Portobello mushroom burgers
Meaty balsamic-marinated portobello caps seared until juicy, melted provolone on top, piled on toasted buns with pesto and roasted peppers.
- 30 min total
- 20 min hands-on
- Anyone can make this
- Serves 4
- About $3.19 a serving
- 370 calories
- Vegetarian
Dolly says: I’d make this on a weeknight. It’s on the table in 30 minutes.
Ingredients
For 4 servings.
- 4 portobello mushrooms
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 slices provolone slices
- 4 hamburger buns
- ¼ cup basil pesto
- ½ cup roasted red peppers, sliced
- 1 cup arugula
- 1 tomato, sliced (optional)
From your pantry
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- ¼ tsp black pepper
Each serving has about 370 calories, 13 g protein, 33 g carbs and 21 g fat, and costs about $3.19 at typical US grocery prices. Both are estimates from what the recipe uses.
Missing something?
- No provolone slices? Shredded mozzarella works.
- No arugula? Baby spinach or spring mix works.
- No tomatoes? Roma tomatoes work.
Steps
Tap an underlined word for a quick explanation.
Wipe the mushroom caps clean with a damp paper towel and twist out the stems. Scrape out the dark gills with a spoon if you like.
Dolly’s tip: Don’t rinse them. Mushrooms soak up water like sponges and then won’t brown.the oil, vinegar, soy sauce, garlic and pepper in a shallow dish. Turn the caps in it and let them sit 10 minutes.
Whisk. Whisking means beating quickly with a whisk or a fork to blend things together. It smooths out lumps and mixes eggs, oil or sauces evenly.
How you’ll know: It all looks one even color and texture, with no streaks or lumps.
Timer: 10 min
Heat a large over medium-high heat. Add the caps gill side down and without moving them for 5 minutes, until .
Skillet. A skillet is a frying pan: wide and flat with low, sloped sides. The shape lets steam escape, so food browns instead of stewing.
How you’ll know: It’s the pan you’d fry an egg in, and a 10 or 12 inch one handles most recipes.
Sear. Searing means cooking the outside of meat or fish in a hot pan, without moving it, until a deep brown crust forms. The crust is packed with flavor, and it only forms on a dry surface.
How you’ll know: It sizzles loudly the moment it goes in, and it lets go of the pan on its own when the crust is ready.
Brown. Browning means cooking until the outside turns brown, which is where a lot of savory flavor comes from. Give food room and time without stirring, or it steams and stays gray.
How you’ll know: The food looks brown rather than gray, and the kitchen smells toasty and savory.
Medium-high heatTimer: 5 min
Flip them, pour in any left in the dish and cook until tender and juicy when pressed, 4 to 5 minutes. Lay a of provolone on each, cover and let it , 1 minute.
Marinate. Marinating means letting food sit in a flavorful liquid, called a marinade, before you cook it. Always marinate in the fridge, and never reuse marinade from raw meat unless you boil it first.
How you’ll know: The food is coated all over, sealed in a bag or covered dish, and chilling in the fridge.
Slice. Slicing means cutting food into flat pieces of about the same thickness. Even slices cook evenly, so none are raw while others burn.
How you’ll know: Lay a few side by side: they’re close to the same thickness from one end to the other.
Melt. Melting means gently heating something solid, like butter or cheese, until it turns liquid. Low or medium heat keeps it from browning or burning.
How you’ll know: It’s smooth and liquid, and butter may foam a little but hasn’t turned brown.
Medium-high heatTimer: 5 min
Move the mushrooms to a plate. Toast the buns cut side down in the hot pan until , about 1 minute.
Golden brown. Golden brown is the color of good toast, somewhere between yellow and light brown. It means the outside is cooked and crisp but not burnt.
How you’ll know: It looks like toast and smells toasty; dark brown with a bitter smell means it went too far.
Medium heat
Spread the buns with pesto and build the burgers with arugula, a mushroom, peppers and tomato.
Roast. Roasting means cooking in a hot oven, around 400°F to 450°F, usually spread out on a sheet pan. The dry heat browns the outside and brings out sweetness, especially in vegetables.
How you’ll know: The edges are browned and a little crisp, and a fork slides easily into the thickest piece.
Plan this in Dollop, and get the grocery list
Dollop puts this dinner on a night that suits your week, lists only what you still need to buy, and walks you through each step while you cook.
