Look at me… I took a veggie burger and made it not vegetarian by adding bacon jam…. sorry not sorry.
Portobello caps are… wait. Actually… I have a question for y’all. Is it portobello or portabella?! I think both are commonly used but it bothers me that there are two spellings… like I want to know which one was first?? I feel like it was portobello so I’m going with that.
Okay, so back to portobello mushroom caps! They are one of my favorite veggie burger “meat” options because they are so steak-y and thick (no crumbley veggie burgers here). For this recipe, we slice off the stems, scoop the gills out with a spoon (I read that they give a muddy flavor?!) then roast them in the oven with oil olive, sea salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Score. But you know what makes these portobello burgers ever better?!
BACON JAM.
Bacon jam is my jam. Sorry, I had to…
What’s bacon jam, you ask?! Well, it’s bacon with onions, soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, and sugars cooked down into a savory and sweet jam! YUM.
You down? Good. We also top these portobello burgers off with some provolone cheese, roasted red bell peppers, and arugula then smush all those delicious ingredients together between two buns. Drool.
Warning: these portobello burgers are a little messy but SO worth it. I promise.
Ingredients
- 4 large portobello mushroom caps, stems removed and gills scooped out
- olive oil
- sea salt, pepper, garlic powder
- 1 (12 oz) jar roasted red bell peppers, drained and sliced in half
- bacon jam (ingredients below)
- 4 slices provolone cheese
- 1/2 cup arugula
- 4 buns
- 1/3 lb bacon, finely chopped
- 1/2 small white onion, finely diced
- 2 tablespoons brewed coffee
- 1 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- sea salt and pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
- Lay portobello mushroom caps (gill side up) on the foil lined baking sheet. Brush all sides of the mushroom caps with olive oil then sprinkle them with sea salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Roast in the oven for about 20 minutes, flipping over halfway through. Remove from oven then top each cap with a slice of provolone and roasted red pepper then bake for another 2-4 minutes or until cheese is melted.
- Make the bacon jam: Cook bacon pieces in skillet over medium heat until crispy (5-7 minutes), stirring occasionally. Using a slotted spoon, remove crispy bacon pieces from the skillet and transfer them to a paper towel-lined plate to absorb grease. Drain all but one tablespoon of the bacon grease from the skillet. Add the diced onions and sauté them over medium heat for about 4 minutes (or until translucent), stirring sporadically. Add the crispy bacon back to the skillet along with the brewed coffee, soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Stir to combine then cook the mixture for about 5 minutes (stirring occasionally) until the jam is thick and the liquids have been reduced. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Scoop the bacon jam into a small bowl. Set aside.
- Assemble burgers: Spread 1/4 of the bacon jam on each top bun. Top the four bottom buns with one roasted portobello cap topped with provolone and red pepper then top with a few pieces of arugula and the bacon jammed top bun. EAT.
Where are we in Ireland today you ask?! CORK. Last city before going back to Dublin to fly home on Sunday boooo.
If you try this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment or tag a photo #appetitesanonymous on instagram!! I’d love to see your portobello burgers in action. Peace, friends!
– a
p.s. looking for more veggie burger options? check out these sweet potato rice burgers or these grillable veggie burgers. SO GOOD.