Grilled or Roasted: Two Easy Methods

To get the very best portobello mushroom burger there is, we think the grill is the number 1 method. But if it’s not summer and you want to make it too: roasting is nearly as tasty. Here’s a breakdown on both methods:

• Grilled portobello burger: You’ll use our Grilled Portobello Mushrooms method: grill those babies for about 15 minutes at medium high heat. Start with the gill side up, so when you flip all the extra liquid goes into the grates.
• Roasted portobello burger: You need only 15 minutes at 450 degrees Fahrenheit to roast up your mushrooms! Make sure to drain the extra liquid. Sometimes we like to add a few shakes of liquid smoke before roasting to emulate a grilled flavor. Just be careful not to overdo it!

Don’t Skip the Special Sauce

This Special Burger Sauce we created just for these portobello mushroom burgers! Veggie burgers in particular need good sauces, because they can be dry or bland without them. This burger sauce is like all your favorite burger condiments in one, and tastes a little like a Big Mac sauce. Here’s what’s in it:

• Organic ketchup
• Mayonnaise
• Mustard (either yellow or Dijon)
• Pickle juice
• Hot sauce

What to Serve With Portobello Mushroom Burgers

These portobello mushroom burgers are a great summer vegetarian recipe and vegan dinner idea! There are lots of sides that go well with burgers: here are some of our favorites:

• Fries. Try our Baked Fries, Sweet Potato Fries or Parmesan Truffle Fries
• Grilled potatoes. Try Grilled Potatoes, Grilled Baked Potato or Grilled Sweet Potatoes.
• Coleslaw. Try Creamy Coleslaw, Vinegar Coleslaw, Mexican Coleslaw, Red Cabbage Slaw, or Broccoli Slaw.
• Corn. Try Grilled Corn 3 Ways: perfect corn on the grates, corn in foil, or corn in husk.
• Bean salad. Loaded with plant-based protein, so it’s perfect for making a filling meal. Try Easy Bean Salad.
• Potato salad. Try Creamy Potato Salad, French Potato Salad, or Dill Potato Salad.

More Veggie Burger Recipes

There are lots of other great ways to make a veggie burger! Try them all:

• Best Veggie Burger This mouthwatering veggie burger is slathered with barbecue sauce and doesn’t fall apart on the grill! It’s truly the best you’ll find.
• Best Chickpea Burgers A hugely satisfying plant-based dinner! Here they’re painted with BBQ and served topped with vegan bacon and spicy mayo.
• Black Bean Burger Bursting with flavor! Top with special sauce for a treat.
• Falafel Burger Easy to make and healthier than traditional falafel! Serve with or without a bun, topped with any sauce you like.

What Is Barley?

Barley is a whole grain with a chewy texture and nutty flavor. It’s a seed of the grass family grass family Poaceae and is the fourth largest grain crop in the world, after wheat, rice and corn. It’s one of the oldest cereal grains and was grown in Egypt over 10,00 years ago!

Is barley gluten free? Barley does contain gluten, so it’s not gluten-free. It’s not a type of wheat, a common misconception: they’re both different types of grass.

Pearl vs. Hulled Barley

There are two types of barley you can find at the store: hulled and pearl. The difference is similar to white rice vs brown rice: like brown rice, hulled has less of the grain removed during processing. We tend towards using pearl because it cooks faster, but some people prefer the nutritional profile of hulled. Here’s a breakdown:

How to Cook Barley: My Method

There are a few ways to cook barley: jump to the recipe below for my master method! Here are a few tips on the basic method before you start:

• Use 3 parts water to 1 part barley. You can also cook it using the “pasta method” without measuring the water. Fill a large pot with water, bring it to a boil, then add the grains and cook until tender.
• Simmer 25 to 30 minutes for pearl , or 45 to 1 hour for hulled barley. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover the pot. You can add more water if the pan becomes dry when cooking the hulled variety.
• Drain and serve. Once tender, drain any excess water. Then you’re ready to serve! Add salt and butter or olive oil if you’re serving as a side dish, or you can allow it to cool if using in salads.

Ways to Use Barley

Once you’ve got a pot of cooked barley, you can use it in so many ways:

• Grain salads. Toss it with veggies and a lemony dressing in my barley salad with lemon: it’s great as a side dish or a make-ahead lunch.
• Power and grain bowls. Build it into power bowls or a grain bowl with a drizzle of tahini sauce.
• Soups and stews. You can throw cooked barley into soups and stews, or you can throw it raw right into my mushroom barley soup or creamy vegan mushroom soup.
• A rice alternative. It’s great in place of rice in stuffed peppers or fried rice.

What Is Pastis?

This classic French drink works with Pernod or Pastis, two anise-flavored liqueurs that are similar to absinthe. In fact, Pastis was invented as an alternative to absinthe after it was banned in France in 1915. It became very popular in the 1930’s and is popular to this day.

Will I Like The Pastis?

Do you love the flavor of black licorice? If so, you’ll adore a Pastis! But if you’re one of those people who doesn’t like black jelly beans, keep in mind that it’s an acquired taste. It certainly feels very sophisticated and French, perfect for cooling off on the patio or to sip with a good book.

More Anise Flavored Drinks

There are lots of classic cocktails with absinthe that have a similar flavor to the Pastis! Here are a few of the top absinthe drinks you’ll love:

• Combine anise with bubbles in Death in the Afternoon
• Try a tangy and balanced Corpse Reviver No. 2
• Opt for a boozy Sazerac or La Louisiane 

Ingredients You’ll Need

Here’s all you need for this drink:

• Cappelletti Aperitivo: A 750 ml bottle is about $17 to $20, which makes it one of the better values in the aperitivo aisle.
• Prosecco: Any dry sparkling wine works: Prosecco is traditional, but champagne, cava or another brut bubbly works too.
• Soda water: A splash of club soda or soda water is what makes the drink so refreshing: and lower alcohol than most cocktails.
• Orange slice and ice: A wide orange slice is the classic garnish. I also love this drink with big, slow-melting cubes: here’s how to make clear ice.

When To Serve a Royal Flush Drink

The Royal Flush drink is a fruity, intriguing whiskey drink that’s great for a game night or anytime! Serve it as a:

• Dinner party drink
• Cocktail night drink
• Guys night or girls night drink
• Late night drink