4 ways to use portobello mushrooms

Portobello mushrooms are endlessly versatile, with a meaty taste and tender texture that suit many different applications. If you’re learning new cooking techniques in culinary academy, these fungi offer a perfect opportunity to try your hand at vegetarian dishes and explore new flavor combinations.

1. On the grill
The meatiness of portobellos makes them perfect for grilling. Giada De Laurentiis suggested adding 3 tablespoons of olive oil to the sides of each mushroom and coating the grill pan as well to prevent sticking. Then, season the mushrooms with salt and black pepper and place them on the barbecue at medium-high heat. It should take about five minutes on either side for the mushrooms to heat through and grow tender.

Grilled portobellos can make a meal out of a tomato salad or serve as the main attraction in a sandwich. Whole Foods Market provided directions for assembling a mushroom club featuring roasted red peppers, arugula, vinegar, rosemary, parsley and provolone cheese.

2. As a burger
Grilled portobellos also make a delicious substitute for a beef patty in a vegetarian burger. Before cooking, you can add even more flavor to the mushroom with a marinade. Southern Living recommended a mixture of white wine vinegar, olive oil, garlic, basil, salt and pepper.

Once the burger is cooked, you’ll need the right toppings as well. Skinny Taste offered the idea of bringing together avocado, grilled red onion, tomatoes, spinach, and Swiss cheese. Throw it all on a whole wheat bun, and you have a great dinner.

3. Stuffed
The hardiness of portobellos makes them perfect for filling up with delicious ingredients. The possibilities are endless, and you can experiment with all kinds of tastes. For instance, Emeril Lagasse called for using both hot and sweet Italian sausage, onion, bell pepper, celery, breadcrumbs, Parmesan and a Creole-style seasoning.

Bon Appetit provided a recipe for stuffing the mushrooms with Parmesan-whipped potatoes. The directions begin with cooking and mashing the potatoes before mixing in cheese and eggs. Then, remove the stems from the mushrooms and saute the stems with onions. Bake the mushrooms in an oven set to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. After 10 minutes, lower the temperature to 350 and add the onions and potatoes. Cook the stuffed mushrooms for another 25 minutes.

4. With pasta
Portobellos are a fantastic complement to pasta, contributing meat-like taste and pleasantly contrasting texture. The New York Times advised cooking the mushrooms slowly in oil for this purpose, resulting in a denser feel.

You can either prepare the portobellos whole or slice them, but this will greatly affect the cooking time. Opting to keep the fungi whole can have delicious results, but it will take them about two hours, covered, on the stove, while in pieces they will require only 30 to 45 minutes, uncovered. Either way, cook the mushrooms in a skillet over low heat with olive oil, thyme, garlic, salt and pepper. The mushrooms should reduce in size as they lose moisture. When they are done, mix them into a tomato sauce with garlic.

With portobellos, you have countless options for showing off what you’ve learned in culinary arts programs. They are adaptable to a huge variety of dishes and can be successfully cooked in numerous ways.