Grilled Portabella and Bulgur Salad "Sandwiches"

A hearty vegetarian dish featuring marinated and grilled portabella mushrooms layered with a flavorful bulgur salad, fresh arugula, and avocado. The bulgur is tossed with grilled vegetables and a zesty tomato-herb vinaigrette.

4 servings

1 hr 7 min

Published October 4, 2025

Ingredients

•1 clove large garlic clove
•1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes
•½ cup flat-leaf parsley leaves
•⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
•¼ cup red-wine vinegar
•1 tablespoon finely chopped rosemary
•¼ teaspoon hot red-pepper flakes
•8 whole large portabella mushrooms
•2 medium yellow bell peppers
•1 medium zucchini
•1½ tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
•1½ cup boiling-hot water
•1 cup medium bulgur
•¼ cup pine nuts
•2½ ounce baby arugula
•1 small firm-ripe avocado

Cooking Instructions

1.
With motor running, drop garlic into food processor and finely chop. Add tomatoes, parsley, oil, vinegar, rosemary, red-pepper flakes, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and pulse until tomatoes are finely chopped but not puréed.
5 min
2.
Peel skin from portabellas using tip of a paring knife, pulling from edge of mushroom toward center. Gently scrape off gills from mushrooms with tip of a spoon. Toss portabellas with 1/2 cup vinaigrette in a 13- by 9-inch glass baking dish and let stand, turning occasionally, 20 minutes.
20 min
3.
Prepare a gas grill for direct-heat cooking over medium heat; see Grilling Procedure .
10 min
4.
Push 1 wooden pick into each onion wedge to secure for grilling. Toss onion wedges, bell peppers, and zucchini with oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Oil grill rack, then grill vegetables, covered, turning occasionally, until tender (6 to 8 minutes for bell peppers, 6 to 10 minutes for zucchini, 8 to 12 minutes for onion, and 12 to 15 minutes for portabellas).
15 min
5.
Transfer portabellas to a plate and remaining vegetables to a bowl as cooked. Cool slightly, then remove wooden picks and coarsely chop onion, bell peppers, and zucchini.
5 min
6.
While vegetables cook, pour boiling-hot water over bulgur with 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl and let stand until water is absorbed and bulgur is tender, about 5 minutes. Drain in a sieve if any water remains.
5 min
7.
Add vegetables to bulgur with pine nuts and remaining vinaigrette and toss.
2 min
8.
Put one fourth of arugula on each of 4 plates. Top with upside-down portabella. Pack bulgur mixture into a cup measure, then unmold on top of portabella. Top with another portabella, right side up. Serve with an avocado quarter.
5 min

Ingredients

•1 clove large garlic clove

•1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes

•½ cup flat-leaf parsley leaves

•⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil

•¼ cup red-wine vinegar

•1 tablespoon finely chopped rosemary

•¼ teaspoon hot red-pepper flakes

•8 whole large portabella mushrooms

•2 medium yellow bell peppers

•1 medium zucchini

•1½ tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

•1½ cup boiling-hot water

•1 cup medium bulgur

•¼ cup pine nuts

•2½ ounce baby arugula

•1 small firm-ripe avocado

Cooking Instructions

With motor running, drop garlic into food processor and finely chop. Add tomatoes, parsley, oil, vinegar, rosemary, red-pepper flakes, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and pulse until tomatoes are finely chopped but not puréed.

5 min

Peel skin from portabellas using tip of a paring knife, pulling from edge of mushroom toward center. Gently scrape off gills from mushrooms with tip of a spoon. Toss portabellas with 1/2 cup vinaigrette in a 13- by 9-inch glass baking dish and let stand, turning occasionally, 20 minutes.

20 min

Prepare a gas grill for direct-heat cooking over medium heat; see Grilling Procedure .

10 min

Push 1 wooden pick into each onion wedge to secure for grilling. Toss onion wedges, bell peppers, and zucchini with oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Oil grill rack, then grill vegetables, covered, turning occasionally, until tender (6 to 8 minutes for bell peppers, 6 to 10 minutes for zucchini, 8 to 12 minutes for onion, and 12 to 15 minutes for portabellas).

15 min

Transfer portabellas to a plate and remaining vegetables to a bowl as cooked. Cool slightly, then remove wooden picks and coarsely chop onion, bell peppers, and zucchini.

5 min

While vegetables cook, pour boiling-hot water over bulgur with 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl and let stand until water is absorbed and bulgur is tender, about 5 minutes. Drain in a sieve if any water remains.

5 min

Add vegetables to bulgur with pine nuts and remaining vinaigrette and toss.

2 min

Put one fourth of arugula on each of 4 plates. Top with upside-down portabella. Pack bulgur mixture into a cup measure, then unmold on top of portabella. Top with another portabella, right side up. Serve with an avocado quarter.

5 min