Our 11 Best Portobello Mushroom Recipes (2024)

What is full-flavored, full of savory juice, and as good on the grill in summer as it is in a risotto in winter? Why, it's the portobello mushroom, of course. It doesn't hurt that portobellos are very beautiful, with thick caps, velvety brown gills, and stout, edible stems. These mushrooms can be a hearty main course or delicate tea-time snack. Our collection of portobello mushroom recipes will show you how to make the most of this favorite fungi.

Because portobellos are easy to cultivate, they are commonly available and reasonably priced. Mushrooms in general are exceptionally nutritious, and portobellos' meaty texture and flavor make them unusually versatile in the kitchen. Their scientific name is Agaricus bisporus. And here's the interesting thing: Portobellos are the same as cremini and button mushrooms. If those cute white and tan nubbins were allowed to grow up, they would ultimately become portobellos. Their flavor profile is similar, but where the portobello wins is in the additional depth of flavor that its large gills add to sauces, pan juices, or melting mushroom burgers. If you allow the mushrooms to caramelize, they pretty much define the concept of umami.

One of the things we love about portobellos is that they are incredibly effective sponges. Marinating portobellos before cooking them is an endlessly creative trick to add easy flavor to the already-satisfying mushroom. And this substantial mushroom is not only a mouthwatering vegan steak, but the basis for opulent risottos, rustic stews, quickly delicious pizzas, and the lightest of summer sandwiches.