Grilled Portobello Sandwich with Balsamic Aioli

Whether you’re looking for a Meatless Monday recipe or just want something different, this portobello mushroom sandwich is sure to please!

A thick, meaty portobello mushroom is grilled until juicy and tender, then placed on a chewy ciabatta roll with mozzarella, tomato, and basil. Add in a slathering of freshly made balsamic aioli and you’ve got a light, summery sandwich that’s a healthy alternative to burgers and brats.

This vegetarian sandwich is so good, even the most ferocious carnivores won’t miss the meat!

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What Is a Grilled Portobello Mushroom Sandwich?

Portobello mushrooms are large and thick, with caps often growing 5 inches or more in diameter when mature. You might recognize them in immature form as baby bellas or cremini mushrooms. Whether baby bellas or fully grown portobellos, these mushrooms have a rich, woodsy taste that almost tastes like meat. For that reason, portobello mushrooms have become a favorite of grillmasters.

This sandwich is inspired by Mediterranean fare. It incorporates a grilled portobello, basil, tomato, and mozzarella cheese on a ciabatta roll covered with balsamic aioli. While many of these flavors are recognizable from Caprese salad, they take on new life when enlisted in sandwich form.

What Is Balsamic Aioli?

Originally, aioli was an emulsion created from mashing garlic and olive oil with a mortar and pestle until it created a paste. The paste was then whisked with egg yolk, lemon juice, and more olive oil. Some Mediterranean cultures still create aioli in this way, but it is labor intensive and time consuming.

Nowadays, ready made mayonnaise contains many of the same ingredients as aioli, though the method of creating it is different. Modern-day aioli can simply be mayonnaise combined with garlic and other ingredients to flavor it according to the chef’s wishes. We’ve taken this approach to aioli in our version for this sandwich.

Do You Have Any Tips or Tricks?

There are a few thing you can do to ensure your portobello mushroom sandwiches turn out the best! Here are some little things that I’ve learned to do.

• Choose mushrooms of uniform sizes. Choosing mushrooms that are about the same thickness and the same diameter will make your grilling time easier. If your shrooms are very different sizes, their cooking rate will also be different. This can lead to some being overdone while others are undercooked.
• Be sure to clean and oil your grill racks before starting it up. Portobellos have a tender skin that can stick easily to the grill. Brushing the mushrooms with oil does help them come off the grill easily, but oiling the racks helps even more. Just apply a thin coating of vegetable or olive oil to the rack with a brush or cloth before you turn it on.
• Don’t skip toasting the bun! Part of the deliciousness of this sandwich is from all the unique textures coming together in the final product. Do yourself a favor and make sure you toast it on the grill. That grilled roll delivers a savory crunch that you’ll just love!

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Directions

• Make the aioli. In a small bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, balsamic glaze, garlic, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
• Slice ciabatta rolls, if necessary. Butter the insides of the rolls and set aside.
• Wash the portobello mushrooms and remove stems. You can discard the stems or save them for another use. Brush olive oil over both sides of the mushroom caps. Lightly season with salt and pepper if desired.
• Oil grill grates. Preheat grill to medium, then lay portobello mushrooms top side down. Grill over medium heat for 5 minutes, then turn over. Grill an additional 2 to 3 minutes until mushroom is tender.
• After turning the mushrooms, lay the ciabatta rolls butter-side-down on the grates to toast. Toast for about 2 minutes.
• Assemble the sandwich. Lay a portobello on the bottom of each ciabatta roll. Add a slice of mozzarella, basil, and sliced tomato. Spread the balsamic aioli liberally on the top of the roll. Serve warm.

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Grilled Portobello Sandwich with Balsamic Aioli

Recipe by Chicken Soup with DumplingsDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

10

minutes

Total time

40

minutes

A thick, meaty portobello mushroom is grilled until juicy and tender, then placed on a chewy ciabatta roll with mozzarella, tomato, and basil.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise

• 1/4 cup balsamic glaze

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/8 teaspoon pepper

• 4 ciabatta rolls

• 4 tablespoons butter

• 4 large portobello mushrooms

• Olive oil

• 4 slices mozzarella cheese

• Fresh basil

• 1 tomato, sliced

Directions

• Make the aioli. In a small bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, balsamic glaze, garlic, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
• Slice ciabatta rolls, if necessary. Butter the insides of the rolls and set aside.
• Wash the portobello mushrooms and remove stems. You can discard the stems or save them for another use. Brush olive oil over both sides of the mushroom caps. Lightly season with salt and pepper if desired.
• Oil grill grates. Preheat grill to medium, then lay portobello mushrooms top side down. Grill over medium heat for 5 minutes, then turn over. Grill an additional 2 to 3 minutes until mushroom is tender.
• After turning the mushrooms, lay the ciabatta rolls butter-side-down on the grates to toast. Toast for about 2 minutes.
• Assemble the sandwich. Lay a portobello on the bottom of each ciabatta roll. Add a slice of mozzarella, basil, and sliced tomato. Spread the balsamic aioli liberally on the top of the roll. Serve warm.

Original Publishing Date: 09/14/2021

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