Friends, are you ready for a flavor bomb?! I hope so, because that’s what you’re going to get with these Balsamic-Marinated Portobello Pizzas. Swoon!
Plus, just 10 simple ingredients required for this savory, satisfying entrée or side. Let’s do this!
I shared a similar recipe on the blog years ago, but the concept has been much improved here!
This new version begins with marinating hearty portobello mushrooms in balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt, and red pepper flake (optional). While that’s happening, you can prep your veggies, make vegan cheese (or use store-bought), and prepare / ready your red sauce of choice.
Toppings include a simple red sauce, roasted veggies, and whole garlic cloves for ultimate flavor, plus our go-to 5-minute Macadamia Nut Cheese. This combination of flavors — paired with an optional balsamic drizzle — sends these pizzas over the top! I can’t wait for you all to try them.
We hope you LOVE these pizzas! They’re:
Hearty
Customizable
BIG on flavor
Incredibly satisfying
& So delicious!
These would make the perfect entrée when you enjoy 2 pizzas paired with a side salad. Or serve as a side paired with other Italian favorites like our Vegan Pesto Parmesan Breadsticks, Vegan Sun-Dried Tomato Arancini, Best Vegan Meatballs, or Eggplant Lasagna Roll-Ups!
Into pizza? Try our Favorite Vegan Pizza, Butternut Squash Veggie Pizza, Easy Vegan Gluten-Free Pizza Crust, Vegan Cauliflower Pizza Crust, and Socca Pizza with Sun-Dried Tomatoes & Pesto!
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!
Balsamic-Marinated Portobello Pizzas
Ingredients
MUSHROOMS
- 4 large portobello mushrooms (stems removed, wiped clean)
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 Tbsp avocado or olive oil
- 1 pinch salt and pepper (or red pepper flake)
TOPPINGS
- 1 medium red bell pepper (cut into bite-size pieces)
- 1 small red onion (thinly sliced wedges or diced)
- 1 head garlic (cloves separated and peeled)
- 2 Tbsp avocado or olive oil
- 1 healthy pinch sea salt and black pepper (or red pepper flake)
- 2 Tbsp fresh herbs (such as rosemary or oregano // optional)
- 3/4 cup pizza sauce*
- 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes (if large, chop into smaller pieces // we prefer Trader Joe’s brand)
- 1/3 cup soft vegan cheese (divided // try our Macadamia Nut Cheese or store-bought Kite Hill Ricotta or Treeline)
FOR SERVING optional
- Fresh Basil
- Balsamic Reduction*
- Red pepper flake
- Vegan Parmesan Cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (204 C) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Add portobello mushrooms (stem side up) to a shallow dish or large freezer bag. Add the balsamic vinegar, oil, salt and pepper (or red pepper flake). Use a pastry brush to brush on all sides (or shake bag to coat). Marinate on one side for 5 minutes, then the other side for 5 minutes.
- In the meantime, add vegetables and garlic to baking sheet, toss with oil, salt and pepper, and fresh herbs (optional) and bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and fragrant, tossing once near the halfway point to ensure even baking. Set aside but keep oven at 400 F (204 C).
- If serving with balsamic reduction (see notes) and/or soft nut cheese (see links above), prepare at this time.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat (you could also use a grill for this step). Add mushrooms to the pan, leaving any leftover oil-and-vinegar marinade behind. Cook on each side for about 4-5 minutes, or until caramelized and softened. If your mushrooms are extra thick, covering with a lid can be helpful to encourage even cooking all the way through. Brush on any remaining marinade while cooking to infuse more flavor.
- Once mushrooms and vegetables are cooked, assemble pizzas. Place mushrooms on a parchment-lined baking sheet or baking pan and add toppings, starting with pizza sauce, then roasted veggies, roasted garlic, and soft vegan cheese. You can also add vegan parmesan cheese or red pepper flake at this point (optional).
- Bake for about 15-20 minutes or until hot. The soft vegan cheese will be slightly golden brown on top. Remove from oven and enjoy as is, or garnish with sun-dried tomatoes, fresh basil, balsamic drizzle, red pepper flake, and extra vegan parmesan (all optional).
- Best when fresh, though leftovers will keep covered in the refrigerator up to 3-4 days. Reheat in a 350 degree F (176 C) oven until hot.
Video
Notes
*For the red sauce, we adapted Smitten Kitchen’s favorite red sauce, straining one 28-ounce jar whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes for 2 hours and discarding the liquid that drained out. Strained tomatoes are blended with 3-4 Tbsp (1 small handful) basil, 1-2 cloves garlic, and salt to taste.
