Roasted Portobello, Red Pepper, Arugula and Mozzarella Grilled Cheese

With luscious roasted portobello mushrooms, slightly bitter leafy arugula, red pepper and melty fresh mozzarella cheese, all sandwiched in crisped-till-golden rustic bread, this grilled cheese sandwich is comfort food at its finest.

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I once enjoyed a similar sandwich at a downtown Salt Lake café known for it’s incredible pastries. My friend and I split the roasted portobello panini, shared on purpose so we’d have enough room for the flaky kouing aman, the trio of buttery cookies and a couple chocolate eclairs!

Decadent with marinated portobello mushrooms, roasted red peppers, and melty gooey mozzarella cheese, this grilled cheese sandwich is good for the soul.

To cook portobellos, you want to scrape out the dark, almost black gills inside the mushroom. The gills are totally edible, I just don’t think they’re pleasant to eat or look at.

Roasted Portobello, Red Pepper, Arugula and Mozzarella Grilled Cheese recipe notes and details:

• This recipe makes two (very filling) sandwiches so scrumptious you just might scarf it all down in one sitting. If you are not that hungry, reheat what’s leftover for the next day.
• To make it quick and easy, marinate the mushrooms in a purchased oil and vinegar dressing. Or if you prefer, whisk up a simple marinade, like the oil and vinegar mix that dresses this heirloom tomato and crunchy crouton salad.
• Use the roasted red peppers that come in a jar. You’ll not use the whole bottle, so you’ll want to make roasted red pepper vinaigrette salad dressing.

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I don’t own a panini press so I toast my portobello sandwich in a large cast-iron skillet with a big dab of butter.

What is a portobello mushroom? 

• It’s a cremini mushroom left to grow and mature into a meaty firmer mushroom. Cremini mushrooms are a variation of the common cultivated white mushroom.
• Portobellos began to appear in the 1980s, sold as a marketing ploy to popularize the extra large creminis that otherwise would be thrown away. Because of age, a portobello’s gills are prominent in the open cap–the open cap allows some of the mushroom moisture to evaporate. It’s the reduced moisture that concentrates the flavor and creates that dense meaty texture. 
• Sometimes you’ll see this “gourmet” fungus spelled with an “A” instead of “O”– portabella or portobella or portabello. I don’t speak Italian, but I have been told that should be spelled either portobello or portabella, two O’s or two A’s.

Gluten free idea: You can put the red pepper and arugula inside the roasted mushrooms, top with mozzarella slices and pop them in the oven until the cheese melts and holds everything together. It’s not a sandwich but it’s damn delish. Serve over hot polenta, or garlicky sage-seasoned white beans.

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Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Roasted Portobello, Red Pepper, Arugula and Mozzarella Grilled Cheese

You could no-problem scarf down a whole one of these yummy meaty gooey grilled cheese sammies in one sitting. This recipe makes two (very filling) large sandwiches—ample food for 4 people. For a casual dinner, serve with a green salad.

Prep Time20 minutes mins

Cook Time25 minutes mins

Total Time45 minutes mins

Course: Lunch

Cuisine: American

Keyword: fresh mozzarella cheese, portobello mushroom, sandwich

Servings: 4 servings

Author: Letty | @lettyskitchen

Ingredients

• ½ cup oil and vinegar dressing homemade or purchased (see note)
• 4 portobello mushrooms
• fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 12 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced 1/4-inch thick
• 2 ounces baby arugula, 2 generous handfuls
• 1 roasted red pepper cut in 4 pieces (see note)
• 4 slices artisan-style bread
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Instructions

• Cut off the stem inside the portobellos. With a spoon, scrape out and discard the dark gills. Place the mushrooms in a shallow pan, tops down. Pour 2 tablespoons of the dressing in each mushroom cavity and turn them over a few times so all sides are coated with the marinade.
• Heat the oven to 350° F. Heat a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high flame. Add a tablespoon of oil and swirl the pan so the oil coats the bottom of the pan with a thin film. Slip the mushrooms into the pan, tops down. Sear 5 minutes, or until they take on a rich golden tan. Season with a pinch of salt and freshly ground pepper.
• Turn the mushrooms so the seared side is up. Place the skillet in the oven and roast 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer the mushrooms to a plate. Set aside the skillet, keeping the marinade and roasting juices in the pan.
• Slice the bread 1/2 inch thick. You’ll need 4 (~8 x 3-inch) slices for this recipe. Cut the red pepper into 4 (2 ½ inch-wide) portions.
• Build the sandwiches. Arrange two slices of bread, each with 2 slices of mozzarella cheese. Top each slice of bread with 2 roasted mushrooms followed by 2 portions of red pepper. Scrunch as much arugula as you can manage over the peppers, and then top with the remaining cheese and bread.
• Return the skillet to the stovetop over medium-high flame. Melt a dollop of butter into the oil and vinegar marinade/mushroom juices remaining in the pan.
• Place the sandwiches in the skillet, pressing gently on the tops for a minute or so. Cook 3 or 4 minutes, until golden. Carefully flip the sandwich to the other side and cook another 3 or so minutes, until the cheese melts and the bread is crispy golden.
• Cut in half and serve immediately.

Notes

• For the quick and easy marinate the portobellos in a purchased oil and vinegar dressing. I used Newman’s Own. 
• I use the roasted red peppers that come in a jar.

Nutrition

Serving: 4g | Calories: 475kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Cholesterol: 82mg | Sodium: 1109mg | Potassium: 512mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 1134IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 501mg | Iron: 2mg

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