Vegan pulled mushroom tacos

Vegan pulled mushroom tacos

vegan pulled mushroom tacos close up

How about a plate of deliciously smoky and juicy pulled mushroom tacos this weekend? Pulled what!? Mushrooms! No, I am not pulling your leg (sorry, could not help myself 😉 ), promise. They are a thing and they are blooming delicious! If you’ve been following my blog for a while, you might have guessed that I’m a big fan of young jackfruit, which I have used in many recipes to replicate the texture of meat with great success and I cannot believe I’m about to say this, but… Move over jackfruit, there is a new kid on the block!

I first learned about this trick of shredding King Oyster mushroom stems into a meat-like texture from Derek Sarno’s video and I thought it was genius. I knew that they make convincing vegan scallops, but this was way cooler and I had to give it a go. When I spotted the meaty mushrooms in an Asian store in town I was over the moon – I know, I need to get out more…

I tried a couple of different ways of preparing them, but treating them the same way I prepare the jackfruit turned out to be a clear winner – stew in the spices and condiments first and then bake in a hot oven till the edges get a little charred and crispy.

I tucked my smoky pulled mushroom filling in some small corn tortillas and dressed them with a simple tomato salsa, some cos lettuce, a few strands of sharp quick-pickled onions, a dollop of vegan sour cream and a sprinkle of fresh coriander and I was a very happy bunny indeed.

These meatless ‘meaty’ tacos make for ideal finger food and go hand in hand with some beers in the sun (I’m counting on you this weekend, Bristol!) and some fairly relaxed hosting as you can prepare everything well in advance. I don’t know about you, but since this is a long weekend and the weather is meant to be gorgeous, that’s very much in my weekend plans.

vegan pulled mushroom tacos shredded mushrooms

vegan pulled mushroom tacos filling

vegan pulled mushroom tacos portion

vegan pulled mushroom tacos platter

vegan pulled mushroom tacos macros

makes
12 tacos
PREP
20 min
COOKING
40 min
makes
12 tacos
PREPARATION
20 min
COOKING
40 min
INGREDIENTS
PULLED MUSHROOMS (for the best flavour, make a day ahead)

  • 400 g / 14 oz king oyster mushrooms
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 small white onion, finely diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely diced
  • 1 heaped tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 1 tsp tomato paste
  • 1-2 tsp adobo paste (or chilli paste)
  • 2-3 tbsp soy sauce or tamari (for GF version)
  • 60 ml / ¼ cup stock (or water)
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup
  • a good pinch white or black pepper

SALSA

  • 15 ripe plum tomatoes
  • ¼ red onion, finely diced
  • ½ small jalapeno chilli (adjust to taste), finely diced
  • small handful of coriander, super finely chopped
  • 2 tsp lime juice
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • ½ tsp maple syrup
  • salt and pepper, to taste

REMAINING INGREDIENTS

  • 15 small tacos (I used shop-bought 10 cm corn tacos)
  • Romaine lettuce, shredded
  • quick-pickled red onions (details in this recipe)
  • small bunch of coriander
  • vegan sour cream or creme fraiche (I used Oatly)

METHOD
PULLED MUSHROOMS

  1. Wipe the mushrooms clean and cut off the caps. Slice the caps thinly.
  2. Shred the stems using a fork to make incisions and then pull individual strands apart with your hands (see photos).
  3. Heat up 2 tbsp of oil in a heavy bottom frying pan.
  4. Throw in the diced onion, fry on a gentle heat for about 10 minutes (stirring from time to time) until translucent and lightly browned in places.
  5. Add the diced garlic and fry for another 2-4 minutes, until fragrant.
  6. Add the cumin, smoked paprika and coriander. Fry them off gently, stirring the whole time, for a minute or so.
  7. Mix in the tomato and adobo (or chilli) paste.
  8. Add in all the mushrooms (caps and all). Coat them in what’s already on the pan.
  9. Add soy sauce (I ended up using 3 tbsp, but you are welcome start off with 2) and 60 ml / ¼ cup stock.
  10. Allow the mushrooms to cook in the liquid until most of the liquid gets absorbed. Season with maple syrup and some pepper. You are welcome to add some more acidity, but for me, the tomato and adobo paste provided enough. Cook for another 5 minutes and allow the mixture to cool down. If making a day ahead, refrigerate overnight.
  11. Just before you are ready to assemble the tacos, set the oven to 180° C / 355° F fan function (or 200° C / 390° F if your oven has no fan setting).
  12. Spread the mushrooms pieces on a baking paper-lined baking tray and bake for about 15 minutes, depending on how browned you would like your end product.

