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Portobello Mushroom Pizzas with Sausage

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Portobello Mushroom Pizzas with Sausage are impossible not to love. They’re easy-to-make, gluten-free, low-carb, and absolutely scrumptious. And you can easily mix this recipe up and use your own favorite toppings. Grilled Sausage Portobello Mushroom Pizza on a white plate with basil leaves

Okay, let’s be honest, it’s a pizza of sorts.

The “crust” is an entire portobello mushroom cap, which is is a delicious way to make mini pizzas unique.

Portabello Mushroom Pizzas are fun and easy to make for a busy weeknight, or to impress guests on the weekend.

They can be an entrée, or sliced into small pieces for a fabulous appetizer to share.
Four portobellos on cutting board.

What are the ingredients in this recipe?

  • large portobello mushroom caps
  • onion
  • unsalted butter
  • olive oil
  • Mozzarella cheese
  • tomatoes
  • fresh basil leaves
  • Italian sausage
  • salt, black pepper

How to Clean Portobello Mushrooms

  1. Gently wipe the rounded top of the mushroom with a damp cloth. Mushrooms can absorb a lot of water, so it’s best not to wash them under running water and add extra moisture. (When the mushrooms are super dirty, i.e., with clumps of dirt, run water over directly over them, and then wipe them off.)
  2. Remove the stems. You won’t risk breaking the mushrooms if you gently wiggle them back and forth to pull them off. (You can wash and save the stems for a making vegetable stock or chopping and adding to a stir fry.)
  3. Use a spoon to scrape off the gills from the underside of the mushroom. (This is not imperative — however, I always do it when I’m grilling or sautéing them over high heat because they become bitter.)

Portobello mushroom with a spoon showing how to remove gills.

How to Make Portobello Mushroom Pizzas with Sausage

– Caramelize onions in clarified butter.Caramelized onions in a pot.

– Sauté the sausage in the same pot where you cooked the onions.

– Clean and grill the mushrooms with a pinch of salt.

 – Add the toppings in the following order: basil, mozzarella, caramelized onions, tomatoes, sausage.

– Bake.

– Add basil garnish.

(Much more detailed instructions are in the recipe card below.)

Recipe Tips and Substitutions

  • The flavor the butter adds to the caramelized onions is dreamy, but if you want it to be a bit lighter, use olive oil. They will still be tasty.
  • To save time, you can quickly sauté the onions. They will only be slightly caramelized, less soft and sweet — but again, still tasty. 🙂
  • You’ll notice this recipe doesn’t include tomato sauce — if you think you’ll miss it, add a bit beneath the cheese. You can use something from a can or jar, or your own pizza sauce.
  • I use thinly sliced fresh tomatoes on top of the pizzas. Halved cherry tomatoes are also a great choice.
  • The ingredient measurements might vary slightly depending on the size of your mushrooms, so don’t worry if you have a bit more or less of something.
  • You can always add extra veggies — as my mom would say, “double the onions!”
  • This recipe doesn’t have garlic in it. You can add minced garlic or garlic powder to the onions while they’re cooking if you’d like to.
  • If you don’t have a stove-top grill, you can sauté the mushrooms in a skillet following the same instructions. (A cast iron skillet is ideal.)
  • The mushroom cap pizzas don’t have to be baked on a foil-lined baking sheet, but the clean-up will be much easier if they are.

Portobellos with cheese and onion in black pan.

Serving Suggestions

These Portobello mushroom pizzas are actually a meal in and of themselves. However, it’s nice to add something light, like fruit, salad or a side dish of vegetables. Here are a few great options:

Why You Will Love Them

  • First and foremost, they’re delicious.
  • You can use any toppings you like, and the possibilities are endless.
  • They happen to be gluten-free and low-carb — if that matters to you or perhaps a guest. 😉 
  • Portobello Pizzas make for awesome individual-sized servings. Add a salad and call it dinner.

Close up of Portobello Mushroom Pizza with basil leaves

More Ideas for Portobello Pizza Toppings

You can use absolutely any of your favorite pizza toppings. Here are a few delicious ideas:

  • Gruyère and spinach.
  • Manchego, chorizo and bell peppers.
  • Asiago, caramelized onion and pecan.
  • Mozzarella, roasted garlic, tomato and black olives.
  • Caprese with fresh mozzarella, basil and tomatoes.
  • Mozzarella, Feta, sun-dried tomato and Kalamata olives.
  • Oregano, basil, rosemary or any other Italian seasoning will work with most of these toppings.
  • For a little heat, sprinkle some red pepper flakes on top of the pizzas.

I hope you love these Portobello Mushroom Pizza recipe as much as my family and I do!

