Easy crispy mushroom tacos (with an option to add beef) . . .
These crispy mushroom tacos were inspired by a New York Times recipe for Mushroom Shawarma Pitas and my own unadulterated laziness. They are a great option for a vegetarian main.
Origin Story
The story starts with a plan to make the NYT Mushroom Shawarma Pita recipe a second time. Now, I really, really do not like old pita bread. Definitely not premade ones that have been sitting around in the grocery store. If I’m going to eat pita bread, it must be fresh.
So, naturally, the first time I made the NYT recipe, I made the pita bread. I discovered that it is relatively simple to make pita. And I was very happy with the crispy, pillowy results. My husband who was super disparaging of the idea of me making my own pita bread inhaled an ungodly volume of pita and then apologized for the comment (maybe that last bit was just in my head).
On the date of my inspiration for this crispy mushroom tacos recipe, I had started the day thinking, what a fun after-school activity to do with my daughter! We will make pita bread together! It wasn’t too difficult the first time, and this pita-making experience will only further the joys of the mother-daughter bond!
I don’t remember the exact reason, but whatever it was, the joyful mommy-daughter team making of the pita bread just wasn’t going to be a thing that afternoon. Maybe it was my daughter, maybe it was me, but someone was definitely being a stinker. And I had all these mushrooms because I had planned for the Shawarma Pita recipe. I also happened to have a LOT of tortillas because they were on sale, and I had bought a ton of them.
So, at the moment of inspiration, I wondered: What if I didn’t try to make pita bread all by myself, in solitary kitchen confinement. What if instead I just did a taco version of the recipe?!
Family Activity
I know, I’m a genius. No one else could possibly have thought of swapping pitas for tortillas and adding a couple of extra taco toppings. But truly, this recipe worked really well. Plus, the kids loved making their own tacos and wanted to try the colorful food. (See why I am trying to make activities out of foods for the kids at family dinners.)
This recipe got a 4 year old and a 2 year old to try mushrooms . . . . So I was thrilled. On our do-again list.
Skirt Steak Option
In recent weeks, I’ve started adding on a beef option to this recipe for a dinner with more options. Sometimes, no matter how hard I try, the kids just won’t go for the mushrooms.
To do this, I basically double the spices for the mushrooms and use 1/2 on the mushrooms and the other 1/2 as a spice rub for about 1lb of skirt steak. I rub the steak down right before I toss the mushrooms in the spice rub. Then I let the steak rest until we’re about 10 minutes out from dinner. Then I sear it on each side in a stainless steel pain or cast iron that I’ve pre-oiled and pre-heated for about 1 minute. I temp the beef to make sure it’s done before I take it off. I aim to take it off at about 125F to get a medium rare finish. Let the beef rest 5 minutes and then slice it up thin and serve it next to the mushrooms as an additional option.
The Necessary Premade Tortilla
I have some hesitancy surrounding using a premade tortilla, because it is very hard to know what exactly is in processed food (or what has been taken out of the food during processing). In my initial experiment, I used the Siete Cassava Flour Grain Free Tortillas because they looked healthy and were on sale. However, after reading up on the EWG food score for this item, I probably will not be buying this one again as it is flagged for high food processing concerns. There appear to be much better options available.
For our family at least, it looks like corn tortillas from Northgate Market or La Tortilla Factory or grain-free options Food for Life would be better purchases next time. A good reminder for me that guessing at what is probably healthy is not a reliable approach.
Or, you could always make your own tortillas (or pita)!
PrintCrispy Mushroom Tacos with Turmeric Yogurt
This is a weeknight recipe for crispy mushroom tacos. Quick to get on the table, and fun for the whole family to assemble.
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 8 tacos
Ingredients
Mushrooms
Spice Rub for Mushrooms (see note above re doubling this if you’re adding skirt steak)
Yogurt Topping
Other Toppings
8 Tortillas
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 425F.
2. Prepare mushrooms (and skirt steak if using) and onions to bake.
Spice Rub: Mix the spice rub for the mushrooms. If you’re using skirt steak, double the recipe for the spice rub. Now is the time to rub down the skirt steak with about 1/2 of the spice rub mixture.
Mushrooms & Onions: Clean the mushroom caps by brushing off any obvious dirt and then using a damp cloth. Avoid washing with water as the mushrooms will absorb the water and not crisp up properly in the oven. Slice the caps into 1/2-inch thick slices.
Slice the onion into 8 quarters.
Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil. Place the mushroom caps and onion onto the sheet pan. Toss the mushrooms and onions with cumin, coriander, paprika, salt, and pepper. Toss or spray with 3 tbsp of olive oil and spread out in a single layer to bake. Bake in oven for 20 minutes. Below is how they should look post-baking.
3. Prepare yogurt topping.
4. Prepare the other toppings.
Heat the tortillas. Set aside for taco assembly.
Thinly slice and wash 2 cups of cabbage. Toss with 2 tsp of olive oil, salt, and some pepper. Set aside in a bowl for taco assembly.
Wash the cilantro well and roughly chop. Set aside for taco assembly.
Crumble the feta. Set aside for taco assembly
5. Option: If cooking beef, now is the time.
Let the steak rest until about 10-15 minutes out from serving. Preheat a stainless steel pain or cast iron and pre-heat for about 1 minute. Sear the beef at high heat for about 2-3 minutes on each side. Temp the beef to make sure it’s done before taking it off. It may need a bit longer (if so, reduce the heat to low-medium and give it a few more minutes) depending on how thick your skirt steak is, but try not to overcook it or it will get tough. Aim to take it off the heat at about 125F to get a medium rare finish. Let the beef rest 5 minutes and then slice it up thin and serve it next to the mushrooms as an additional option.
6. Assemble the Tacos
Enjoy!
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 20 min
- Method: baking
