Grilled Portobello Mushroom Salad with Greens Honey Vinaigrette & Roquefort
Submitted by happyzhangbo
Grilled portobello mushroom salad with baby greens, bacon, Roquefort, and a honey-balsamic vinaigrette. A steakhouse-style main-course salad that leans on marinated mushroom caps as a meat substitute.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
7 minREADY
25 minThis is the salad that proves portobello can anchor a dinner plate. Big meaty mushroom caps get a fast grill, then rest in a honey-balsamic-soy marinade for 2 to 4 hours so they absorb deep, umami-layered flavor. The brief second heat on the grill warms them back through and caramelizes the glaze stuck to their surfaces.
The honey vinaigrette is a separate build: honey, white wine vinegar, minced shallot, salt, pepper, and olive oil whisked together into a sweet-tangy dressing that coats baby greens without weighing them down. Roquefort or any blue cheese goes on top for funk, and crispy bacon bits add salt and crunch.
Halve each mushroom and prop one piece on the other for that restaurant-style height. A scatter of fresh chives brings it home. Four servings, 25 minutes of active work, and every bite stacks savory, sweet, salty, and funky.
Pro Tips
- Marinate the mushrooms GILL SIDE UP. The gills act like little cups, collecting marinade and carrying flavor deep into each cap.
- Don’t skip the second heat. Just one or two minutes on the grill after marinating warms the mushrooms through and concentrates the glaze.
- Crumble the Roquefort while it’s cold. Room-temp blue cheese smears instead of crumbles and looks messy on the plate.
- Crisp the bacon until properly brown. Soft, chewy bacon blends into the dressing. Crispy bacon gives the salad its bite.
Variations
- Swap Roquefort for crumbled goat cheese, gorgonzola, or shaved parmesan.
- Add toasted walnuts or pecans for crunch and nutty depth.
- Top with a poached egg for a full main-course upgrade.
Ingredients
Directions
Make marinade:
In electric blender, blend honey, vinegar, soy sauce, garlic and ¼ cup oil until smooth; set aside.
Brush mushrooms on both sides with 1½ tablespoons oil.
Place on indoor grill or in preheated nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
Cook about five minutes, turning occasionally, just until tender.
Transfer to non-reactive container, gill sides up.
Pour marinade over mushrooms; cover and refrigerate two to four hours, basting with marinade occasionally.
If using raw bacon, sauté bacon until lightly browned.
Remove to paper towels to drain; set aside.
Remove mushrooms from marinade, then reheat one to two minutes on indoor or outdoor grill, turning once.
In large bowl, toss greens with ⅓ cup (or to taste) honey vinaigrette.
Divide greens equally among four individual serving plates.
Halve mushrooms.
Prop one half on the other on each salad.
Divide cheese and cooked bacon bits among the salads.
Sprinkle with chives.
Honey Vinaigrette:
Whisk together honey and next four ingredients; whisk in oil.
Comments
