Monday, May 18, 2009

Spinach Stuffed Portabella Mushroom Burgers

We certainly eat our share of burgers around here during the summer months -- beef burgers, bison burgers, turkey burgers... you name the burger, and we eat it. But, believe it or not, one of our favorite burgers is actually not made of ground meat. It's made of mushroom. Stuffed mushroom.

Portabella burgers are nothing new. People have been grilling up savory mushroom burgers for years. People have also been stuffing mushrooms for a very long time. And stuffed mushrooms aren't exactly original either. They usually appear as part of an appetizer menu. But, if you ask us, they also make a very fine burger.

So, get out your charcoal grill, and give these a try.

First, take a few nice portabella mushroom caps and give them a good 20 minutes to marinate. Our favorite marinade is comprised of a few tablespoons of good quality balsamic vinegar, some red wine, a bit of tomato juice (spicy is nice), a few teaspoons of Dijon mustard, and a tablespoon (or so) cajun seasoning. You can also use your favorite Italian (or other spice) blend. We like to remove the gills from our ports before marinating; not only does this preserve the color of the mushroom, but it also keeps the 'shrooms from getting too soggy during the marination.
While the mushrooms are getting their marinade on, gather up a few cloves of garlic and a nice pile of fresh spinach leaves.
Saute the chopped spinach and minced garlic in a bit of olive oil, and then toss with a liberal handful of breadcrumbs (we make our own, but you can also purchase dried breadcrumbs in the supermarket).
When your filling is ready, retrieve your portabella mushroom caps and take them out to your preheated grill. Place the mushrooms cap-side-up on the grill, and allow to cook for about 5 minutes, or until the caps are nicely browned.Flip the mushroom caps over, fill with the spinach filling, and grill for another 3-4 minutes -- until they're browned on the other side and the filling is heated through.
Now, if you're like us, you'll agree that any burger is better with a bit of cheese. You can add a bit of feta cheese to the top of your burger for a Greek-inspired burger... a bit of bleu if you're feeling like a steakhouse burger. Or you can do as we did, and cover your port burgers with a slice of Swiss or cheddar cheese.
Cover the grill and allow the cheese to melt. When everything is lovely and melty, remove your portabella burger from the grill and place on a nice crusty bun. We grilled our sprouted grain buns over the fire for a moment or two to give them a bit of crusty appeal.
These burgers are juicy enough that they don't even need that spot of ketchup you're just dying to add to the mix.

Spinach Stuffed Portabella Mushroom Burgers


Creative Commons License
©BURP! Where Food Happens

35 comments:

  1. Oh my gosh -- these look amazing and something I've never attempted before! Although I'll have to make some minor bread adjustments, this will be an easy gluten-free makeover.

    Honestly, that "burger" is beautiful. What a great idea. I'm definitely trying this.

    Thanks, guys. Great post!

    Melissa

    ReplyDelete
  2. yummmmmmmmmmmmmy! this looks excellent!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Sounds good and looks even better. We are a mushroom lovin' family here, all three of the kiddos included! I think they'll enjoy these from the usual burgers. Thanks for sharing!
    ~ingrid

    ReplyDelete
  4. wow those look AMAZING. AMAZING. AMAZING. The pictures are gorgeous too!

    ReplyDelete
  5. That last photo would fool a Texan, thinking there was beef in that bun!

    ReplyDelete
  6. This is a much simpler alternative to a traditional veggie burger! No chopping/mashing/food processing veggies to get this veggie burger. Plus, this portobello burger won't fall apart into pieces like most veggie burgers! I love this idea, and that spinach filling sounds just delicious too!

    ReplyDelete
  7. These look like really messy burgers -- which is the only way a burger should be. Perfect! I'm curious -- what's your go-to good quality balsamic? I'm looking for a good one that I can cook with or use as drizzle/dip/bread topping, etc.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Looks like a big 'ol hunka beef...but it's not! A healthier trompe l'oeil for sure. Looks really good.

    ReplyDelete
  9. WOW! That sure does beat the turkey sandwich I had for lunch!

    ReplyDelete
  10. I've never had a portabella burger!! You've definitely convinced me I need to fix that immediately! These rock!!

    ReplyDelete
  11. This may be the recipe that convinces my significant fella that grilled portabellas are NOT a waste of time!

    ReplyDelete
  12. These look beautiful. I've certainly had my share of portobello sandwiches. They're not the real thing, but they are tasty, particularly with cheese and caramelized onions.

    I sometimes make portobello burgers by putting turkey patties into the 'shroom. So does that make it a burger in an unconventional bun, or does that make it a giant stuffed mushroom?

    ReplyDelete
  13. Becky - Gotta check on that balsamic when I get home tonight. Will post later!

    That turkey burger-in-a-bella concept is a great one! Nice work, fellow mushroom lover!!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Ode to burgers and how I love thee...