SALSA

  1. Chop your tomatoes very finely, optionally deseeding them as you go along.
  2. Mix in the diced onion, jalapeno chilli and coriander.
  3. Dress with lime juice, olive oil and maple syrup and season with salt and pepper.

ASSEMBLY

  1. Assemble your tacos by putting pulled mushroom, chopped lettuce, tomato salsa, pickled onions (if using) and coriander in the middle of each taco. Dot with vegan sour cream.
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NUTRITIONAL INFO
calories
149
7%
sugars
4 g
5%
fats
7 g
10%
saturates
2 g
8%
proteins
4 g
7%
carbs
17 g
6%
*per taco
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5.0
30 reviews, 57 comments
REVIEWS & QUESTIONS
Lakshmi:
Make this all the time - so delicious! Thanks for your recipes, can't wait to try more of them :)
Are you thinking of creating videos to accompany the recipes?
    Ania
    Ania:
    Thank you Lakshmi, I am so happy to hear that and I hope you'll enjoy other recipes just as much. My husband and I have done quite a few videos in the past (see them on YouTube), but I do all the work by myself now and I don't have the time or resources to add videos to my schedule at the moment, I am afraid. Ania
Jessica:
5 stars! The most incredible meal
    Ania
    Ania:
    Thank you, Jessica - I am so happy to hear that and thank you for taking the time to review, I really appreciate it. Ania
Kelly Radcliffe:
Holy moly this is some good stuff! The texture takes a little getting used to, but the flavor! I’m definitely going to make some for a pulled mushrooms sandwich with coleslaw!
    Ania
    Ania:
    Thanks Kelly, I am delighted to hear that you've enjoyed these and I can confirm that they make stunning sangers too (see this recipe). x Ania
Aga:
I had some doubts about this recipe before I started making it. I was not sure about mixing soya sauce with cumin and coriander. Oh, how wrong I was. This is absolutely delicious and I will be making it again.
    Ania
    Ania:
    Thank you, Aga! I am delighted to hear that you enjoyed this dish so much that you are planning to make it again. Thank you for taking the time to review, I really appreciate it. x Ania
Kristy Galea:
Made a double batch of this for dinner tonight with some homemade tortillas. I did find I needed to add a bit of salt to balance out the flavour a bit, but they were sooo yum. My 3 kids wouldn’t believe me that it wasn’t chicken 😂
Definitely make it ahead to make your meal fuss free. Chop up a bunch of veggies add some yoghurt 👌🏼 so so good!
    Ania
    Ania:
    Thanks so much Kristy, I am delighted to hear that these had gone down so well with you and your kids. Sure, the amount of salt is quite subjective so glad you tasted and adjusted it to your liking. Thanks for taking the time to review – I really appreciate it. x Ania
Sarah:
This was a delicious recipe. Excellent flavors and easy to make!
    Ania
    Ania:
    Thank you Sarah, I am delighted to hear that you enjoyed it and found it easy to make too. And thanks for taking the time to review - I so appreciate it. x Ania
Jeremy:
I made this oyster mushroom recipe today. They were easy to make and extremely delicious.
    Ania
    Ania:
    Thank you Jeremy, I am delighted to hear that you enjoyed these. And thank you for taking the time to review, I really appreciate it. x Ania
Inka:
This was delicious and such a great idea to prepare mushrooms in this way! I love that this blog always teaches me something new I would have never thought of. Huge thanks!
    Ania
    Ania:
    Aw thank you for your kind words, Inka! I am so happy to hear that you enjoyed these tacos and that you found a new way to enjoy mushrooms. And thank you for taking the time to review this recipe, I really appreciate it. x Ania
HungryHuyen:
Flavour balance and texture was AMAZING! All my non-vegan friends loved it too! The final touch of putting the mushrooms in the oven is everything. Highly recommend this recipe and I will be making it again and again!
    Ania
    Ania:
    Thanks so much Huyen, I am delighted to hear that this recipe was such a success with you and your non-vegan friend too - that's such a win! Thank you, I am so happy to hear that and I really appreciate you taking the time to review this recipe. x Ania
Maranda Day:
Can you use portobello if you don’t have these kind of mushrooms??
    Ania
    Ania:
    Hi Maranda,
    Portobellos won't quite have the same texture but sure, they will be nice in their own right, I'm sure! x Ania
Deborah:
This was a great recipe. I didn't give it 5 stars onky because I had to adapt the recipe: no afobe paste so I used chili powder and an extra bit of tomato paste. Then I used a tsp of date paste instead of maple syrup and I am lazy, so threw on some store bought brocolli slaw veggies, homegrown tomato, and homemade tofu mayo, plus put it on a red lentil tortilla. Seriously delicious! This will stay in my rotation!!
