A fresh, flavorful vegetarian dinner in 30 minutes… this easy mushroom taco recipe is the perfect thing to make with your portobellos! We keep is so simple with balsamic portobello mushrooms, a quick slaw, and other toppings of your choice. It can be made vegan and gluten free depending on your toppings and tortillas, making Taco Tuesday easy for everyone!
Taco time! Taco time for mushroom lovers.
Big juicy portobello mushrooms are a handy ingredient for vegetarians, their size giving them some flexibility to be used whole (as a “burger” or a “steak”) or in strips for things like salads and of course tacos.
This recipe is fairly simple, we’re just appreciating the mushrooms with a little balsamic and we’re adding some fresh tasty toppings and letting each bite do its own thing.
I don’t add spices to the mushrooms, just some garlic, balsamic and soy sauce to make them the best versions of their mushroom selves. You can definitely toss in some chili powder, smoked paprika or a taco seasoning if you have one you like. I enjoy the simplicity with this recipe but it can definitely be used as a base on which to build.
How to Get Perfect Mushrooms for Tacos
The important thing is to be able to cook these mushroom strips on a high heat, and really caramelize the outsides while locking the juices in. For me, cast iron is the perfect cookware for this job. Stainless steel will work too.
Avoid using a Teflon or ceramic pan, which recommends low to medium heat. That isn’t going to be right for this – if you cook at too high a heat for too long you will wreck your pan. (Full disclosure: I have ruined a pan or two in my quest for the perfect crispy mushrooms so I know what I am talking about.)
Mine is a 13.5 inch Le Crueset paella pan which I use for everything in the world but paella. Ha.
You will coat the mushrooms in garlic, balsamic vinegar and soy sauce, then place them on a hot pan and leave them to cook for a few minutes undisturbed. You don’t want any mushrooms to overlap or they will not get enough heat to them to caramelize. Note that my pan is on the verge of being overcrowded – definitely don’t try to fill your pan any more than this! You may need two batches if you don’t have such a large pan.
And this is what we’re going for. They’re reduced, they’re super caramelized and crispy around the edges, but still nice and juicy.
The Best Toppings for Easy Mushroom Tacos
Tacos are a free for all, so you should always do what feels right. But this is what I’d recommend:
- Salsa. I think the salsa is crucial for lending Mexican vibes to this recipe, since the mushrooms are so simply flavored. Salsa brings the smoky chili factor. A chipotle salsa would be particularly good here. (Mine is a homemade blender salsa with some smoked paprika in the mix. Making homemade salsa alongside this recipe will push you well over the 30 minute mark, but if you have the time, go for it.)
- Red cabbage slaw. For crunch! This recipe includes a really simple slaw recipe which includes red cabbage, cilantro (fresh coriander), red onion and lime juice. It’s simple but it does the job well and helps to get this on the table fast. You can of course use any slaw recipe if you have a favorite.
- Lime wedges for squeezing.
- Avocado slices because of course.
- Crumbled feta or cojita cheese if you don’t need this to be vegan. Or a vegan version if you have one you like.
- Lots of cilantro (fresh coriander). Crucial! That fresh flavor just brings the whole thing together.
- Fresh chili slices are an optional touch if you’d like some more heat. You could use red or green chilis, or some jalepenos (fresh or jarred).
We also need to discuss your choice of tortilla
I tested these many times with mini flour tortilla wraps from the supermarket. The ones photographed use white corn tortillas, which are the more legit option for tacos.
Both work, so feel free to use what you want – but these are so, so, SO much better with the corn tortillas. It is such a huge difference for me, I always feel as though really simple fresh tacos do better with corn tortillas.
If you’re in the UK this is not so easy, because taco sized corn tortillas are only available in specialist stores and online (I buy mine from Amazon). If you’re a taco enthusiast, it is worth ordering some, if that is in your budget.
More Vegetarian Taco Ideas
Balsamic Portobello Mushroom Tacos
Ingredients
- 8 small corn tortillas
- 3 portobello mushrooms, stems removed, sliced into thick strips
- 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- Salt and pepper to taste
Red Cabbage Slaw
- 1 handful red cabbage, shredded
- 1/5th small red onion, thinly sliced
- 0.5 lime, juiced
- drizzle olive oil
- 2 Tbsp fresh coriander (cilantro), chopped
- salt and pepper , to taste
Other Toppings (amounts are approximate)
- 2 Tbsp feta cheese, crumbled
- 1 avocado, sliced
- 1 Tbsp fresh coriander (cilantro), chopped
- 4 Tbsp prepared salsa or pico de gallo
- lime wedges
Instructions
- In a large bowl, drizzle the balsamic vinegar and soy sauce over the mushrooms. Add the garlic and mix until all of the mushrooms are coated but there's no excess liquid at the bottom of the bowl. Add a little more balsamic if needed to get all the mushrooms coated. Add salt and pepper to taste and set aside while you prep the slaw.3 portobello mushrooms, 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar, 1 tsp soy sauce, 3 cloves garlic, salt and pepper
- Combine all of the slaw ingredients in a bowl and set aside.Salt and pepper to taste, 1 handful red cabbage, 1/5th small red onion, 0.5 lime, drizzle olive oil, 2 Tbsp fresh coriander (cilantro), salt and pepper
- Heat a large cast iron pan and add enough oil to lightly coat the bottom. Add the mushrooms to the pan, one by one. You want to make sure the pan and oil stays hot so you want it to sizzle each time you add a new mushroom – if it doesn't, stop adding mushrooms until the pan has a chance to come back to a higher heat.
- Leave the mushrooms on the pan for 3-4 minutes without touching them, then check if they're browned at the bottom. You want them deep brown, starting to crisp around the edges. Flip them all over, one by one, and leave for another 3-4 minutes until they're cooked through on both sides.
- Heat your tortillas – the easiest way to do this alongside cooking the mushrooms is to simply wrap the tortillas in a paper towel and microwave them. But if you can multitask enough to heat them on another pan, alongside the cooking mushrooms, that is generally the tastier way to do things.8 small corn tortillas
- Assemble your tacos. Place two strips of mushroom on each tortilla, a squeeze of lime, and add your chosen toppings.2 Tbsp feta cheese, 1 avocado, 1 Tbsp fresh coriander (cilantro), 4 Tbsp prepared salsa or pico de gallo, lime wedges
