Sarah Brown
Mushrooms are a great addition to meat tacos. They add moisture and umami to the recipe, and are a good source of prebiotic fibres, vitamin D, and phytochemicals. They are also fat-free, cholesterol-free, and low in calories. When preparing the mushrooms, you can either pulse them in a food processor until they reach a ground-beef consistency or finely chop them. You can then cook the mushrooms with onions and garlic in a skillet or pot until they are soft and browned. Finally, add the meat to the pan and cook until it is browned. You can also add beans, breadcrumbs, or cheese to your tacos for extra texture and thickness.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of Mushroom | Cremini, White Button, Hen of the Woods, Chicken of the Woods, Lobster, Portobello, Baby Bella, Shiitake |
| Other Ingredients | Onion, Garlic, Taco Seasoning, Tamari or Soy Sauce, Breadcrumbs, Beans, Olive Oil, Ground Beef, Salsa |
| Preparation Method | Pulse in food processor, cook in non-stick pan, bake |
| Benefits | Fat-free, cholesterol-free, low in calories, adds moisture, adds umami, nutritious, affordable |
| Calories | 83-171 kcal |
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What You'll Learn
Choosing the right mushrooms for your tacos
Cremini mushrooms, also known as baby bellas, are an excellent choice for taco fillings. They have a deeper, more umami flavour than regular white button mushrooms, making them perfect for adding savouriness to your tacos. Cremini mushrooms are also firmer and larger, giving them a meatier texture. If you're looking for a more affordable option without sacrificing flavour, cremini mushrooms are a great choice.
Another option is to use wild mushrooms, such as hen of the woods or maitake mushrooms. These mushrooms have a unique flavour and texture that can elevate your taco filling. Lobster mushrooms and chicken of the woods are also excellent choices for adding a distinct flavour and hearty texture to your tacos.
If you're looking for a more readily available option, portobello mushrooms are a great choice. They have a meaty texture and a mild flavour that can complement your taco seasoning. Cultivated mushrooms like button mushrooms or shiitakes can also be used, with shiitakes adding a flavour boost.
For those who want to stretch their ground beef and add extra nutrition, blending in brown mushrooms is a fantastic option. This combination adds moisture and umami to your tacos while providing vitamins, antioxidants, and potassium. Your family won't even be able to taste the difference, making it a sneaky way to add veggies to their diet!
When choosing mushrooms for your tacos, consider the flavour and texture you want to achieve. Whether you opt for wild mushrooms, cremini, or a blend of varieties, your mushroom tacos are sure to be a delicious and nutritious treat.
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Preparing the mushrooms
Once your mushrooms are prepared, heat a skillet over medium heat and add some oil. Add the mushrooms and any onions or garlic you wish to include, and sauté for around 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are golden brown. If you're making vegan tacos, you can stop here and serve your mushrooms with your desired toppings. If you're adding meat to your tacos, now is the time to add it to the pan, breaking it up into small pieces. When the meat begins to release its juices, add your choice of spices and continue to cook until the meat is browned. Finally, add salsa and stir to combine, before serving with your choice of garnishes.
If you're making vegetarian or vegan tacos, you can add extra texture and thickness to your mushroom taco meat by leaving some of the mushrooms whole or in large pieces, adding breadcrumbs, or including beans. You can also season the mushrooms with a variety of spices, such as cumin, chilli powder, paprika, garlic powder, cinnamon, cayenne, and salt and pepper.
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Cooking the mushrooms
There are several ways to cook mushrooms for tacos, depending on the type of mushrooms you are using and the texture you want to achieve.
Sliced Mushrooms
If you want to use sliced mushrooms, it is recommended to use Portobello mushrooms as they have a "'meatier'" texture. You can also use cremini mushrooms, but note that they will become very soft when cooked. To prepare the Portobello mushrooms, remove the stems and use a spoon to scrape out the gills, then slice the caps into thin strips or long, thin pieces.
Once your mushrooms are prepared, heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms to the pan, ensuring they are spread out in a single layer to cook evenly and get crispy edges. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes until they are golden brown.
Ground Mushrooms
If you want to mimic the texture of ground meat, you can pulse mushrooms in a food processor until they reach a ground-beef consistency. You can also finely chop the mushrooms, but this will take longer.
For this method, you can use a variety of mushrooms, such as Portobello, button, cremini, or shiitake mushrooms. Wild mushrooms like hen of the woods or chicken of the woods are also excellent choices and will give your tacos a unique flavour.
Heat oil in a non-stick pan over medium heat. If using onions and garlic, add them to the pan first and sauté until the onions are translucent or golden around the edges. Then, add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8-10 minutes until they release their liquid and begin to turn golden brown.