    ReplyDelete
  15. I always laugh when I see portabella burgers, but only because of a memory. A few years ago, my friend and I met for dinner, and she ordered a portabella burger, which we both for some reason thought meant a steak burger with a mushroom on top. She was surprised, but she did say it tasted great! :)

    ReplyDelete
  16. yum. these photos make me want to try making a portobello burger as soon as possible

    ReplyDelete
  17. oH NO! I changed my colors on my blog today and when I clicked over here from my google reader- Guess what? I have nearly the same colors as you- uggg- I'm really not trying to copy you!! Glad I didn't make/post burgers today too! These look excellent by the way- and according to my carnivorous brother they are "patties"- the only thing that gets true "burger" status is BEEF!! He picks on my turkey patties all the time:) Ihave never tried this before- I love grilled garlic mushrooms so i will probaly love this too- and I'm liking the fancy smachy sprouted wheat buns!! I bet those were nice with the burgers!

    ReplyDelete
  18. I just double checked the cupboard to verify our balsamic vinegar. It's Isola 3-leaf... not as pricey as Italian balsamic, but I find it works well as our everyday "go to" balsamic. It's free from additives & caramel colors, has a nice flavor and heft, and it reduces into a lovely syrup.

    For really great balsamics (on the high end) check Zingermans.com. They have absolutely lovely stuff... and a great sampler if you want to "try before investing".

    ReplyDelete
  19. This is a really unique and delicious-looking idea. I've been grilling lots of zucchini and eggplant. I guess I could put cheese and other toppings on top, and put that in a burger bun. Hm...

    ReplyDelete
  20. OK, I'm hoppin' the FIRST plane from Osaka to your neck of the woods!!! Get your grill fired up and ready!

    ReplyDelete
  21. I've never actually had a portabella burger - it looks so good, I must try it very soon! Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  22. Now I am really liking these stuffed mushroom burgers! Gonna have to give these a try this summer!

    ReplyDelete
  23. I would never have thought about making a burger with a portabello mushroom but these look amazing (and huge!!)

    ReplyDelete
  24. We've been experimenting with burgers for about a month, but haven't gotten around to a portabella one yet. This looks awesome!

    Did you really go to that Slow Food pig roast??? Our son wants us to do one for his 14th birthday, and we're actually considering it.

    Go for it with the chickens. They really don't take much space and they are so fun. But you can come visit mine anytime.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Laurie - Yes, we really went to the Pig Roast. It was amazing. Something about dining in a field :) I'd totally recommend it!

    We'll definitely be following your chicken-raising adventures!

    ReplyDelete
  26. mmmmmmhhhh....this looks amazing.
    Thanks for sharing and thanks for stopping by my blog and for the wonderful comment!

    ReplyDelete
  27. my, my, my, my, MY! i think i know what i'm grilling on the bbq this three-day weekend! thanks for the lovely post and recipe :) you've inspired me.

    ReplyDelete
  28. They look glorious with the cheese dripping over the edges. Sadly, I am fungus-phobic, and simply cannot bring myself to eat mushrooms. I almost wish this weren't so, looking at your lovely photos!

    ReplyDelete
  29. Wow that looks yummy! perfect for this long holiday weekend.

    ReplyDelete
  30. Yurrrrmmmmm...I love portobellos and these look absolutely delicious!! Great idea with the melty cheese to stop the spinach stuffing from falling out when you eat it burger-style! Or at least that's the kind of thing that I tell myself when I'm looking for excuses on why it's absolutely necessary for me to put cheese on anything that makes it's way out of my kitchen.

    ReplyDelete
  31. This looks so amazingly good. What a great and healthy idea.

    ReplyDelete
  32. Wow, this certainly looks better than the portobello burger I got from steak n shake. You've outdone yourself!

    ReplyDelete
  33. I've been eating so many beef burgers lately that this is a refreshing change! I LOVE portabellas, especially in a burger!

    ReplyDelete
  34. We don't own a grill - can you cook these in an oven?

    ReplyDelete
  35. Wow.. I love spinach portabella burgers. Look awesomely good. Those look amazing!!! The fiance won’t eat mushrooms, but that just means more for me. That was excellent! I also tried adding some spinach with the recipe and it added much to the flavor. Thanks for your help preparing my special dinner for two. My mom make portabella burgers by putting turkey patties into the mushroom. It tastes very good too. Now I'm feeling hungry and your picture med me hungry. My mouth is watering—amazing photo! Awesome! I can't wait to make this next week. thank you for posting and sharing it.

    ReplyDelete

We're thrilled that you came to visit us here at BURP! Thanks so much for taking the time to write. We're not always able to respond to every comment, but we'll make every effort to answer questions in a timely fashion. We especially enjoy reading about what's going on in your own creative kitchens. So, don't be shy!

And thanks for stopping by!

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.