*To make the balsamic reduction, add 1 cup (240 ml) balsamic vinegar to a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil. Allow to simmer until it is reduced by half and appears slightly syrupy (about 10-15 minutes). Watch carefully near the end as it can go from reduced to burnt quickly. You’ll know it’s done when it coats the sides of the pan when swirled. Remove from heat and let cool where it will continue to thicken. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for 2 weeks (sometimes longer).
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with avocado oil and our macadamia ricotta recipe and without optional ingredients.
Malinda says
These are absolutely AMAZING! I used your recipe for tofu ricotta for the soft cheese and I roasted cherry tomatoes with the garlic for a topping. Just fantastic tysm for this recipe!
Yay! Sounds delish. Thanks so much for the lovely review, Malinda!
Shannon says
I was looking for a new way to use portobello mushrooms and found this gem. The recipe was so delicious that we were still talking about it this morning! We’re not vegan, so we topped it with goat cheese – so yummy! I accidently added the roasted garlic to the sauce, then added TBS of fresh local honey & some balsamic vinegar for more flavor. The pizzas were a bit smokey, sweet, rich & tangy. Can’t wait until we enjoy this one again!
We’re so glad you gave the recipe a try and enjoyed it, Shannon! Thank you so much for the lovely review and sharing your modifications! xo
Kristen says
These were delicious! Truly a flavor bomb. I made them with your macadamia nut cheese and they reheated perfectly for lunch! I’m eyeing a lasagna recipe next with the leftover cheese!
We’re so glad you enjoyed them, Kristen! Let us know how you like the lasagna =)
Bella says
Thank you so much for the recipe. I ended up just using a supermarket vegan soft cheese, like a Philadelphia dupe and it worked out well, I’ll definitely be trying it with homemade soon. Can’t wait to make this for family 😊
We’re so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Bella! Thanks so much for sharing!
Carol K says
This recipe got an “OMG this is Incredible!” rave review from all. I used jarred tomato basil sauce, Miyoko’s Classic Chive soft cheese. I found the portion size (due to mushroom shrinkage) to be better as a side than entree for adults. Thanks Dana, for another winner!
Whoop! Thanks so much for the lovely review, Carol! xo
Maggie Johnson says
Could you make this with small mushrooms and almost make it a veggie-heavy sauce to put on pasta noodles?
We haven’t tried it, but sounds lovely! Let us know if you do some experimenting!
Franki says
This was delicious! I didn’t have any vegan cheese handy unfortunately, but it was still super delicious and flavorful without it! I also used fresh rosemary when I roasted the veggies.
Rachel Goldfarb says
This recipe is really outstanding! So flavorful! I made this oil and salt free, tonight being the second time I’ve made it ; I used kite hill chive cream cheese bc I can eat that on anything :) and I didn’t use the roasted garlic. I did make the Parmesan (I make that Parmesan recipe often, salt free also!). I used canned tomato sauce (not specifically pizza sauce), also free of oil and salt. I had leftover veggies that I ate on the side. A friend of mine used miyokos mozzarella and loved it too. The sun dried tomatoes were super nice. I think next time I may add green olives. I’d like to try this with a garlic infused balsamic vinaigrette in the future. Seriously so delicious, thanks so much for this awesome and easy recipe!
We’re so glad you enjoy this recipe, Rachel! Thanks for sharing!
Dana says
Everything about this was delightful- from time spent prepping to eating this delicious dish! Yum! (We added zucchini, artichoke, and olives)
We are so glad you enjoyed it, Dana! Your additions sound lovely! Thanks so much for sharing!
Ladonna Batterson says
This was delicious! I used Trader Joe’s tomato basil marinara sauce, Mykonos vegan cream cheese (it’s the only soft cheese I had on hand), and I made the Vegan Parmesan. As a side note, I was amazed at how easy it was to make vegan parmesan.
The roasted garlic was so yummy and really added great flavor to the dish.
Next time, I will make the Macadamia Nut cheese. The vegan cream cheese I used was really rich. I’ll also add the vinegar glaze. I might try to make it with white vinegar. :-)
Thank you so much!!
We are so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Ladonna! Thanks so much for sharing your experience! Happy cooking! xo
Kelly says
Ok, so these were amazing! I actually made 6 mushrooms instead of 4, and even had some veggies left over. I reheated them for lunch just now and they are almost better the next day! The flavors really had a chance to meld overnight. I used jarred marinara sauce because I had some on-hand to get rid of, and I used real cow’s milk mozzarella because I also had some on-hand, and I am not totally vegan. Speaking of cheese, today while I was eating these, I thought blue cheese crumbles would be really good on them too, especially sprinkled on after being reheated. Definitely putting these into my dinner rotation.
