These delicious grilled portobello mushrooms are brushed with a tasty marinade of balsamic vinegar, olive oil, lemon juice, and garlic.
Ready in just 20 minutes, they're one of my favorite side dishes to make. They go well with so many main courses!

Portobello mushrooms are amazing. Just like these grilled eggplants, they have a pronounced flavor and an almost meaty texture. I love stuffing them with fillings (these stuffed portobello mushrooms are great), and I also like simply grilling them.
This is such an easy recipe. Bush the mushrooms with a tasty marinade, grill, and serve. Simple and delicious!
Jump to:
Ingredients
You'll only need a few simple ingredients to make these grilled portobello mushrooms. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of what you'll need:
- Balsamic vinegar: I don't recommend using any other type of vinegar in this recipe.
- Olive oil: I love cooking with this delicious oil. But if you'd rather use an oil with a higher smoke point, you can use avocado oil instead. But olive oil is more flavorful.
- Lemon juice: Freshly squeezed is best. It tastes much better than bottled lemon juice.
- Minced garlic: Mince it yourself or use the stuff that comes in a jar. You can also use a comparable amount of garlic powder or garlic granules.
- Kosher salt: If using fine salt, you should reduce the amount you use, or the dish could end up too salty.
- Fresh portobellos: Try to find ones that are all about the same size.
Variations
The best way to vary this recipe is to add spices and herbs to the marinade. Good options that I tried and liked include smoked paprika, ground cumin, dried oregano, and dried thyme.
Instructions
Grilling portobello mushrooms is easy! The detailed instructions are included in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of the steps:
- Your first step is to whisk together the ingredients except for the mushrooms, to make the tasty marinade.
- Now, brush the mushrooms with the marinade, reserving some for later.
- Grill the seasoned mushrooms until tender, 4-5 minutes on the first side and 2-3 more minutes on the second side.
- Brush the mushrooms with the reserved marinade and serve.
Expert tip
After the first 1-2 minutes on the grill, as the mushrooms begin to soften, you can gently press on them to flatten. This will promote even grilling. But be gentle, or the mushrooms could fall apart.
Recipe FAQs
I use a very simple marinade when making this recipe - balsamic vinegar, olive oil, lemon juice, and garlic. It's very tasty and truly enhances the deep earthy flavor of the mushrooms.
You can make your life even easier by simply brushing the mushrooms with olive oil and sprinkling them with salt, pepper, and garlic powder prior to grilling.
I do remove the stems when making this recipe. Though edible, they can be tough and fibrous and unpleasant to eat.
As for the gills, they too are edible, but they tend to release quite a bit of dark-colored liquid. So if you have the patience, it's definitely a good idea to remove them with a spoon, as shown in the video below.
I don't recommend that. Distilled white vinegar is very acidic and won't taste good in this recipe. It also won't promote browning and caramelizing the way balsamic vinegar does.
Serving suggestions
These tasty mushrooms make a great side dish to any meat, chicken, or fish. But they are so flavorful and substantial, that you can easily serve them as a main course.
Just add a couple of side dishes, such as mashed cauliflower and broccoli salad. You can also serve them with a couple of fried or poached eggs.
Another option is to use these mushrooms to make tasty portobello burgers. Try cloud bread or 90-second bread for a gluten-free and low-carb bun.
Storing leftovers
You can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in an airtight container, for 3-4 days.
I don't like to reheat them, though. Instead, the next day I make myself a tasty antipasto plate with cold leftover grilled portobellos, meats (such as this beef jerky), and cheeses.
Related recipes
👩🏻🍳 I aim to publish a new recipe once or twice a month. Want these recipes in your inbox? Subscribe today! You can unsubscribe at any time.
Recipe Card
Grilled Portobello Mushrooms
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt (or ¼ teaspoon fine salt)
- 4 large portobello mushroom caps
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley for garnish
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and kosher salt.
- Wipe the mushrooms clean with a damp paper towel. Gently twist off or cut off the stems. Use a spoon to gently scrape out the gills.
- Using a pastry brush, coat the gill side with about a third of the marinade.
- Heat a 2-burner griddle, a grill pan, or an outdoor grill on medium heat. Grease the grill well.Â
- Place the mushrooms, gill side down, on the grill. Grill until the gill side is browned and tender, 4-5 minutes.*
- When the gill side is almost ready, brush the tops of the mushrooms with another third of the marinade.
- Flip the mushrooms so that they're gill side up. Continue grilling them until they are browned and tender, 2-3 more minutes.
- Transfer the mushrooms to a plate. Brush them with the remaining marinade, sprinkle them with parsley (if using), and serve.
Video
Notes
Add Your Own Notes
Nutrition per Serving
❤️ Let's connect! Follow me on Pinterest, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, or Twitter.
Ellen
I skipped the lemon juice because I didn't have any. These mushrooms still turned out delicious. Thank you for this recipe!
Vered DeLeeuw
You're very welcome, Ellen! Thank you for leaving a comment.
Julie K
I really enjoyed these mushrooms. They were easy to make and very tasty!
Vered DeLeeuw
So glad you enjoyed this recipe, Julie!