This portobello mushroom sandwich recipe combines juicy, meaty portobello mushrooms with the flavors of pesto, goat cheese, and roasted peppers. It's a bistro-style sandwich that's packed with so much delicious flavor!
Recipe Price: $9.83 | Per Serving: $4.92 | Makes: 2 servings
Mushrooms are one of my favorite plants - and no, they're not technically a vegetable. They're super versatile and I especially love them in this popular Mushroom Grilled Cheese and in my Mushroom Bisque!
In this recipe, the portobello mushroom is marinated in a mix of soy sauce and balsamic vinegar, and paired with flavorful pesto, sweet and juicy roasted red peppers, tangy goat cheese, and peppery arugula to make a roasted portobello sandwich you're going to love.
This cute little sandwich comes in at about 19 grams of protein, but note that GF bread is typically pretty low in protein, so if you use regular wheat bread, you'll get closer to 22g protein in this portobello sandwich!
Jump to:
Why You'll Love This Portobello Sandwich Recipe
- Quick and Easy Recipe. Yes, the mushrooms need to marinate and then bake in the oven but most of the prep time for this portobello sandwich is hands-off!
- Delicious Savory Flavors. The natural umami and meatiness of portobello mushroom along with the simple marinade makes a stunning flavor for this veggie sandwich.
- A Nice Change to Your Sandwich Routine. Bored with your lunch options? Or looking to change things up? This sandwich with roasted mushrooms will be your new favorite!
Ingredients
This roasted portobello sandwich recipe combines fresh produce with a few staples to create a winning combination. Here's a look at the highlights but be sure to check the recipe card for the full list along with the quantities of each.
- Portobello mushrooms: These large mushrooms are meaty and flavorful making them a delightful star in this sandwich recipe! You will need anywhere from 2-3 portobellos depending on their size.
- Marinade: Soy sauce or tamari and balsamic vinegar along with some spices are brushed on the mushrooms to add flavor.
- Buns: I used Schar Gluten-Free Ciabatta buns in the images here but I have used a variety of different bread rolls for this recipe! Choose your favorite regular or gluten-free! Buns or rolls work better than sliced bread as they are a bit more sturdy, but thick slices of sourdough would probably work here.
- Pesto: You can use store-bought pesto or make homemade. Try one of my homemade varieties such as spinach pesto, pesto with walnuts, or bitter greens pesto!
- Hemp seeds: We're sprinkling these over the pesto to add a bit of protein to this vegetarian sandwich.
- Goat cheese: This creamy cheese goes perfectly with the savoriness of the mushrooms but you can swap it for another flavorful cheese if you prefer.
- Roasted red peppers: Adds a sweet flavor and a burst of color to the sandwich.
- Arugula: The arugula adds a lightly peppery bite and satisfying crunch, but feel free to use spinach or lettuce instead.
Dietary Modifications and Variations
- Paleo: No, it's not!
- Vegetarian: Yes, it is! If you want to make it vegan you can swap the goat cheese for a vegan cheese option and make sure your pesto is vegan.
- Add More Veggies: You can easily bulk up your roasted portobello sandwich with a different combination of vegetables. Caramelized onions, roasted zucchini, or a variety of cooked or raw greens would all work well here. Seriously, just use up ingredients you have on hand!
How to Make a Portobello Sandwich
Here's a glance at the main steps for making this recipe for a portobello mushroom sandwich. It's pretty easy! The full instructions are available in the recipe card.
- Prep the portobello mushrooms. Rinse the portobello mushrooms and slice them into about ¼-inch slices. Place them in a large flat container and brush with the soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, garlic powder, and chili flakes. Pour any leftover marinade over the sliced mushrooms. Turn or brush the mushrooms to coat with the marinade. Let them marinate for 15 minutes.
- Bake the mushrooms. Transfer the mushrooms to a lined baking sheet. Be sure they are in a single layer so they bake evenly. Bake at 425ºF for about 12 minutes or until cooked to your desired doneness.
PRO TIP: Be aware that cooking too long will start to burn the sugars in the balsamic vinegar!
- Toast your bread. Bring a skillet to medium-high heat and add a drizzle of olive oirl (or butter). Place the bun cut side down in the skillet. Cook the bread for a few minutes or until the bread is nicely toasted on one side.
PRO TIP: When using a stiff or crusty bread cover it with a lid while it's toasting to help it soften.
- Assemble your sandwich! Spread the pesto on one side of the bread and top with hemp hearts. Spread the other half of the bread with the goat cheese. This will make it a little melty! Add the mushrooms on top of the pesto and hemp hearts and the red bell pepper strips to the side with the goat cheese. Add a handful of arugula on top and place the two halves together.
