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    Oh My Veggies » Vegetarian Recipes » Vegetarian Main Dishes

    Cabernet Portabella Burgers

    Published: May 31, 2015 · by Nicole · Updated: Feb 15, 2021 · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe

    Cabernet Portabella BurgersPhotos by Lindsey Johnson

    After three and a half years, it's about time Oh My Veggies published a grilled portabella mushroom burger, right? It's kind of up there with tofu when it comes to vegetarian icon status. If for any reason tofu cannot fulfill its reign as vegetarian icon, first runner-up grilled portabella mushroom burger will take over. Portabella burgers are the Alyssa Edwards to tofu's Coco Montrese, you see.

    If you want a no-muss, no-fuss portabella burger, all you really have to do is clean a mushroom with a damp paper towel, brush it with oil, season with salt and pepper, and throw it on the grill. Once it's tender, put it on a toasted bun and pile on your favorite burger toppings. It's pretty much fool-proof, which is probably the reason we vegetarians eat them all the time.

    Cabernet Portabella Burgers
    Plain portabella burgers are good, but there's so much more you can do with them to take them up a notch. When I saw this Napa Valley Cabernet Burgers recipe from Bon Appétit, I knew I could translate that idea to a grilled portabella burger. It was simple to do—the original called for more cabernet sauce because it was mixed into the ground beef; I made less because I was only using my sauce as a marinade. The original recipe also called for 9 tablespoons of butter, which I reduced to 1, replacing the rest with a light brushing of olive or grapeseed oil.

    Mushrooms and wine are one of my favorite food pairings. There's just something about wine that really brings out the flavor in mushrooms. I don't even drink wine (well, maybe once or twice a year), but cooking with it is a different story. You don't need to buy an expensive bottle of wine either. Avoid cooking wines, which are usually found in the aisle with vinegars and oils, and opt for the cheapest bottle of regular wine you can find. Yeah, that's right, I'm telling you to buy cheap wine!

    Cabernet Portabella Burgers
    The cabernet boils down into a thick sauce that you brush on the mushrooms as they cook. The sauce continues to thicken and caramelize on the grill, which makes it even more delicious. Grilled rosemary focaccia serves as a bun for these portabella burgers; we topped them with slices of sharp cheddar, heirloom tomato slices, and arugula, but a variety of cheeses and toppings will work with these burgers. With grilling season upon us, this is a recipe you'll want to have on hand for the coming months!

    This post was originally published on May 7, 2014.

    Recipe

    Cabernet Portabella Burger Recipe

    Cabernet Portabella Burgers

    A red wine reduction helps bring out the savory flavor of grilled portabella mushrooms. Adapted from Bon Appétit's Napa Valley Cabernet Burgers.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Email Recipe
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 40 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 50 minutes minutes
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: American
    Diet: Vegetarian
    Keyword: Cabernet Portabella Burgers, mushroom burger recipe, Portabella Burgers, vegetarian burger recipe, vegetarian burgers
    Servings: 4 burgers
    Calories: 1334kcal
    Author: Oh My Veggies

    Ingredients

    • 2 cups Cabernet Sauvignon
    • ¼ cup minced shallots
    • 1 tablespoon butter
    • 2 teaspoons brown sugar
    • Salt and pepper to taste
    • Light olive oil or grapeseed oil
    • 4 large portabella mushrooms stems removed
    • 4 slices sharp cheddar cheese
    • 4 4 ½-inch squares focaccia, cut horizontally in half or hamburger buns
    • 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
    • 8 large heirloom tomato slices
    • 2 cups arugula
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    • Combine the wine and shallots in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook for 15-20 minutes, until the mixture has reduced to about ½ cup. Whisk in the butter and sugar; remove from heat and season with salt and pepper to taste.
    • Heat an indoor grill to high heat. Brush the grates with oil, then place the mushrooms on the grill gill-side down. Brush the tops of the mushrooms with the cabernet sauce. Cook for about 5 minutes, then flip the mushrooms over. Brush the gill-side with additional sauce and cook for 5 minutes more. Flip the mushrooms one more time and brush the tops with the rest of the sauce. Once the mushrooms are easily pierced with a fork (the time depends on the thickness of the mushrooms, but most will be done after 15 minutes on the grill), top them each with a slice of cheese and transfer the mushrooms to a plate.
    • Brush the cut sides of the bread with oil and sprinkle with rosemary. Place the bread, cut-side down, onto the grill and cook until lightly toasted, about 3 minutes. Top the bottom halves of the bread with the mushrooms, tomatoes, and arugula. Cover with the top halves of the bread.

    Notes

    If you don't have an indoor grill, a grill pan or an outdoor grill will work instead, but cooking times will vary.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 1334kcalCarbohydrates: 209gProtein: 44gFat: 30gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 30mgSodium: 2334mgPotassium: 1015mgFiber: 11gSugar: 19gVitamin A: 2589IUVitamin C: 37mgCalcium: 263mgIron: 2mg
    Craving more veg-friendly recipes? Shop our collection of vegetarian and vegan cookbooks, including our new Vegan Thanksgiving and Vegan Christmas cookbooks!
    « Meal Plan: Duxelles Grilled Cheese, Garlic and Mushroom Soup & More
    Cheesy Broccoli and Pepper Baked Orzo Recipe By Oh My Veggies.com »

    Vegetarian Main Dishes, Vegetarian Recipes burgers, grilling, main dishes, Make it Meatless Series, mushrooms, sandwiches, summer

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Erica says

      May 07, 2014 at 9:46 am

      This sounds (and looks!) good even to a non-vegetarian. I love the concept of a cab glaze, yum!