If you want to add texture or thickness to your mushroom taco meat, there are a few options:
- Leave some of the mushrooms in larger pieces or whole.
- Add breadcrumbs to absorb some of the mushroom liquid and create a heartier texture.
- Add beans, such as black beans or pinto beans, to make the mixture heartier and provide more protein.
Continue cooking until all the liquid has evaporated, then season with salt and pepper to taste. You can also add various spices such as cumin, chili powder, paprika, garlic powder, cinnamon, and a dash of cayenne for extra heat.
Grilled Mushrooms
If you want to grill your mushrooms, you can leave the Portobello mushrooms whole and skip removing the gills. Prepare the mushrooms as directed above, then grill over medium-high heat for 4-5 minutes on each side. Finally, slice the grilled mushrooms into strips before serving.
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Adding extra ingredients
Adding mushrooms to meat tacos is a great way to increase the nutritional value of your meal without sacrificing taste or texture. Mushrooms are fat-free, cholesterol-free, and low in calories, while providing vitamins, antioxidants, and potassium. They also add moisture and umami to the dish.
When preparing the mushrooms, it is recommended to pulse them in a food processor until they reach a ground-beef consistency. If you don't have a food processor, you can finely chop the mushrooms or use a blender. For added texture, you can leave some of the mushrooms whole or in large chunks.
Now, let's explore some extra ingredients that can enhance your mushroom meat tacos:
Onions and Garlic:
Onions and garlic are classic ingredients that can enhance the flavour and texture of your tacos. You can use yellow, white, or red onions, and fresh garlic cloves for maximum flavour. However, if you prefer a milder taste, garlic powder or freeze-dried garlic are suitable substitutes. Simply sauté the onions and garlic with the mushrooms before adding the ground beef.
Beans:
Adding beans to your mushroom meat tacos will not only make them heartier but also provide extra protein and fibre. Black beans or pinto beans are excellent choices, and you can add them directly to the pan with the other ingredients.
Spices and Seasonings:
Experiment with different spices and seasonings to elevate the flavour of your tacos. Cumin, chilli powder, paprika, garlic powder, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, and salt and pepper are all great options to consider. You can also use taco seasoning, which often includes a blend of spices like chilli powder, cumin, paprika, and garlic powder.
Vegetables:
If you want to include more vegetables in your tacos, try adding diced tomatoes, lettuce, avocado, or olives. These ingredients will provide a fresh contrast to the heartiness of the mushroom meat filling.
Toppings and Accoutrements:
Don't forget the toppings! You can offer a variety of options, such as vegan cheese, salsa, scallions, cilantro, and lime wedges. If you want to get creative, you can even make a vegan crema by blending almond milk Greek yogurt, lime juice, salt, and cilantro in a food processor.
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Serving suggestions
There are several ways to serve tacos with mushroom and meat. You can either add ground mushrooms to the ground meat or use mushrooms as a meat substitute.
Adding mushrooms to ground meat
To add mushrooms to ground meat, start by mixing ground mushrooms with ground beef in a 2:1 ratio. Then, add the mixture to a skillet with olive oil and cook over medium heat for about eight minutes, or until the beef is browned. Once the beef is cooked, turn off the stove and carefully drain the grease into a glass bowl. After removing the excess grease, add taco seasoning and a quarter cup of water to the mixture. Cook over low heat and let it simmer.
Using mushrooms as a meat substitute
To use mushrooms as a meat substitute, grind the mushrooms in a food processor until they reach a ground-beef consistency. You can also finely chop the mushrooms, but this will take longer. Then, add the mushrooms to a non-stick pan and cook until they are soft. If you want a thicker consistency, you can add breadcrumbs or beans to the mixture. Finally, serve the mushroom taco meat with your desired toppings.
Toppings and sides
You can serve your mushroom and meat tacos with toppings such as vegan cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, avocado, red onions, cilantro, and scallions. For a side, you can prepare a charred cassava flour tortilla, avocado and cilantro salad, or wild rice. You can also make a vegan crema by blending almond milk Greek yogurt, lime juice, salt, and cilantro leaves in a food processor.
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Frequently asked questions
Cremini mushrooms are recommended as they have a deeper, more umami flavor than regular white button mushrooms. They are also cheaper than other mushrooms like shiitakes. However, white button mushrooms will also work.
To prepare the mushrooms, grind them in a food processor until they reach a ground-beef consistency. If you don't have a food processor, you can finely chop the mushrooms, although this will take longer.
You can add a variety of ingredients to your tacos, such as onions, garlic, taco seasoning, tamari or soy sauce, and black beans. You can also add breadcrumbs or beans to make your tacos thicker and more hearty. For seasoning, you can use cumin, chili powder, paprika, garlic powder, cinnamon, cayenne, and salt and pepper.
