Grilled Portobello Burger with Asparagus

This Grilled Portobello Burger with asparagus and pesto is seriously good!

Guys, this Portobello Burger is so juicy, so hearty, and so meaty, it’s unbelievable. This recipe is incredibly satisfying, highly shareable, plus super simple and quick to make. You know that I hate to describe recipes, so you just have to trust me on this one: It’s a must-try! The large mushrooms are brushed with a lemony basil and chili pesto, then grilled to perfection on both sides. Served over buns with grilled asparagus, avocado, and more pesto….don’t tell me it doesn’t sound superb!

Just like everybody else, I LOVE burgers! Veggies burgers are so fun and so versatile, I bet I could eat a different one every day for the rest of my life. I truly love to make delicious homemade versions in my kitchen, the only problem is that sometimes I get an instant burger craving, and I feel just way too lazy to make patties. Or even if I feel like making some patties, I can’t wait an hour until they are ready…familiar, right?

Luckily we have these wonderful life savers, called portobello mushrooms. These babies make such a great, hearty burger, that even meat lovers enjoy, you can’t help but love them. And the best part is that you can make a portobello burger in about 15 minutes!

Of course, if you have a little bit more time, or can plan ahead, it’s always good to marinate the mushrooms for a few hours before grilling. But honestly, they’ll turn out pretty perfect without that extra step too. Because the secret to quick burgers is this flavorful chili and basil pesto sauce, that you use to brush the mushrooms while grilling.

This pesto is a basic mixture of basil, greens, garlic, chili, lemon juice, pine nuts and tahini. It gives a lot of flavor to the mushrooms, plus it’s a cool condiment for the buns as well. You can keep the pesto slightly chunky, or blend completely smooth, both version will work.

I served my portobellos on a bun topped with grilled asparagus, avocados, bell pepper, homemade parmesan cheese (recipe coming soon!), and random greens from my balcony. It’s a pretty impressive combo, but if you are not a fan of some ingredients, feel free to change things up.

If you try this recipe, let me know! I would highly appreciate if you could leave a comment and rate it. Also don’t forget to take a picture and tag it on Instagram (use the hashtag #greenevi) or post it on Facebook! I love seeing what you come up with! ♥︎

Grilled Portobello Burger with Asparagus

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5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 2 reviews

• Total Time: 20 mins
• Yield: 2 burgers 1x

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 2 portobello mushrooms
• 4 asparagus, cut in half

For the pesto sauce

• 1 cup of tightly packed fresh basil
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1 tbsp tahini
• 3 tbsp toasted pine nuts
• 1 small chili pepper (optional)
• 1/2 cup of tightly packed fresh greens (spinach, arugula, oregano, parsley, etc.), finely chopped
• salt, pepper

To serve

• 2 burger buns, toasted (use GF if needed)
• avocado
• bell pepper
• handful of fresh greens
• vegan cheese

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Instructions

1. Place basil, garlic, lemon juice, tahini, pine nuts and roughly chopped chili to a food processor and blend until smooth. Add a few tablespoons of water (or olive oil), to get a creamy consistency.
2. Transfer sauce to a small bowl, add chopped greens, season with salt and pepper, and mix well. Brush mushrooms with about half of the sauce.
3. Meanwhile heat up a grill pan over high heat. Once hot, add mushrooms to one side of the pan and weigh down with a heavy object, such as a small cast iron pan. Grill on both sides for 3-5 minutes, or until fully tender.
4. While mushrooms are cooking, add asparagus to the other side of the pan, and grill for 5 minutes, turning once or twice. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Serve mushrooms warm on toasted buns, topped with the rest of the sauce, asparagus, avocado, bell pepper, greens and vegan cheese. Enjoy!

• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 10 mins
• Category: Main
• Cuisine: Vegan