Large, meaty portobello caps are treated here to a flavourful marinade and a generous layer of tangy cashew cheese, standing in for a classic burger — without the bread. The plate might look surprising before the first bite, but the pairing of deeply savoury mushroom and fermented cashew spread quickly wins you over. The active work is minimal: most of it happens while the mushrooms sit in the dehydrator and the cheese takes shape.
Marinated Portobello Burgers with Herbed Cashew Cheese
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Activated cashew puree
€15.70
Ingredients
Marinated mushrooms
- 4 portobello mushroom caps
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon liquid aminos (or soy sauce)
Cashew cheese
- 250 g cashew nuts
- 125 ml water
- 30 g nutritional yeast
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled
- 2 tablespoons miso
- Salt and herbes de Provence, to taste
To finish
- Sliced tomatoes
- Fresh chives, spinach and parsley, chopped
- Any other topping of your choice
Method
- Coat the portobello caps in olive oil and liquid aminos, then place them in the dehydrator or a very low oven for about 3 hours, until softened, darkened and deeply aromatic.
- While the mushrooms marinate, blend the cashew cheese ingredients until smooth and thick, tasting and adjusting the seasoning as you go.
- Transfer the cheese to a bowl lined with cheesecloth and leave to rest for at least 2 hours — longer if you'd like a more developed flavour, closer to an aged cheese.
- Once the mushrooms are ready, spread a generous layer of cashew cheese over each cap and top with herbs and tomato slices. Stack two mushrooms for a heartier version, or use raw (unmarinated) caps for a different texture.
You'll likely have cashew cheese left over: leave it at room temperature overnight to let it develop further, then keep it in the fridge and use within a week.
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FAQ: your questions about vegan portobello burgers and homemade cashew cheese
What are the ingredients in a portobello burger?
The base is always the portobello mushroom cap, often marinated in olive oil and balsamic vinegar or liquid aminos, then topped like a classic burger: cheese (here a vegan version made from cashews), tomato, fresh herbs and condiments of your choice.
What do portobello mushrooms taste like?
Portobello has a deep, almost umami flavour reminiscent of meat — which is exactly what makes it such a good steak substitute in a burger. This intensity is heightened further by the marinade and by slow cooking or a long stint in the dehydrator.
How do you cook portobello mushrooms?
Several methods work: in a pan, on the grill, in the oven, or — as in this raw version — in a low-temperature dehydrator for several hours, to concentrate their flavour and soften them without cooking in the traditional sense.
How is vegan cashew cheese made?
Generally, soaked cashew nuts are blended with water, lemon juice, often nutritional yeast and sometimes miso for a salty, tangy note, then left to rest for a few hours to develop flavour — exactly the method followed in this recipe.
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