Hearty & Slow Cooked Portobello Mushrooms Recipe

Perfect for both winter and summer, these portobello steaks are so simple to throw together and the results are so delicious that they are as welcome for a simple family meal as they are as the centrepiece at a dinner party.

Seriously umami-rich and meaty, my recipe packs these mushrooms full of complex flavours that can impress even those who are ardent carnivores or the mushroom-haters out there!

Topped with some chimichurri sauce – a traditional topping for grilled meats – and served alongside something like my roasted parsnip puree or sweet potato mash and you have the recipe for an incredibly flavourful and hearty plant-based meal!

How to Make Braised Portobello Steaks

I’m not going to sit and pretend that these portobello have the same texture and flavour as steak (or any other meat), however, they share similar characteristics that they can be a fantastic stand-in if you’re looking for a unique main dish that isn’t necessarily meat-based.

And the benefit of this recipe is that it quite literally requires about five minutes of active time – as opposed to my portobello mushroom stew which is a bit more involved. Because it’s cooked in such a low oven, you don’t even need to wait long for it to preheat! But that is the first step – preheat your oven to 150°C (300°F).

Meanwhile, go ahead and remove the stems from your portobello mushrooms, but keep them whole. And that’s all the prep you need to do to the mushrooms!

Now, turn your attention to the cooking liquid. In a large dutch oven, whisk together some olive oil, soy sauce (this adds a nice complexity of flavour), sherry vinegar (you can use balsamic or red wine vinegar, too), tomato paste, some whole coriander seeds, a pinch of red chili flakes, a good amount of salt and a few grinds of black pepper.

Then, crush several cloves of garlic with the flat side of your knife and then remove the peels. Leave them whole and toss them into the pot. They will get so sweet, tender and flavourful as the cook.

Finally, remove the peels from a shallot and cut it into quarters through the root end. Toss these into the pot, as well, along with a few sprigs of fresh oregano.

You can use fresh thyme here, as well, or even marjoram. A combination of any of these would also be good.

Next, arrange the portobellos with the gills facing downwards over the aromatics. Don’t worry if they are not really submerged in the liquid – they will shrink significantly as they cook and end up in the liquid eventually!

Place a piece of parchment paper over the mushrooms – this is to prevent the liquid from evaporating too much and will allow the mushrooms to reabsorb the flavour.

Then, place the lid over the pot and move it to the oven.

Braise the mushrooms for about an hour (or longer) before removing the pot from the oven and flipping them over. Replace the parchment and then cook for a further fifteen to twenty minutes.

You can even cook them longer as it’s essentially impossible to overcook mushrooms and they won’t burn at this low temperature.

Once the mushrooms are done, remove them from the pot and arrange them – along with the shallot and garlic – on a serving platter.

Drizzle with a bit of the cooking oil and top with some homemade chimichurri. This adds such a nice bright punch of acidity that pairs so well with these deeply savoury mushrooms.

And if you’re after more plant-based main meals, consider making my cauliflower steaks with za’atar and tahini.

And that is all there is to one of the most delicious and flavourful plant-based meals you can make. After only about 5 minutes of work, you can just kick back and relax as these mushrooms slowly cook in a low oven.

Are you looking for a great recipe for portobello steaks? Have any questions? Let me know in the comments!