Easy crispy mushroom tacos ready in under 30 minutes (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.
Importantly for any adults who may be trying to eat as healthy as possible (i.e., avoid tortillas), I’ve also created a salad version that can be easily prepared and eaten alongside the tacos, minimal hassle.
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)!
Or, you could just make salad version of this dish and skip the tortilla altogether.
Print Crispy 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. I also turned this into a salad that you can make alongside tacos, so that the adults can eat a crispy mushroom salad while the kids eat tacos.
Note on serving sizes: Our family of 4.5 (2 adults + 3 kids aged 5, 3, and 1) usually eats 1 lb of mushrooms and 1 lb of skirt steak in 8 tacos.
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 8 tacos 1x
Ingredients
Mushrooms / Steak
- 1 lb skirt steak (optional add on!)
Spice Rub for Mushrooms (double this if you’re adding skirt steak)
OPTION: Caramelized Onion & Corn
- 1 red onion
- 1 cup fresh or frozen corn
Yogurt Topping
Other Toppings
8 Tortillas
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 425F.
2. Mix the spice rub.
Mix together in a small bowl (remember to double this if you’re making steak as well!):
3. Prepare mushrooms to bake.
Clean the 1 lb of mushroom caps by brushing off any obvious dirt and then using a damp cloth to wipe them clean. Avoid washing with water as the mushrooms will absorb the water and not crisp up properly in the oven.
Slice the caps into 1/4-inch thick slices. Quarter the onion and break the quarters apart a bit.
Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil. Dump the mushroom caps and onion onto the sheet pan. Sprinkle the spice rub (or 1/2 of the spice rub if you doubled the recipe for steak) over the the mushrooms and onions. Spray down well with 1 tbsp of olive oil. Toss. Spray it down well with 1 tbsp of olive oil. Toss again. Spread the mushrooms and onions in as much of a single layer as possible. Spray it down 1 last time with 1 tbsp of olive oil.
Note: If you decide to double the mushrooms, make sure to use two sheet pans. If you put too many mushrooms / onions on one sheet pan the result will be non-crispy sadness.
4. Bake for 20-30 minutes.
When they’re finished, they should look crisp in parts and still chewy in others.
5. OPTION: Make the caramelized onion & corn topping.
Chop the onion. Heat a pan over medium heat with about 1 tbsp of olive oil. Cook the onion for 5-8 minutes over low-medium heat until it begins to caramelize (see picture below).
Then add the 1 cup of corn (fresh or frozen). Add 1/4 tsp of salt. Stir to mix and then spread it in an even layer and let it cook for 2 minutes over low-medium heat. Stir, spread in an even layer, and let it cook for 2 more minutes. Repeat this until the corn is hot and beginning to caramelize a bit. (See picture below.) Then take it off the heat. It’s done.
6. OPTION: If you’re making steak.
Mix the remaining spice mixture with 2 tbsp of olive oil. Then rub down the surface of the skirt steak well with the spice rub.
Get a cast iron skillet very hot. Let it preheat for at least 1 minute. Spray down with avocado oil. Plop on the steak. Cook for 3 minutes, undisturbed. Flip, and cook another 2 minutes on the other side. Temp it at this point. Take it off as soon as it hits 125F to have it finish at medium rare. If it’s not there yet, continue cooking until it reaches 125F.
Once its at 125F, take it off the heat and allow it to rest for 10 min before slicing.
7. Prepare yogurt topping.
While the mushrooms and onions are baking, prepare the yogurt topping by mixing the 3/4 cup Greek yogurt with the 1 tsp of turmeric. Add 2-4 tbsp of water until the Greek yogurt is at a good texture (not super thick, but not runny).
8. Prepare the other toppings.
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. [If you’re not feeling cabbage, an easy replacement is arugula.]
Wash the cilantro well and roughly chop until you have 1 cup. Set aside for taco assembly.
Crumble the 1/2 cup of feta. Set aside for taco assembly.
Heat the 8 tortillas. Wrap in a dry towel and set aside for taco assembly.
9. Assemble the tacos & enjoy.
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 20 min
- Method: baking