    Ania
    Ania:
    Thanks Deborah, I'm glad you enjoyed it despite substitutions. And thanks for taking the time to review, I appreciate it. x Ania
Kandis:
Okay, YUM! LOVE having taco night, and this is such a simple (and SO delicious) recipe to really bring up the flavour factor and even the meat eaters at the table fell in love! (I'm always so happy to show off how delightful a veg meal can be)
I'll be making this frequently! Thanks so much for this recipe! Have already passed it along to a few veg friends to try too!
    Ania
    Ania:
    Thanks so much for your lovely feedback, Kandis! I'm so happy that you enjoy these and that even your meat-eating friends approved!! It's so nice when your vegan food makes non-vegans reaching for seconds! x Ania
Laura:
These Pulled Mushroom Tacos are seriously the best vegan meal I’ve made. This recipe is now bookmarked and will be a staple in our home. It is full of flavor and easy to make. I’m so grateful to have found this recipe and Lazy Cat Kitchen!!!
    Ania
    Ania:
    Thank you so much, Laura! That's some compliment - I'm delighted that you enjoyed this recipe so much and plan to make it on a regular basis. x Ania
Pauline:
Such a fantastic recipe!
It's tasty and quite simple to make. Preparing the mushrooms a day ahead also makes it very convenient when you have friends over. And everyone who tried it just love it (even meat-eater guests).
This is now my go to recipe for pulled mushrooms: I also use them in burgers for example.
I definitely recommend.
Tr
    Ania
    Ania:
    Thank you, Pauline. I'm so happy to hear that you and your meat-eating guests enjoyed these and that you plan to make them again. x Ania
Erin:
These are SO GOOD !
I've made the mushroom version, but can't stomach too much mushroom due to an intolerance - though it doesn't stop me sometimes !
Just wanted to let you know I experimented with eggplant as substitute, and after a bit of tweaking it works!
I salt, wash and blot thin slices (so it is a bit more time consuming) and then cut them into equally thin strips. Fried everything up the same, then baked for about 20min, turned the mixture and then another 20m to crisp it up, it was perfect.
These are literally a staple for me now, I make them at least once a fortnight, sometimes more. :P
Thank you for this recipe !!
    Ania
    Ania:
    Thanks, Erin, I'm glad you enjoyed these, but sorry to hear about your intolerance to mushrooms - that's a bummer! Great idea to swap mushrooms for eggplant (I love it too) - I'm glad you found an ingredient you can have that works so well. x Ania
    PS: will give it a go in when eggplants are in season!
These were fab! thanks for sharing. I wondered were you bought your large wooden serving board from?
    Ania
    Ania:
    Great to hear that you enjoyed them. I think it was from TKMAX if memory serves me well. Ania
keara:
this recipe is a total game changer for me! SO GOOD!
    Ania
    Ania:
    I'm so happy to hear that you enjoyed this dish so much and thank you so much for taking the time to let me know - much appreciated! x Ania
Tabitha:
I see a few people have used portobellos instead.... another pulled mushroom recipe I tried roasted the portobellos first, said it helps shred them. Would you recommend the same or will they shred fine raw and follow the recipe as written?? Thank you, I can't wait to try this next week!
    Ania
    Ania:
    Hi Tabitha,
    It's hard for me to reassure you that it will absolutely work the same as I have not tested this recipe with portobellos, however, there is not that much that can go wrong. They may be brittle raw so I would cut rather than shred but roasting them first sounds like it would work well. Good luck! Ania
Hi Ania,
Are there any alternatives to the adobo paste which I can use? Looking forward to making them!
Thank you.
    Ania
    Ania:
    Hi Su,
    You could use a mixture of tomato paste, chilli paste, some minced garlic and a dash of smoked paprika perhaps? Hope this helps! Ania
Irthe:
A while ago I had a bowl at a restaurant with amazing pulled mushroom in it - this tasted just the same! I didn't make the entire recipe, just the pulled mushroom part, but honestly, these pulled mushrooms were so delicious anything must taste awesome with them.
    Ania
    Ania:
    Aw, thanks so much, Irthe! I am delighted to hear that you were able to recreate your restaurant experience with this recipe. x Ania
Tash:
Do I have to bake it at the end if I made it straight away?
    Ania
    Ania:
    Hi Tash,
    You don't have to, but I recommend doing it. Baking makes the mushroom 'meat' nicely caramelised and crispy around the edges. Ania
