Portobello basil burgers

That's not beef--that's mushrooms!

Forget the beef, earthy portobello mushrooms taste even better. And when you top them with pesto mayo, fresh basil and thick-cut bacon? Tasty. My meat-loving brother-in-law even asked for a bite–having never had a portobello mushroom before–and liked it! In fact, I think I even saw a hint of envy…

Recipe

Servings: 4

Prep time: 5 minutes + grilling

Ingredients

4 large Portobello mushrooms

¼ cup olive oil

Grill seasoning mix

Garlic powder (optional)

Onion powder (optional)

Salt and pepper

Hamburger buns

Fresh basil leaves

Sliced tomato

Bacon (if desired, you know you want it!)

1/4 cup mayo (or reduced fat cream cheese if you’re trying to go light)

1 Tablespoon prepared pesto

Directions

1. Wash and dry the mushrooms. Remove the stems.
2. Bring the grill to high heat.
3. Brush the olive oil on one side of the mushroom. Sprinkle with seasonings as you would hamburgers. I use a mesquite grilling mix along with garlic and onion powders and then salt and pepper.
4. Place the mushrooms on the grill with the oiled side down. Grill until the mushroom starts to soften, about 5 minutes.
5. Brush the non-oiled side and then flip the mushroom. Grill 5 more minutes or until browned and tender.
6. Mix the mayo and the pesto (I added a few sun-dried tomatoes too).
7. Slather the hamburger bun top with pesto mayo. On the bottom part layer the mushroom, tomato and basil.