Grilled portobello mushrooms are a flavorful vegetarian alternative to burgers, with a meaty texture that holds up well on the grill. A simple homemade marinade of olive oil, soy sauce, lemon juice, and optional balsamic vinegar adds savory flavor and helps keep the mushrooms juicy while cooking.
Whether served on a bun, as a meatless main dish, or alongside your favorite grilled foods, this easy recipe is a great addition to your grilling menu.
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🤔 TL;DR — Recipe Summary
What it is: Meaty, flavorful grilled portobello mushrooms with a simple homemade marinade.
Why you'll love it: Intense savory flavor with easy prep and about 10 minutes on the grill after marinating.
Uses: Perfect as a vegetarian burger, meatless main dish, or grilled side dish.
Why marinating works: The soy sauce and olive oil marinade adds savory flavor and helps keep the mushrooms juicy while grilling.
🍄 Ingredients
- Portobello mushrooms — Large mushroom caps with a meaty texture that hold up well on the grill. Remove the stems but leave the gills to absorb more marinade and flavor.
- Olive oil — Forms the base of the marinade and helps keep the mushrooms moist.
- Soy sauce — Adds savory umami flavor. Use tamari for a gluten-free option.
- Lemon juice — Adds brightness and balances the richness of the mushrooms.
- Seasonings — Garlic powder, kosher salt, and black pepper. Optional additions include cayenne pepper, rosemary, and fresh thyme.
- Balsamic vinegar — Optional for a slightly sweeter, deeper flavor.
👨🍳 Quick Overview: Grilled Marinated Portobello Mushrooms
Here's the brief step-by-step process. See the recipe card below for complete instructions, ingredient amounts, and tips.
1. Prepare the marinade and portobello mushrooms
Wash and pat dry the mushroom caps, then remove the stem but leave the gills to absorb more marinade and flavor.
2. Coat the mushroom and marinate
Brush the top of the mushrooms with a generous amount of marinade. Flip over and brush the bottom. Pour any remainder into the bottom of the mushrooms. Cover and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours.
3. Grill
Grill over direct high heat on well-oiled grates or in a grill pan. Start with the gill side up (crown side down) to help hold the marinade. Grill for 4 to 5 minutes per side until tender.
4. Serve
Serve on a bun as a vegetarian burger, as a meatless main dish, or as a flavorful side dish.
🥣 Portobello Mushroom Marinade
The easy portobello mushroom marinade combines olive oil, soy sauce, lemon juice, and seasonings to add flavor while helping the mushrooms stay juicy on the grill.
Soy sauce adds savory umami flavor, while lemon juice brightens the taste and balances the richness of the mushrooms.
Marinate the mushrooms for 1 to 2 hours for the best flavor. Since mushrooms absorb liquid quickly, longer marinating times generally don't add much benefit.
A small amount of balsamic vinegar can be added for a slightly sweeter, deeper flavor, but it is optional. The marinade works well with or without it.
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🍽️ Serving
Serve on a bun as a vegetarian burger or as a meatless main dish. For a complete grilled meal, pair with Grilled Mixed Vegetables, Grilling Asparagus, Grilled Baby Red Potatoes, or Grilled Pineapple.
If serving as a side dish, grilled portobello mushrooms also pair well with Grilled Burger, Ground Chicken Burgers, Grilling Pork Tenderloin, or other grilled meats.
❄️ How to Store Leftover Grilled Portobello Mushrooms
Store leftover grilled portobello mushrooms in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reheat in the microwave, oven, air fryer, or briefly on the grill until warm. Freezing is not recommended since the texture becomes soft and watery when thawed.
❓FAQs
Wash and pat dry the mushroom caps. Remove the stem, but leave the gills in place. While the gills are sometimes removed in other recipes for appearance, they help absorb the marinade and add flavor when grilling.
Start grilling with the smooth top (crown side) down. The gill side will hold some of the marinade while the mushrooms cook. After flipping, any remaining liquid will drain away.
No. For grilled portobello mushrooms, leaving the gills helps absorb the marinade and adds flavor. They are usually removed only when their dark color is undesirable in other dishes.
Marinate for 1 to 2 hours for the best flavor. Since mushrooms absorb liquid quickly, longer marinating times add little additional benefit.
No. The marinade has plenty of flavor from the olive oil, soy sauce, lemon juice, and seasonings. Balsamic vinegar is optional and adds a slightly sweeter, deeper flavor.
📖The Recipe Card
Grilled Portobello Mushrooms with Simple Marinade
Ingredients
- 2 large portobello mushrooms
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar (optional)
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Wash and pat dry the mushroom caps. Remove the stem, but leave the gills.
- Mix marinade of 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Optional additions are cayenne pepper, rosemary, and fresh thyme.
- Brush the top of the mushrooms with a generous amount of marinade. Flip over and brush the bottom. Pour any remainder into the bottom of the mushrooms. Cover and refrigerate for 1-2 hours.
- Grill over direct high heat on well-oiled grates or in a grill pan. Start with the smooth top (crown side) down. Grill for 4 to 5 minutes per side until tender.
- Serve on a bun as a vegetarian burger, as a meatless main dish, or as a flavorful side dish.
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips
- You need large relatively fresh portobello mushrooms for this recipe.The cooking time matches grilled burgers well, making these a great vegetarian option at cookouts.
- The cooking time matches grilled burgers well, making these a great vegetarian option at cookouts.
- Cook until tender with good grill marks. Use the timing as a guide and adjust as needed.
- Adjust the marinade to your taste with balsamic vinegar, cayenne pepper, rosemary, or fresh thyme.
Your Own Private Notes
To adjust the recipe size:
You can adjust the number of servings above; however, only the amount in the ingredient list is adjusted, not the instructions.
Nutrition Estimate (may vary)
Editor's Note: Originally Published August 13, 2017. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.
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