Omg I have been plantbased 3 years and this is by far the most delicious taco recipe I have tried thus far vegan or otherwise . These MADE my 5 de Mayo festivial of 1 top notch haha and ate it alllll last night. Thank you so much for sharing. I only had 7oz of mushrooms so I added a can of jackfruit. worked amazingly well together in this recipe and I'm thinking of making it again today.
    Ania
    Ania:
    I’m so delighted to hear that you enjoyed these so much! And thank you for taking the time to let me know - much appreciated! x Ania
breslauer43:
Thanks so much! One more question sorry! I saw someone asking about using regular oyster mushrooms which is what I have as well. You recommend just marinating the mushrooms and putting them straight in the oven rather than sauteeing them first. What does that mean for the liquid? Since in your procedure you say to cook the mushrooms in the sauce until most of the liquid gets absorbed. Thanks!
    Ania
    Ania:
    Hi,
    I'll be honest, I have not tried using regular oyster mushrooms but my instinct is to go straight for the oven. The reason being is that they are way more delicate than the stems of king oysters, which do require cooking to soften. I would keep them in the marinade for an hour or so (tossing from time to time) and then bake, first covered with foil for 10-15 minutes and then uncovered so that all the excess moisture bakes out and they crisp up at the end. Hope that answers your question and you are welcome to override me if would rather cook them first. x Ania
breslauer43:
Hi! I'm really excited to try this. I followed the link to the quick pickled red onions and I only found the list of ingredients but I didn't find the process of making them. Would you please let me know what I need to do? Thank you!
    Ania
    Ania:
    Hi there,
    When you follow that link you get the method explained in step 1, please take another look. x Ania
Candace:
Made these tonight and they were incredible!! Tip: cut the mushrooms lengthways, lay flat side down then shred. So much easier than fumbling and bruising the mushroom. Such a satisfying feeling hahaha
    Ania
    Ania:
    Great to hear, Candace! Thank you for your lovely feedback and a great tip! Keep safe! x Ania
Mandy Claudio:
Quick question: I live in the United States and I'm not sure what the difference between the oven temperatures for "fan function vs fan setting". I just have a regular oven and I'm stumped. Not sure which temp to go with... Any clarification would be greatly appreciated. :)
    Ania
    Ania:
    Hi Mandy,
    As far as I know fan function and fan setting is exactly the same thing. They basically make the oven approx. 70°F warmer. If your recipe specifies fan and your oven doesn't have that function, simply increase the baking temperature. If you are not sure, consult your oven manual (I am sure you can find it online). Hope that helps! Ania
Deana Pantos:
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS RECIPE!!!
This recipe is the proof that tacos can be as good as the classic ones with meat IF NOT BETTER
Just got into the plant based lifestyle and will definitely make more of your recipes.
Best regards
    Ania
    Ania:
    You are very welcome, Deana! I am delighted to hear that you've enjoyed them and that you plant to try out more of my recipes! And most of all that you've embarked on a plant based journey! Congratulations on making the switch and I hope you'll love it as much as I do. x Ania
Laura Rayment:
I am not a vegan but am slowly transitioning to more vegan/vegetarian food and this is one of my absolute favourite recipes! I've made it loads of times and even my meat-obsessed dad LOVED it!
    Ania
    Ania:
    I'm super glad to hear that, Laura! All the best for you transition. x Ania
Karen:
Thank you so much for your fast reply! I’m off to the grocery store right now!
Karen:
I’m EXCITED to try this recipe for a gathering where there will be a lot of vegans. I have bought all the ingredients and I’m ready to go except for the mushrooms. I’ve called all the local grocery stores and none of them have oyster mushrooms, king or smaller sizes… what do you think is the most ideal substitute mushroom?
    Ania
    Ania:
    Hi Karen,
    I am excited that you are planning to cook this for a lot of people and I hope that it will go down well. As for your question, it's tricky as the only sub for king oyster I can think of is regular oyster mushrooms, but sounds like these aren't at your disposal either. In this case, I would go with chestnut or bigger ones like that (they are called different names depending on size), but instead of shredding them, I would just chop them into rather thick matchsticks. They won't be quite the same, but hopefully just as good. Hope that helps! Ania
