The first time I had a really amazing vegan portobello burger was at a hotel pool bar. The grilled portobello burger was their only vegan item on the menu and I wasn’t so excited about it, but I was hungry. After one bite, I was completely sold and it has since become one of my favorite vegan bbq options.

I also love to make these vegan portobello mushroom burgers in the kitchen for dinner, it’s really easy to make whether you are pan cooking or grilling. The vegan mushroom burgers are also healthy and nutrient packed option.

One of my favorite combinations of condiments for portobello burger is this sundried tomato spread and pesto combo, but you can swap it out for whichever spread you like. We also have an excellent burger sauce recipe which would be a good alternative.

So grab some big meaty portobello mushrooms and let’s get cooking!

Make sure to check out our vegan lunch ideas.

Portobello Burger (Vegan) Ingredients

To make the main part of the portobello burgers you’ll need:

• Portobello Mushrooms
• Red Wine Vinegar
• Soy Sauce
• Olive Oil
• Garlic – Fresh or Granulated
• Dried Rosemary
• Dried Thyme
• Pinch of Hot Paprika (Optional)
• Burger Buns

For the sundried tomato spread you’ll need:

• Either vegan Greek yogurt, Silken Tofu, or Vegan Mayonnaise as the base
• Sundried Tomatoes
• Granulated Garlic
• Black Pepper
• Lemon Juice

For the pesto, you can either buy ready made or make homemade – full recipe here – for which you’ll need:

• Garlic
• Basil
• Sunflower Seeds
• Nutritional Yeast Flakes
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Salt and Pepper

Additional toppings:

• Lettuce
• Tomato Slices
• Red Onion

How to Make a Portobello Mushroom Burger

Portobello Mushroom Burger Marinade

To make the portobello mushroom burgers, whisk together the red wine vinegar, soy sauce, olive oil, garlic, rosemary, thyme and hot paprika if using.

Remove the stems from the mushroom caps and put them, gill side up into a some sort of dish with raised sides. You’ll need 4 to six mushrooms depending on the size of the mushrooms.

Pour the marinade over and around the mushrooms so that both the top and the bottom are in the marinade. Let it marinade for around 30 minutes, flipping the mushrooms once or twice.

If you want to prep ahead of time you can also cover the dish and refrigerate until you are ready to cook them.

Sun Dried Tomato Spread

For the sun dried tomato spread you can use vegan Greek yogurt, silken tofu, or vegan mayo as the base. I’ve made it with all of them before and they are all good option.

The vegan mayo will produce the creamiest spread but it’s also the least healthy option. Choose whichever fits your lifestyle.

For the sun dried tomato spread, if you are using non oil packed sun dried tomatoes and don’t have the strongest blender, you may want to rehydrate the sun dried tomatoes by covering them in boiling water and letting them sit for a half hour or so.

Blend together all the ingredients of the spread and it’s done.

Vegan Pesto

You can buy ready made pesto or make your own. We have a quick and easy nut free pesto recipe you can try.

It’s really easy to make it. In your food processor, chop the garlic, basil, sunflower seeds, nutritional yeast. Drizzle in the olive oil while the food processor is on. Take out your pesto and season with salt and pepper. Click the link above to get the full recipe.

How to Cook Portobello Mushroom Burgers

Whether you are pan cooking or grilling, heat your cooking surface and spray with a bit of oil. Place your mushrooms onto the hot pan/grill and cook for around 6-8 minutes on each side.

It should be tender and juicy and if you are cooking on a grill, it will have some nice grill marks when it’s done.

Assemble the Portobello Mushroom Burger

Cut open your favorite vegan burger bun. Side note that not all burger buns are vegan, make sure to check ingredients or ask the bakery about ingredients.

On one half of the bun, spread a generous layer of pesto. On the other side, spread a nice layer of sun dried tomato spread. Put your cooked portobello mushroom onto the bun and top with lettuce, tomato slices and red onion rings, or whatever topping you like.

Prepping Ahead of Time

You can make the pesto and sun dried tomato spread ahead of time and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for at least six days. The portobello marinade can also be made and stored ahead of time.

The mushrooms themselves you can prep and put in the marinade a night before if you want to get a jump on things. That way, once it’s eating time, it only takes fifteen minutes to get your meal to the table.

Once the mushrooms are cooked, you can store leftovers in the fridge and reheat in the microwave or in a pan.

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