsp low-fat mayo

1 tbsp creole mustard (or creole honey mustard)

tomatoes

Clean and prep the portobellos. Lightly blot them dry.

Mix together the balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, olive oil, and rosemary. Place the mushrooms in a flat dish (I used a glass baking dish) just big enough to hold them and pour the marinade over them. Let sit for 30 min, flipping the mushrooms and swishing the marinade over them again halfway through.

When the mushrooms have 5-10 min to go, get your grill heating to medium. When the time is up, remove the mushrooms from the marinade and grill, 5-10 min per side, depending on the size of the caps. You want them to be tender but still hold their shape. Use the rest of the marinade to baste regularly throughout this process.

While the mushrooms are cooking, place a slice of cheese on the bottom half of each roll and lightly toast them. Mix together the ketchup, mayo, and mustard to make a Creole Aioli. Spread that over the top half of each bun.

When the mushrooms are ready, place one on each roll and top with fresh tomato. Enjoy!