Grilled Marinated Portobello Mushroom Salad with Creamy Herb Dressing - Gluten Free

This colorful salad is bursting with textures and flavors. It is so satisfying that it is a meal in itself. Portobello mushrooms have a magical way of making any dish extra special. When they are marinated they are out of this world, especially if you toss them on the grill to intensify their flavor. The perfect marriage of grilled and raw veggies really come to life in this dish when drizzled generously with the homemade herb dressing. The thread that ties all of these tasty elements together is the feta cheese. It adds just the right amount of saltiness. Think your kids wont eat this? You might be surprised! My daughter used to profess her disdain for mushrooms until I talked her into trying a bite of this salad. She surprised me (and herself) by eating the entire thing. She now requests this salad regularly, and I am happy to oblige. This is the perfect meal for warm summer days when you don't want to heat up the house by using the oven. It is both beautiful and special enough to serve when entertaining. I'm happy that I found this recipe on Gluten Freeda last year, it is definitely a keeper. I adjusted the ingredient quantities to suit my personal taste and to make the salad a main course. Go ahead; grill yourself some delectable portobello mushrooms this week. You won't be sorry!

Too see more delicious dinner ideas check out What's for Dinner?Wednesday at the Gluten Free Homemaker.



Grilled Marinated Portobello Mushroom Salad with Creamy Herb Dressing - Gluten Free

2 Portobello Mushrooms, stemmed and gently rubbed clean

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped

1/2 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped (and ground with a mortar and pestle if desired)

1 1/2 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley, chopped

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon lemon juice, or more to taste

2 slices red onion

2 slices beefsteak tomato

4 cups mixed salad greens

2 ounces feta cheese, crumbled

Place portobello mushrooms in a glass baking dish, gills up. Drizzle each equally with balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Allow mushrooms to marinate at room temperature for 20 minutes.

In a small bowl combine thyme, rosemary, parsley, mayonnaise and lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Preheat grill to medium.

Place mushrooms on grill, gills up, for 5 minutes. Flip and continue to grill for 5 more minutes. Remove from grill and transfer to a dinner plate.

To assemble, place 2 cups mixed greens on a large salad plate. Top each salad with a portobello mushroom, a tomato slice, and an onion slice. Drizzle generously with Herb Dressing and sprinkle with feta cheese. Yield: 2 main dish salads

Enjoy!