Portobello Burger with Caramelized Balsamic Tomatoes

Portobello mushroom caps are marinated in olive oil, balsamic , garlic and honey and roasted in the oven (or you could grill them) served on toasty buns and topped with melty provolone cheese and caramelized tomatoes . Add your favorite toppings like lettuce and onions.

I just spent 8 glorious days on the beaches of Cabo San Lucas. Sun filled days of swimming (even with the dolphins!) relaxing and eating copious amounts of delicious Mexican food. Yes, it was a week of over the top carnitas tacos, nachos, fresh fish, coconut slices and “skinny “margaritas. All absolutely delicious and fully enjoyed, but one thing was sorely lacking in my diet last week…My VEGGIES!

Veggies are pretty much a staple for me on most days so to go without for a week is tough! I did manage to sneak in a few fresh jicama slices (topped with a squeeze of lime and a sprinkle of chili powder(delish! prepared this way) when the urge for that crunchy veggie snap was just too powerful. Yes, of course they have veggies in Mexico, it’s just not advised to partake due to the difference in water sanitation etc.

So, needless to say, now that I am home, its been all about VEGGIES! like this Portobello burger with caramelized balsamic tomatoes.

Hearty portobello mushrooms make a great low-calorie alternative to traditional hamburgers. One Portobello (approx. 4 oz.) has roughly 25 calories vs. about 375 in the same amount of ground beef. With all the flavor going on in this burger even your most staunch meat eaters won’t miss the beef.

This is a super simple recipe that requires very little hands on time.

Marinating the mushrooms is the first step. I like to remove the stem and the gills of the mushroom. To remove the gills use a teaspoon and gently scrape the gills, careful not to apply to much pressure and break the mushroom.

The marinade is serving double purpose in this recipe. First to marinate the mushrooms and second to coat the tomatoes before roasting. I find it easiest to use a big ziplock bag for the marinating because it’s easy to flip over and make sure the mushrooms are evenly coated. If you prefer you can use a bowl and spoon marinade over the mushrooms , flipping the mushrooms throughout the process.

Once the mushrooms have marinated (at least 15 min.) you’ll use the remaining marinade to drizzle over the cut cherry tomatoes. Both the mushrooms and the tomatoes go into the oven for roasting. For this recipe I’m selecting to roast the mushrooms since it’s one less step. The mushrooms and tomatoes take about the same time in the oven so it’s super easy. If you prefer you can absolutely grill the mushrooms or even cook on the stove top in a covered fry pan (add a small amount of water to fry pan add mushroom and cook covered 5 min. each side ).

Roasting the tomatoes with the honey balsamic marinade gives them a caramelized sweetness. If you’d like the skins of the tomatoes to have a little charring, zap them under the broiler for the last couple minutes of cooking.

Toast the buns and layer each with one portobello mushroom and top with a slice of provolone cheese (or your favorite type), the caramelized tomatoes, and any of your favorite toppings (like lettuce and onions).

Yum, Yum, Veggie goodness!

Portobello Burger with Caramelized Balsamic Tomatoes

Susan Randall

5 from 2 votes

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Servings 2 servings

Ingredients

  

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• ▢ 2 medium Portobello mushrooms
• ▢ 3 Tablespoons olive oil
• ▢ 3 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• ▢ 1 tablespoon honey
• ▢ 2 teaspoon minced garlic
• ▢ Salt and pepper to taste
• ▢ 1 cup cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes
• ▢ 2 slices Provolone cheese optional
• ▢ 2 hamburger buns toasted (toasting is optional)
• ▢ Optional garnish lettuce, onions etc.

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with foil and set aside.
• Clean mushrooms and remove stems and gills.
• In a small bowl combine olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey , garlic and salt and pepper. Pour the balsamic mixture into a zip-lock bag with mushrooms. Shake gently to coat the mushroom. Let marinate for at least 15 min. (as an alternative you can use a bowl or rimmed dish and spoon marinade over mushrooms) .
• Cut tomatoes in half and place in a pyrex or other oven safe dish. Salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
• When mushrooms have finished marinating, remove from zip-lock (reserving marinade) and place open side up on foil lined baking sheet. Pour remaining marinade over dish of tomatoes.
• Bake both for 20 min. (turning mushrooms over after 10 min.) until mushrooms are fully cooked and tomatoes are slightly browned . ( Broil for the last couple of minutes if you like your tomatoes more charred).
• Cut buns in half, place bottom layer on a plate. Assemble burgers by layering on the bun, one Portobello mushroom, a slice of provolone cheese (if using) and top with half of the caramelized tomatoes and top half of bun. Add any garnish you like (lettuce, onions etc.)

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