Thanks, Kelly!!
jessica says
Wow this was amazing! I wish i couldve taken photos of how beautiful they looked but they got eaten so fast by carnivores and vegans alike. So flavor packed. I used a marinara pasta sauce instead of pizza sauce since its what i had on hand. And i used all the same veggies Dana used but i added shallot to roast and i broke up the garlic after roasting. I also used kite hi ricotta which is a favorite of mine. Andci used fresh oregano…yum!! I didnt get to add glaze cause i accidentally caramalized too much until it hardened but lets just say this recipe will now be a frequent rotation on the menu. Thx for an amazing recipe dana.
Thanks, Jessica!
Annette says
I absolutely love this website and most of the food I make comes from here these days. Made this on on Sunday and loved it so much! We did the mushrooms on the grill. My boyfriend had a leftover one on Monday for lunch and he said he couldn’t get over how much he enjoyed it even as a leftover. He is not vegan! Thanks for all the awesome recipes!
Yay! Thanks for sharing, Annette!
Lisa says
This was delicious. Thank you. I have made so many recipes of yours over the years but have never commented even though they’ve all been great. My mushrooms were quite thick so I added a little water to the pan on the second side and added the lid. That helped soften them. I used a high quality unsweetened jar tomato sauce. No dairy/alternative or balsamic reduction but fresh basil. Soo so good.
Yay, thanks Lisa!
Helena says
I made this recipe today, I used smoked tofu instead of cheese and it’s amazing. thank you so much : )
Whoop!
Cassie Thuvan Tran says
Portobello mushrooms taste absolutely magnificent when marinaded in balsamic vinegar and topped with nutritional yeast. Best dinner idea ever! I would love to try recreating the vegan ricotta too. My friends once made this magnificent vegan mozzarella at home out of cashews–can’t even begin to describe how marvelous it was!
Thanks, Cassie! If you try it let us know! We’d love a review of your experience.
Jim DeVitto says
I followed the directions to the “t”…almost. What I did worked because they were awesome. My changes included; I used shredded mozzarella, spicy pizza sauce, didn’t add garlic but did throw chopped spinach on top. Also, I grilled the shrooms before putting them in the oven. I’ve grilled portabello’s many times so I went that route.
Lovely! Thanks for sharing!!
Elaine says
Hello. I am planning to make this delicious looking recipe. Question: I have never cooked with portobello mushrooms. I just watched a test kitchen video on preparing them and the host said to scrape out the “feathery gills because they give a muddy taste to food”. I noticed you did not do this. So, what do you say about this? I trust your judgement. Thanks for your thoughts on this.
Warm regards,
Elaine in New Mexico
We haven’t found it to be necessary. Hope that helps!
Emily says
Do you remove the gills along with the stems on the portobellos before marinating them, or leave them intact? Without removing them I’m wondering how to fit all those wonderful veggies in the pizzas!
I don’t find that necessary, but if you want to, go for it!
Kiwi says
This was incredible and totally hit the spot for my pizza craving since I’m off gluten and having a hard time with chewy things due to dental work, too. The balsamic reduction takes it over the top. I did have to laugh when the portobella came out of the pot, though. I chose to make just one because it said they were best fresh, and I figured I could assemble new ones later in the week with the toppings made ahead…but I forgot ‘bellas shrink! So I spent all this time making a teeny tiny 3″ pizza for myself for dinner! A single person could easily eat 2 and probabaly even 3. Oh well, it was a beautiful appetizer, and it wasn’t a busy night, so I’m making the socca base now for a round of seconds!
Yay! thanks for sharing, Kiwi!
Meg says
I made these tonight and they were very tasty. I was a little confused on the sundried tomatoes though, first, which kind to buy (I bought the jar in oil) and then when to add them to the recipe (I added to the roasting veg pan and they came out a little burned). Everything was still tasty though.
Thanks for sharing! I usually add the sun-drieds just before serving OR in the last few minutes of cooking because they’re more delicate and can burn easily. Glad you enjoyed these, Meg!
Rachel Goldfarb says
I also wasn’t sure when to add them as the recipe doesn’t specify. So I added mine after putting the sauce on and then topped with the veggies. They came out perfect, spent 20 minutes in the oven. No problems with burning them :) thanks!
Thanks for letting us know, Rachel! It’s now added in the instructions.
Laura says
This recipe showed up in my inbox this morning and was just what I needed. It’s so delicious! I actually used your romesco sauce ( a staple in our household) instead of pizza sauce and roasted some jalepenos with the other veggies. Will definitely be making it again.
Ooh, smart! Thanks for sharing, Laura!
Randie says
Why do you use parchment paper instead of roasting directly in the pan?
thanks :-)
To prevent sticking / easier clean up :D
Jen Hartnett says
I tried to pin this recipe to make for a cookout we are having in a month or so, but none of the Pins give me anything but a dark screen and when I but it the name of the recipe, all kinds pop up except yours,,any idea what the problem could be. These look amazing and I really want to try them
We’ll look into that! Try again, perhaps?