More delicious portobello mushroom recipes:

 

Sausage Portobello Pizza on a white plate with basil leaves

Portobello Mushroom Pizzas with Sausage Recipe

Valentina K. Wein
Portobello Mushroom Pizzas with Sausage are impossible not to love! They're absolutely scrumptious and also happen to be gluten-free and low-carb.
5 from 10 votes
Print
Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 35 mins
Total Time 50 mins
Course Appetizer, Dinner
Cuisine Italian
Servings 4
Calories 292 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • 3 cups yellow onion, thinly sliced (about 1 large onion)
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 4 large portobello mushrooms (approximately 5-inch diameter)
  • olive oil for the grill
  • about 2 dozen fresh basil leaves, washed and dried
  • ¾ cup mozzarella cheese, grated
  • 3 small tomatoes, washed and dried, thinly sliced (you will need approximately 12 slices)
  • 1 (4 ounce) raw sweet Italian sausage
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions
 

  • Caramelize the onions. Add the butter to a large pot and turn the heat to low. Once the butter has melted completely, use a spoon to remove the milk solids (white foam) from the surface and discard. Then turn the heat to medium-high and add the onions. Stirring often, sauté until they're a deep golden color and very soft. This should take about 25 minutes. About halfway through the cooking time, reduce the heat to medium-low. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Here's How to Season to Taste.) Remove the onions from the pot and add them to a small bowl. What was 3 cups will now be about 1/2 cup. Set aside.
  • Cook sausage. Squeeze the sausage out of its casing into the same pot, break it apart and sauté until it's cooked through. Set aside.
  • Set oven and prep pan. Preheat the oven to 375°F, and line a baking sheet with foil. Set aside.
  • Clean mushrooms. Use a damp paper towel or kitchen towel to wipe the mushroom caps clean. Remove the stems from the mushrooms by wiggling them gently. Then use a small spoon to scrape the gills off the undersides of the mushrooms.
  • Grill mushrooms. Over a high flame, preheat a stovetop grill. (See notes!) On a large plate, drizzle the mushrooms with olive oil on both sides and season generously with salt and pepper. Place them on the preheated grill — if you don’t hear a sizzle, take them off until it’s hot enough that you do. They will not caramelize properly unless it's hot enough. Grill them until they're nicely browned and tender, 3 or 4 minutes per side. When they're done, place them on the foiled covered baking sheet, round side down.
  • Assemble. Place enough basil leaves on each mushroom to cover the surface. Divide the cheese evenly among them, sprinkling it directly on top of the basil. Then, dividing them equally, add the caramelized onions, followed by the tomato slices and sausage.
  • Bake. Place the "pizzas" in the preheated 375°F oven and bake until the cheese is completely melted, about 5 minutes.
  • Garnish and serve. Finely chop the remaining basil and sprinkle it on top of each one and serve.

Notes

If you don't have a stove-top grill, you can sauté the mushrooms in a skillet following the same instructions. (A cast iron skillet is ideal.)
Calorie count is only an estimate.
Keywords appetizers for sharing, gluten-free pizza recipes
Have you tried this recipe?I'd love to see it on Instagram! Tag me at @cookingontheweekends or leave a comment & rating below.

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Comments

  2. 2pots2cook says

    Absolutely beautiful and creative idea to skip flour, any kind, for a change; not that we are limited but this is so great and healthy to have for easy lunch or appetizer ! Thank you and enjoy your weekend !

    Reply

  3. Kim Lange says

    Oh this looks like a winner! LOVE mushrooms and love the spin you put on them, because who doesn’t love pizza? You’ve made it low-carb and healthy! Pinning! xo

    Reply

  4. Eha says

    *big smile* Have stuffed portobellos for decades but never had the nouse to call them ‘pizza’ ! They can be made very moreish and thus methinks may take on any name !! Actually I usually begin with the mushrooms and then have a look in the fridge at which combination of available ingredients would offer the most flavour . . . instead of Italianate: Szechwan, Korean and Keralan flavour combinations may also do wonders for using up stuff in the fridge . . .

    Reply

  10. Dawn - Girl Heart Food says

    Because I’m a HUGE mushroom fan…and, of course, pizza fan…these are right up my alley! They would be delicious for a weekday dinner or special Friday night meal, alike 🙂 Can’t wait to try! Have an awesome week, Valentina!

    Reply

  12. Marissa says

    Loving this lightened up version of pizza! Sending this to my father in law too – he’s crazy for portobello mushrooms and this will be right up his alley!

    Reply

  15. John / Kitchen Riffs says

    Great idea! Much healthier than a regular pizza crust, and such a fun dish. Really clever recipe — thanks.

    Reply

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