How to Store
- Storing Fresh Portobello Mushrooms: If you aren't making your sandwich right away, you can prep the mushrooms to help extend their life in your fridge. Remove the mushrooms from the packaging, trim the stems, and gently wipe with a damp cloth. Store them in a container lined with paper towels and place them in the fridge for up to seven days.
- Storing Leftovers: This sandwich tastes best freshly made. If you know you will have leftovers, it's best to store all the ingredients separately for up to three days. Once the sandwich is made it's best consumed within 24 hours. You can definitely enjoy this as leftovers (I did!), but just know the texture won't be the same.
Serving Suggestions
This portobello mushroom sandwich is best served warm and freshly prepared. It can be eaten cold or on the go but I find the flavors are best when it's warm.
Enjoy it as a lunch or dinner and pair it with a hearty soup for a more substantial meal. Here are a few serving ideas for a bit of inspiration.
- Soups: Enjoy a protein-rich soup such as Italian Sausage Spinach Soup, Lemon Lentil Kale Soup, or Tomato Chickpea Soup.
- Salads: Enjoy this Cabbage Crunch Salad, Purple Cabbage Slaw, or Mediterranean Lentil Salad with your sandwich.
- Side Dishes: Pesto Quinoa, Spring Quinoa Salad, or Lemon Parsley Quinoa.
Expert Tips
- Choose firm portobello mushrooms with smooth caps. Avoid mushrooms with any signs of bruising or discoloration.
- Briefly rinse portobello mushrooms rather than soaking them. Soaking them will cause the mushrooms to become soggy.
- Give them time to marinate. They will slowly soak up the marinade and become more flavorful. After they've absorbed the marinade, they will start to sweat out their own liquid a bit. This can be discarded.
- Use a sturdy bun to hold the weight of the mushrooms and toppings. I do not recommend using regular soft sliced bread for this marinated portobello mushroom sandwich.
FAQs
They are the same thing! This is simply a slight difference in spelling. It was originally given the name portabella in the 1980s in an attempt to entice people to buy it. You will often see it spelled portabella, portabello, or portobello! They are all correct!
Yes, it is! Some recipes may have you scrape them out as they soften when cooked and may not have a great texture or color but personally, I find nothing wrong with them!
More Mushroom Recipes
Roasted Portobello Mushroom Sandwich
Ingredients
- 10 oz (280g) portobello mushrooms (about 3 medium, 2 extra large)
- 2 Tablespoons GF soy sauce / tamari
- 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon gochugaru chili flakes or ¼ teaspoon red chili flakes
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 2 buns of choice
- 1 Tablespoon pesto
- 1 Tablespoon hemp seeds
- 2 ounces goat cheese
- 1 large roasted red bell pepper halved or in strips (about 150 grams)
- 1 cup arugula
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Rinse the portobello mushrooms and then slice into about ¼-inch slices. Add this to a large flat container. In a bowl, combine the soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, garlic powder, and chili flakes, then pour over the sliced mushrooms. Turn the mushrooms gently with your hands or chopsticks to coat each slice with the marinade. You can also use a pastry brush to brush the mushroom slices with the marinade. Set aside to marinate for 15 minutes.
- Arrange mushrooms in a single layer on a lined baking sheet. Bake at 425ºF for about 12 minutes or until cooked to your desired doneness. Be aware that cooking too long will start to burn the sugars in the balsamic vinegar!
- Meanwhile, prepare your bread! I recommend slicing open your bun and crisping the inside. Bring a skillet to medium-high heat. When hot, add a small drizzle of olive oil and then place the bun cut-side down in the skillet. If you have a stiff or crusty bread, I recommend covering with a lid to help it soften. Cook for about 3-5 minutes or until the bun is nicely grilled on one side. Remove from heat. You can do this all at once or in two batches if your pan isn’t large enough.
- Prepare your sandwich! On one side of the bread, spread the pesto and sprinkle with about ½ a Tablespoon of hemp hearts. On the other side, spread with goat cheese - I like for the cheese to get a little melty. Next add the mushrooms atop the pesto and hemp hearts, and the red bell pepper strips to the goat cheese.
- Finally, add a handful of fresh arugula and close your sandwich and enjoy!
Notes
-
- Choose firm portobello mushrooms with smooth caps. Avoid mushrooms with any signs of bruising or discoloration.
- Briefly rinse portobello mushrooms rather than soaking them. Soaking them will cause the mushrooms to become soggy.
- Give them time to marinate. They will slowly soak up the marinade and become more flavorful.
- Use a sturdy bun to hold the weight of the mushroom and toppings. I do not recommend using sliced bread for this marinated portobello mushroom sandwich.
Leave a Reply