Buffalo Grilled Bacon Burger with Portobello Caps (Paleo, Whole30, Keto)

Summer time is definitely prime grilling season, but when you can’t find the right Whole30 or paleo option for a bun, it can really be a let down on those beautiful grilling nights. If you’ve never tried portobello mushroom caps for your burger bun, I have just the recipe for you to get that excitement back in the grilling game! The meatiness of the portobello mushrooms add a bun-like quality to these very tasty burger, and blends together with the delicious flavors of bacon and spicy buffalo to make the perfect weeknight meal. These buns are so easy to make, and with how easy everything else is to put together, this burger will be on replay in your mind long after grilling season is done! It’s definitely an easy add to your quick weeknight dinners for both the paleo and Whole30 menus!

Everyone knows that mushrooms are healthy for you, but you might not know some of the specifics as to why you should incorporate more of these friendly fungi into your diet!

Some health benefits of portobello mushrooms

You may already know that mushrooms are very low in calorie density, contain no fat, and are low in sugar, which makes it a great swappable option for a bun. One cup of mushrooms contains about 35 calories total, with almost 11% the recommended daily fiber intake. According to the Harvard Health blog, most Americans only get 25%-40% the recommended daily intake of fiber. By swapping your bun (or bunless) burger for some portobello mushroom caps, you could dramatically increase your fiber intake in one meal.

Mushrooms are also a great source of vitamins and minerals. The amount of B vitamins alone are incredible! If you haven’t ready my blog post on my Bok Choy Soup, I have a lot to say about how amazing B vitamins are for your body. One cup of mushrooms gives you almost 30% of the recommended daily value of riboflavin. Riboflavin, also known as vitamin B2, plays important roles all throughout your body. It plays a role in metabolism of certain molecules, growth, and energy production. Often, vegetarians, vegans, and people who do not have regular access to dairy or meat products have riboflavin deficiencies. For that reason, riboflavin is often added to processed foods to ensure enough consumption of vitamin B2. Mushrooms should definitely be added to your list of veggies, especially if you are partially or completely plant-based! Just one more reason to use portobello mushrooms as your bun!

Portobellos are also an incredible source of minerals, specifically phosphorus, potassium, selenium, and copper. One serving of portobello mushrooms is about 16% of your daily value of phosphorus, a vital component in strong bones and making red blood cells. Portobellos also have 15% the daily value of potassium, which plays a critical role in muscle contraction, including regular heart contractions. Potassium also serves as a counter to sodium (anyone remember the sodium-potassium pump from biology class??), meaning that a diet rich in potassium can could potentially help counter some of the negative effects of too much sodium with regards to blood pressure. Selenium, also rich in mushrooms, plays an important role in your body’s ability to regulate glands throughout your body, as well as DNA production. One cup of mushrooms contains around a whopping 38% of the recommended daily intake of selenium. Lastly, mushrooms contain about 24% the recommended daily intake of copper. Copper plays a vital role in creating connective tissues and blood vessels, and also plays a role in maintaining a healthy immune system.

While researching mushrooms for this blog post, I found so many health benefits for mushrooms that it was hard not putting it all in this blog post! I had to remind myself that I write up small informational sections in my blogs to help people make better choices about their eating, and to help them discover something new about the food they eat and how it affects their body as a whole. There is definitely more information out there, but I hope you learned something here today to start incorporating more mushrooms into your diet!

How to make Buffalo Grilled Bacon Burger with Portobello Caps

For this recipe, I used Primal Kitchen’s Buffalo Sauce, which is one of the few pre-made sauces/ingredients that I regularly keep in my kitchen. I love putting it on salads, over potatoes, and even made this delicious Buffalo Chicken Pizza. Obviously, use whatever buffalo sauce or spicy sauce you have on hand, but I highly recommend grabbing Primal Kitchen’s Buffalo Sauce! It’s Whole30, paleo, and is also vegan!

For this recipe, you will need:

• burger patty of choice
• salt and pepper
• large portobello mushroom caps
• olive oil
• bacon, cooked
• avocado
• tomato
• lettuce
• red onion
• Primal Kitchen’s Buffalo Sauce

First, fire up your grill! Your mushroom caps will not take nearly as long as your burger patties, so season your burgers with some salt and pepper and throw them on when your grill is heated up.

Clean your mushroom caps by running them under water. Make sure to get any dirt that is stuck in the underside gills! I usually remove any stem that may have come with the caps; they just get in the way for your burger!

Lightly brush the mushroom caps with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. They only need about 2-3 minutes on each side, so when your burgers have about 5 minutes left, throw your oiled and seasoned mushroom caps on the grill.

And that’s pretty much it! Top your burger with cooked bacon, the buffalo sauce, and your favorite toppings! I personally love to add tomato, avocado, and lettuce. Enjoy this tasty grilled meal that comes together in minutes, and has a plethora of health benefits!