      Reply
    2. Ciara Attwell (@MyFussyEater) says

      May 07, 2014 at 11:30 am

      This looks gorgeous. I love mushrooms. I don't think I'd even miss the meat!

      Reply
    3. Laura @ Raise Your Garden says

      May 07, 2014 at 12:36 pm

      Making a portabella burger has been on my to-do list for as long as I started making to-do lists!

      And I love how you combined rosemary, my all-time-favorite-herb-of-all with it.

      I may have to shoot you an email to let you know how my version turns out =)

      Reply
      • Kiersten Frase says

        May 09, 2014 at 1:49 pm

        I love rosemary too. I need to start using more of it because we have a GIANT rosemary plant in our backyard!

        Reply
    4. Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche says

      May 07, 2014 at 12:39 pm

      Yessss, love this! What could be better than a red wine reduction?! I'm not a big fan of drinking the stuff on its own, but for some reason I love it in food - especially with mushrooms! Could definitely go for one of these tonight.

      Reply
      • Kiersten Frase says

        May 09, 2014 at 1:49 pm

        I'm the same way! I love what it adds to recipes, but I'm just not crazy about it on its own.

        Reply
    5. Michelle Lahey says

      May 07, 2014 at 1:18 pm

      I'll eat anything soaked in wine! 😉 I'm always looking for new grilling recipes, so this is something we'll definitely have to try this summer.

      Reply
      • Kiersten Frase says

        May 09, 2014 at 1:48 pm

        Me too. I hate drinking wine, but I looooove cooking with it!

        Reply
    6. jaime @ the seasonal veg head says

      May 07, 2014 at 4:33 pm

      Oh my goodness this is calling my name so hard! I'm firing up the grill this weekend to make these! Pinned!

      Reply
      • Kiersten Frase says

        May 09, 2014 at 1:48 pm

        Thanks for the pin!

        Reply
    7. Linda @ Veganosity says

      May 07, 2014 at 6:59 pm

      I'm so happy I found this recipe. I'm actually making Portobello burgers tonight. The cabernet reduction sauce sounds amazing. I will actually have to enjoy a glass while I'm cooking. Yay! I can't wait for dinner.

      Reply
      • Kiersten Frase says

        May 09, 2014 at 1:48 pm

        Yes, there's just enough wine leftover to have a glass or two yourself! 🙂

        Reply
    8. Ami@naivecookcooks says

      May 07, 2014 at 9:37 pm

      These look so tasty!

      Reply
    9. Laura (Tutti Dolci) says

      May 07, 2014 at 10:18 pm

      This is my dream burger, love the cabernet reduction!

      Reply
    10. Courtney says

      May 07, 2014 at 10:41 pm

      I am beyond obsessed with mushrooms, but have never tried it as a burger. I also agree with cheapo wine, I don't drink it - love a little red wine in my pasta sauce and mushrooms too! I definitely have a mushroom obsession ALSO love your sliced tomato heart.. not sure if you noticed it. 🙂

      Reply
      • Kiersten Frase says

        May 09, 2014 at 1:47 pm

        No, I didn't notice! 🙂 And oh my gosh, you need to grill yourself up some portabella burgers this summer! For a long time, we used to eat them every Saturday all summer long because the farmers market near our apartment had a booth that sold mushrooms.

        Reply
    11. Kim says

      May 07, 2014 at 11:34 pm

      Um, YUM. This looks so delicious, and SIMPLE = best combination ever! Going on my menu for next week!

      Reply
      • Kiersten Frase says

        May 09, 2014 at 1:44 pm

        I hope you enjoy the recipe!

        Reply
    12. Polly @ Tasty Food Project says

      May 08, 2014 at 12:29 am

      I was looking at the list of ingredients and was immediately sold when I noticed the 2 cups of Cab! This burger looks delicious and so flavorful!

      Reply
      • Kiersten Frase says

        May 09, 2014 at 1:44 pm

        The original calls for a whole bottle! 🙂

        Reply
    13. Julia says

      May 08, 2014 at 9:46 am

      KIERSTEN! These burgs look amazing! I love wine and mushrooms together. I have fond memories of one of my brothers sauteeing up a batch of baby bellas in butter and wine many moons ago. I need to get me a stash of cheap cooking wine and sip while I whip up a carbernet portabella.

      Reply
      • Kiersten Frase says

        May 09, 2014 at 1:42 pm

        I sauté mushrooms in wine all the time too. It is SO GOOD. We put them on veggie burgers, use them as a side, or toss them with pasta. Wine + mushrooms = magic.

        Reply
    14. Joanne says

      May 11, 2014 at 8:37 am

      The wine I buy is always cheap! Ha. The.Boy and I just don't have developed palates enough to warrant a more expensive bottle. It would just be wasted on us.

      I love how you've updated the 'bella burger! It feels so classy with that wine glaze.

      Reply
      • Kiersten Frase says

        May 13, 2014 at 2:19 pm

        Exactly! Unless it tastes like vinegar, I really can't tell the difference between an expensive wine and a cheap one. Especially when I'm cooking with it.

        Reply
    15. MegAn @ Veggies & Me says

      June 01, 2015 at 1:54 am

      great recipe. I will try this one out. I love a veggie burger and my fav, by far, are the portobello mushroom variety. Yum yum yum!

      Reply
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    Nicole is a life long vegetarian and the author of the popular vegan cookbook, Weeknight One Pot Vegan Cooking. She loves sharing her recipes and showing the world just how easy and delicious meatless meals can be!
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