Name: Pulled Mushroom Tacos With Salsa Guille
Cook time: 30 minutes
Total time: 40 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 lb. oyster mushrooms, brushed clean; 1 cup avocado oil or grapeseed oil; 2 large garlic cloves, smashed, peeled; 2 large or 4 small dried bay leaves; Zest of 1 small lime; 1 tsp. smoked paprika; Kosher salt; 8 (6") or 12 (4") corn tortillas; Salsa Guille (see recipe; for serving); ½ medium white onion, finely chopped; 1 avocado, sliced or chopped; 6 radishes, trimmed, halved if large, thinly sliced; ½ cup finely chopped cilantro; 1 lime, quartered

Photo of pulled mushroom tacos on a platter.

Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich

In Mexico, the most commonly offered vegetarian taco at taquerias is the taco de champiñon, or mushroom taco. This recipe lets mushrooms shine, turning them crispy and meaty, almost like carnitas—for even juicier, less crisp mushrooms, feel free to remove them from the heat a few minutes earlier than directed below. I top the pulled mushrooms with a creamy, savory salsa that has been passed down from my great-grandmother to my mother, with a nutty twist that cools the heat of serrano chiles. Read more about the mushroom technique here.

Recipe information

Total Time
40 minutes
Yield
4 servings

Ingredients

Mushrooms:

1 lb. oyster mushrooms, brushed clean

1 cup avocado oil or grapeseed oil

2 large garlic cloves, smashed, peeled

2 large or 4 small dried bay leaves

Zest of 1 small lime

1 tsp. smoked paprika

Kosher salt

Tacos:

8 (6") or 12 (4") corn tortillas

Salsa Guille (see recipe; for serving)

½ medium white onion, finely chopped

1 avocado, sliced or chopped

6 radishes, trimmed, halved if large, thinly sliced

½ cup finely chopped cilantro

1 lime, quartered

Preparation

Mushrooms:
Step 1
Shred mushrooms by pinching edge of caps and pulling apart all the way to the stem, like pulling string cheese. (Shreds needn’t be uniform; the thinner strips will get crispier while the thicker ones will remain more meaty.)
Step 2
Pour oil into a cold medium Dutch oven or other heavy pot; add garlic and bay leaves. Set over high heat and cook until garlic is golden, about 5 minutes. Remove garlic and bay leaves with a slotted spoon; discard. Reduce heat to medium-high.
Step 3
Working in batches, fry mushrooms in garlic oil, tossing once or twice, until thinner pieces are browned and crisp but thicker pieces are still tender and meaty, 6–8 minutes. (Reduce heat if mushrooms are crisping too quickly.) Using a slotted spoon, transfer mushrooms to a wire rack or paper-towel-lined baking sheet and let drain.
Step 4
Transfer mushrooms to a medium bowl, add lime zest and paprika, and season with salt. Toss to evenly coat. Taste and season with more salt if needed.
Tacos:
Step 5
Heat a comal or large skillet over medium. Working in batches, toast tortillas until they begin to inflate, about 2 minutes then turn over and cook on other side until lightly charred in spots, about 2 minutes. Wrap tortillas in a kitchen towel to keep warm until ready to serve.
Step 6
To assemble tacos, spoon mushroom filling down center of a tortilla. Top with a blanket of salsa, then scatter onion, avocado, radishes, and cilantro over. Finish with a generous squeeze of lime.