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These grilled portobello mushrooms are savory and smoky, topped with a caprese style topping of fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, and basil.
Alex and I are fabulously addicted to our grill. In fact, two of our favorite flavors are grilled and smoked: to us, any food with that flavor profile is unbeatable. Since most grilled recipes are heavy on the meat, each summer Alex and I play with ways to make veggie-centric grilled meals, since we eat about 90% vegetarian. And these caprese grilled portobello mushrooms are insanely satisfying: even for meat lovers! Keep reading for the recipe.
Making caprese grilled portobello mushrooms
So here we present: Part 1 of A Summer Grilled Meal. Alex’s sister had us over for dinner a few weeks ago, since we cannot pass up an opportunity to see our adorably cute nephews or have some her delicious eats. She’s got a knack for knowing how to accommodate 90% vegetarian types effortlessly. Among other things, she whipped up these grilled portobello mushrooms with a caprese topping: fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, and basil. They were a huge hit among vegetarians and meat-eaters alike.
Here, Alex and I have created our own version of that dish. We like these caprese grilled portobello mushrooms because they’re fairly easy to put together, delicious, and a great entree for a meatless grilled meal (which can sometimes be difficult to find). Portabello mushrooms themselves are not incredibly filling, so be mindful if you’re serving vegetarian guests – this is not equivalent to a burger! But adding the cheese topping provides some protein and makes them a bit more satisfying. Even so, I’d probably plan for two per person, depending on the amount of other food in your meal. Plus, they’re good enough that seconds will be in order!
How to grill portobello mushrooms
Portobello mushrooms are very easy to grill. For our grilled portobello mushrooms, we marinate them prior to grilling in a mixture of minced garlic, balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Let them stand for about 15 minutes while the grill is preheating. Before you marinade the mushrooms, make sure to remove the tough stems: this makes them easier to eat.
When the grill is ready, here’s how to grill portobello mushrooms: Place the mushrooms on grill and cook them for about 5 minutes per side, until juicy. That’s it! The mushrooms will release quite a bit of liquid and become charred and delicious.
And that’s how to make grilled portobello mushrooms! How about you? We’d love to hear your thoughts and suggestions on meatless grilled meals!
Looking for more grilling ideas?
Outside of these caprese grilled portobello mushrooms, here are a few more grilling ideas:
- Best Grilled Veggie Burger
- Grilled Vegetable Pasta
- BBQ Grilled Cauliflower (or Grilled Cauliflower)
- Greek Grilled Portobello Burger
- Grilled Eggplant with Herbed Quinoa
- Grilled Cauliflower Steak with Corn Salsa
- Grilled Corn on the Cob | How to Roast Corn on the Grill
- Grilled Buffalo Cauliflower Sandwich
- Grilled Veggie Fajitas
- Pesto Portobello Mushroom Burger
- Tomato & Grilled Eggplant Stacked Sandwich
- Grilled Teriyaki Mango Skewers
- Loaded Grilled Nachos
- Grilled Eggplant Salad with Yogurt
- Greek Grilled Veggie Skewers
- Grilled Carrots with Lime and Cilantro
- Grilled Romaine Lettuce
- Simple Grilled Paella
- 100 Grilling Recipes
- Mint Pesto Grilled Cheese on the Grill
This grilled portobello mushrooms recipe is…
Vegetarian and gluten-free.
Caprese Grilled Portobello Mushrooms
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 to 6 1x
Description
These grilled portobello mushrooms are savory and smoky, topped with a caprese style topping of fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, and basil.
Ingredients
- 8 portabello mushroom caps
- 2 garlic cloves
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 8 ounces fresh mozzarella (in small balls, if possible)
- 1 large tomato
- 10 leaves basil
- Kosher salt
- Fresh ground pepper
Instructions
- Preheat a grill to medium high (or preheat an oven to 425°F).
- Remove the stems from the portabello mushrooms. Mince the garlic. In a small bowl, mix the garlic with the balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Place the mushrooms on a baking sheet. Using a brush, brush the front and back of each mushroom with the marinade. Sprinkle with kosher salt and pepper, and let stand for about 15 minutes.
- Chop the mozzarella into ¼ inch chunks. Finely dice the tomatoes; place them in a colander to drain and sprinkle with kosher salt. Thinly slice (chiffonade) the basil.
- When the grill is ready, place the mushrooms on grill (or in a grill pan) and cook about 5 minutes per side, until juicy. (Alternative method: Roast the mushrooms in a baking dish in the oven for about 15 minutes at 425°F, turning once.)
- Remove the mushrooms from the grill. Top with chopped tomatoes, mozzarella, basil, and a drizzle of olive oil.
Notes
Adapted from I Can Cook That
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Grilled
- Cuisine: Italian Inspired
I was a vegetarian for about 13 years. I fell off the wagon HARD for a couple years, hah! Now I eat meat a couple of times a week, and I eat it at home where I know where I purchased it and can prepare it in a healthy way.
Are you guys planning on sharing some of your non vegetarian recipes on the blog?
Thanks for the comment! I’m not sure if we’ll share any non-vegetarian recipes or not. We tend to have a lot more fun being creative with veggie items. Glad to know you’d be interested though!
I like the term 90% vegetarian. People are looking to find balance in eating whole foods, and I think giving examples of eating styles that focus primarily on veggies is super inviting, and oh-so healthy. Love this recipe, too. It’s going right into one of my Real Food Whole Life Meal Plans this week!
kinda ridiculous, either you are or you’re not
(What do you think of the new term, 90% vegetarian)
LOVE veggies on the grill! Just makes them taste a little bit more outdoorsy, you know? : )
What a great combination. Two of my favourite foods in one recipe! There are loads of veggie options for barbecues – just most people don’t think about it.
I love portobellos and caprese salad, and these look just perfect! I recently made grilled portobello tacos, another idea for a filling meatless entree.
It’s not healthy to eat meat every day (and I am a butcher so me saying that is saying something!). It’s healthy to eat a balance of foods so why feel you have to put a percentage on it! Just eat what you want and feel good doing it- that requires no labels at all! They look yummy, I love portobello mushrooms.