Tara:
I can't begin to tell you how happy I am to have found this delicious recipe. It screams umami and I'm completely addicted! Thank you!
    Ania
    Ania:
    Thank you, Tara! I'm so happy to hear that you are enjoying it so much and thanks for taking the time to review and rate my recipe - it helps my blog grow! :) Ania
Susan:
I have been on the look out for a good pulled mushroom recipe for ages now. So pleased to stumble uopn yours. I haven’t tried it yet, but do you think the pulled mushrooms would work on their own as a side dish? Thank you.
    Ania
    Ania:
    Hi Susan,
    Of course, they would make a delicious side! Ania
Irene:
This was SO good that I was genuinely a bit upset when I finished it!
    Ania
    Ania:
    Hahahha, thanks, Irene! I am so pleased to hear that and I always get upset when my meal is running out too ;) x Ania
Anneli Fromell:
This was amazing. It was to follow and cook. And the taste was great. I didn´t have the same oyster mushrooms as you, mine were much smaller but I guess the texture is much the same for both. I will do this again and again and again. Thank you.
    Ania
    Ania:
    Thanks so much, Anneli! I'm delighted to hear that you enjoyed this dish so much! Ania
AJ Gest:
Ania, I tried this recipe. Without getting into expletives this was fantastic. I upped the adobo paste, as I enjoy spicy foods, and it was all I could do not to finish off the entire dish. Wonderful flavor and texture, my mushrooms were on the long side (6" maybe a tad longer) next time I might cut those a bit shorter in length to make it more manageable to eat. My wife and I loved it.
You have a winner here, with lots of opportunity to make this a bardeque dish as well. Thanks for posting in Pinterest!
AJ and Jann Gest
Denver Colorado.
    Ania
    Ania:
    That is fantastic to hear, AJ!! And I really appreciate that you took the time to leave such lovely feedback. Thanks so much! Ania
Rachel Harad:
I made these for dinner tonight, oh my goodness! They were about the best vegan dinner I have ever made, possibly that I have ever eaten! Thank you for sharing the recipe. I’m so glad that I found it!
    Ania
    Ania:
    That's fantastic to hear, Rachel! Thank you for taking the time to leave feedback! Ania
Tahirih Gutelius:
I used baby bellas and portabello mushrooms since that was what I had on hand. I have to say this was amazing. Soooooo good. They were devoured.
    Ania
    Ania:
    That's fabulous! I'm delighted to hear that and thank you for taking the time to leave such a nice comment! Ania
Jelly:
These went up like a house on fire. Thanks for an amazing recipe!
    Ania
    Ania:
    I'm delighted to hear that! Thank you for taking the time to leave us a comment and rating, much appreciated! Ania
Janie:
Omgoodness, these were just fabulous! I couldn’t find the mushrooms you used so I used portobellos. We just finished up and now I’m making another batch,
Thanks again.
    Ania
    Ania:
    That's fantastic to hear, thank you Janie! :) Ania
Bruce Deniger:
loved it!!!!
    Ania
    Ania:
    Thanks, Bruce! I'm delighted to hear that! Ania
Jacqui:
These look amazing! But where I live I have never seen these huge oyster mushrooms... would this work with regular oyster mushrooms? or would they be too small to "pull"?
    Ania
    Ania:
    Hi Jacqui,
    They should work fine, but they do not need as much cooking as they are much softer (have higher water content) so don't brother sauteeing them first, simply just marinade them and than bake at 180° C / 355° F until edges get crispy. Hope that helps! Ania
Roseanne Geer:
Thank you the glossary will be very helpful
    Ania
    Ania:
    You're welcome, I'm glad to hear that! Ania
Basia:
Ania, these look delicious! If my Asian store sold king oyster mushrooms... I've been on the lookout for these for a while now :/
I have a question, sort of a recipe request. Would you consider developing a seitan recipe for Polish-style ham (szynka)? I have looked around and found a few recipes but they are not very convincing. I thought I'd leav this here! Hope you're having a great long weekend so far :)
    Ania
    Ania:
    Thanks, Basia! I hope you manage to get your hands on them at some point as they are DA BOMB! As for your request, but I am not sure if I am the right person to ask as I've never been a big ham eater and I have not worked with seitan yet but who knows. I will keep this in mind. Ania
Anetta Simpson:
Wow, this is brilliant!
I haven't seen oyster mushrooms here in Jura, but I'll keep my eyes peeled. Gorgeous photos, as always.
    Ania
    Ania:
    Thank you for your kind words, Anetta! Ania
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