A portobello mushroom burger you’ll crave! A juicy grilled portobello, served on a soft bun with melty provolone, BBQ sauce and sautéed onions. So good!
This portobello mushroom burger is an easy recipe that we make often for dinner (or lunch!). It comes together super fast, and the flavor is outstanding, with quick caramelized onions, drippy BBQ sauce and a juicy seasoned mushroom.
I love cooking with portobellos because they have a delicious meaty flavor that makes them so satisfying. In this recipe, I season the mushrooms with a smoky spice mix, then cook them on the grill or in a grill pan. These mushroom burgers are one of our very favorite vegetarian meals. For more veggie burger recipes, try my Veggie Burger Recipe and Black Bean Burger Recipe.
Why You’ll Love this Portobello Mushroom Burger
- It’s a satisfying vegetarian meal. The mushrooms have an umami, meaty flavor that will leave you feeling satisfied. I like to serve these with a side dish that’s packed with plant-based protein, such as my Chickpea Salad, Quinoa Salad or Lentil Salad.
- Easy 25 minute recipe. These portobello mushroom burgers come together fast, and you’ll need just a few simple ingredients to make them.
- Recipe is easily customizable. See the recipe variations below for lots of delicious ideas for changing up the flavors.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here’s what you’ll need to make this portobello mushroom burger recipe:
- Portobello Mushrooms: Savory portobellos make a great stand in for meat in this vegetarian burger recipe.
- Sweet Yellow Onion: We sauté the onions to bring out their sweet, caramelized flavor.
- Olive Oil: For cooking the onion and brushing on the mushrooms before cooking.
- Seasonings: We season the portobellos with a smoky, savory mix of spices: smoked paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper.
- Provolone Cheese: I love the flavor of provolone with the mushrooms and BBQ sauce.
- Burger Buns: Use store-bought buns, or try my 1-hour Brioche Bun recipe.
- BBQ Sauce: Store-bought works great to save time, or make my Homemade BBQ Sauce recipe.
- Spinach: For a little something green!
Find the printable recipe with ingredient amounts below.
How to Make a Portobello Mushroom Burger
Sauté onions. Thinly slice the onion and cook it in olive oil in a skillet until very soft and lightly golden.
Season mushrooms. Wipe the portobellos clean with a damp towel. Pull out the stems and use a butter knife to scrape out the gills. Brush them with olive oil and sprinkle on the seasonings. Be sure to season both sides of the mushrooms.
Cook on an outdoor grill or grill pan for 4-6 minutes per side, until tender.
Assemble burgers. Top each mushroom with a slice of provolone cheese. Spread BBQ sauce over one half of each burger bun. Top each bun with a portobello, sautéed onions and spinach. Serve and enjoy!
Outdoor Grill or Grill Pan
I tested this recipe on our outdoor gas grill and also on a grill pan on the stove. We liked the portobello burgers best cooked on the outdoor grill, but they were delicious both ways. On the grill pan I found that I needed to put a lid on the pan to trap the heat to help the mushroom cook through, which made the mushrooms a bit soggy but not so much that we really minded. If using a grill pan, I recommend covering the pan for part of the cook time and then uncovering at the end.
Recipe Variations
I love playing around with recipes to change up the flavors! Here are some tasty ideas to try with this portobello recipe:
- Sauce: Swap the BBQ sauce for pesto sauce, balsamic glaze or a spicy mayo.
- Add Veggies: Roasted red peppers would be an amazing addition to this sandwich. You could also add grilled zucchini or avocado.
- Greens: Use baby arugula instead of spinach.
- Cheese: Swap the provolone for sharp cheddar, goat cheese or blue cheese.
- Classic: Use classic burger toppings, like mayo, lettuce, tomato and red onion.
More Easy Vegetarian Meals
I’m always on the lookout for more easy, tried-and-true vegetarian dinner ideas. If you’re the same, I think you’ll love these recipes:
- Portobello Mushroom Fajitas – A 30 minute meal!
- Lentil Soup – A hearty, full-flavored vegetarian soup.
- Vegetable Stir Fry – Loaded with colorful veggies coated in my best Stir Fry Sauce!
- Veggie Spaghetti – One of our favorite recipes for pasta night.
- Vegan Burrito Bowl – Flavorful and satisfying with rice, roasted sweet potatoes, guacamole, corn and beans.
Made this recipe? I’d truly appreciate if you leave a comment and star rating below! Your review will help others who want to try this recipe. Thank you! 💛
Portobello Mushroom Burger
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 small sweet yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 4 portobello mushrooms
- 1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 4 slices provolone cheese
- 4 burger buns
- ¼ cup BBQ Sauce
- 1 cup baby spinach
Instructions
- Cook onions: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the sliced onion and cook, stirring often, for 8-10 minutes until very soft and lightly golden. Set aside.
- Prepare portobellos: Wipe portobello mushrooms clean with a damp towel. Pull out the stems and use a butter knife to scrape out the gills.
- Brush both sides of the mushrooms with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Stir together the smoked paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Sprinkle the seasonings over both sides of the mushrooms.
- To cook on an outdoor grill: Heat an outdoor gas or charcoal grill to medium heat. Put the seasoned portobellos on the grill and cook for 4-6 minutes per side, or until tender (close the grill cover to trap the heat while cooking). Top each mushroom with a slice of provolone as soon as the burgers come off of the hot grill.
- To cook on the stove: Heat a little olive oil in a cast iron skillet or grill pan over medium heat. Cook the seasoned portobellos in the hot pan for 4-6 minutes per side, or until tender. (Place a lid on the pan as needed to help the mushrooms cook through. I usually cover the pan for the first half of the cook time, then uncover.) Top each mushroom with a slice of provolone as soon as the burgers come off of the hot pan.
- Assemble burgers: Spread 1 tablespoon of BBQ sauce over one half of each burger bun. Top each with a portobello, sautéed onions and spinach. Serve immediately.
