I have a thing for tacos. They’re just everything you could want in a tasty little handheld package. I’ve done smash burger tacos, chicharron de ribeye tacos, al pastor tacos, and grilled steak tacos. But when I want to serve tacos to some of my vegan friends and family members, I put mushroom tacos on the menu because it’s something we’ll all enjoy.
Stoneware Round Platter (similar) | Dish Towel (similar) | Kitchen Sources
One of the most appealing qualities of mushrooms is their umami flavor. They have a taste with an “unctuous” quality in the same line as savory meats and cheeses. However, there are many more benefits to the fungi family, including substances that have shown antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer effects. Did you know there are components in mushrooms that have shown potential to prevent the growth of proteins related to dementia? And they contain polysaccharides that act as a prebiotic for gut health. All things that add to their undeniable appeal.
You can use any variety of mushroom. I like to use brown beech mushrooms for their texture. They become almost similar to carnitas when cooked. You also don’t need to slice or dice them — I break them apart, and they cook down and crisp up really nicely. I add julienned sweet Vidalia onions to the bowl and drizzle with some cooking olive oil.
Pro tip: If you put mushrooms in a pan with olive oil, most times they’ll absorb the oil and make the pan dry, so many people will add more olive oil. But the mushrooms eventually release liquids making the dish oily. So I add the olive oil to the mushrooms and toss well before they go in the pan.
Once the onions and mushrooms are sauteing, I add salt, pepper, garlic pepper, ground cumin, smoked paprika, ground cinnamon, and ground allspice, and let it cook until it’s caramelized. Just before the mix is all nicely browned, I add minced garlic for a minute or two and then turn off the heat.
On to the guacamole. My recipe is ripe avocados, lime juice (more than usual), jalapeno, salt, and sometimes a little garlic powder. The key is really to liven up the avocado — I don’t want this to be a salad, it needs to be roughly mashed.
Thinly sliced purple cabbage adds texture and crunch to a slaw made with sliced green onions, salt, and lime juice. To finish the toppings, I have some roughly chopped cilantro, chopped serrano chiles (or jalapeños), and finely chopped macadamia nuts (I consider this my dairy-free parmesan!).
To assemble, I start with corn tortillas — use Siete tortillas or lettuce wraps if you want these to be grain-free. After a quick stint in the pan to warm the tortillas up and shape them around a spoonful of the mushroom mix, we’re ready to fill them with guacamole, slaw, serrano, and macadamia nuts, and serve.
Stoneware Round Platter (similar) | Striped Dish Towel (similar) | Salt Cellar
These tacos have so much flavor and texture, and they’re just delicious. So this is my ploy to make mushroom tacos a “thing” and not just on Taco Tuesday, because these deserve a rotation on your home menu.
