Mushroom Al Pastor Tacos
There have been a LOT of cauliflower additions//infusions//substitutions to our at-home meals lately. I feel Sunday like meal planning legitimately leads to a “so what can I sub cauliflower into this week?” kind of mindset. I made it my goal to challenge myself (just a little) + have a zero cauliflower approach, and make a Cinco meal not cauliflower based. Hello Mushroom Al-Pastor Tacos. Even just thinking about these tacos makes my mouth water. A mixture of mushrooms + onions sauteed + smothered in a homemade al pastor sauce that’s such a good balance of sweet pineapple + chipotle spice. Ugh - dead. And it’s a meal I’m happy to add to the vegetarian taco repertoire.
Sweet pineapple + smokey chipotle sauce
The sauce is truly the best part of the al pastor, and that’s the case with this recipe (vegetarian variety and all). It’s sweet + smokey + kind of spicy + good enough to just eat on a tortilla chip as a pseudo salsa. It’s so good because the combo of fresh pineapple + spicy chipotles is really damn good. And very simple to make since the only step is to literally throw everything in a food processor. The pineapple is the underlying flavor that’s pretty present in every bite, and the chipotles are the spicy, savory kick that mellows out the fruity-ness. It’s thick, so it really coats the mushrooms + onion as you saute everything together, so the filling you inevitably put into tacos is a deep + dark red color.
You want to develop a charred flavor to the veggies (that’s step 1) before the sauce comes into play. First saute the mushrooms so you get that super crispy edge, and you’re left with browned mushrooms. Browned + beautiful is the way to think about it. The addition of the sauce is that final step to get the perfect mushroom-pastor taco filling. It cooks on to the veggies quick, so how much sauce you want to add is dealers choice.
It’s an involved meal
That’s the thing you need to be prepared for. It’s simple to prepare for sure, but it’s involved, so someone is constantly stirring or chopping something. Especially if you make the Poblano + Cojita Caesar - there’s just a lot going on. I originally told Jordan not to worry about helping me, and he was pretty insistent on lending a helping hand. Thank goodness he did!
The toppings
The toppings are simple - a little Cotija cheese sprinkle (the salty-ness of this cheese with these tacos is litrallt perfection), mashed avocado + fresh cilantro. The mushroom filling is really the shining stars, and these fresh accents just make it feel complete. I also love corn tortillas with this. The hearty texture just feels right.
Our final topping is a creamy cilantro + garlic sauce. It’s cold + refreshing, and just a fun little extra. But I’ll tell ya - the creamy cilantro + garlic sauce on top of warm tacos with a few drops of your favorite hot sauce. Saucey + heavenly.
Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
We made + enjoyed this on Cinco de Mayo, and it was perfect. Light + refreshing + healthy. And it still felt like a special, festive meal. We went the step of making some simple margs to enjoy while we prepped + cooked together, and it really was a sweet little datenight in the midst of the work week. We really do love Cinco (we always have), and I’m glad we got to celebrate just like this.
For the tacos
3-4 garlic cloves
2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
1/4 c. apple cider vinegar
1 c. fresh pineapple, cut into small chunks
2 tbsp. chili powder
2 tsp. smoked paprika
3 tbsp EVOO
1 lb of cremini mushrooms, sliced
1 yellow onion, halved + thinly sliced
8 oz. shiitake mushrooms, halved
1 jalapeno, sliced
2 tbsp fresh cilantro, minced
Corn tortillas
1/4 c. Cojita cheese, crumbled
1 avocado, mashed
For the creamy taco sauce
1/2 c. Greek yogurt
1/4 c. Fresh cilantro
1 garlic clove
Juice of a lime
For the taco “al pastor” sauce, add the garlic cloves, chipotles, vinegar, pineapple, chili powder, + paprika to a food processor. Puree until you’ve got a smooth, thick sauce, and set it aside.
Place a cast iron skillet over medium low heat. Once hot, add in the EVOO and the creminis + onion. Sprinkle with salt + pepper. Cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add in the shiitakes + jalapeños, and cook another 5-7 minutes. Continue to stir occasionally, watching carefully to make sure the veggies don’t burn
While the mushrooms cook, make the creamy sauce. Mince the cilantro + garlic together, then combine these ingredients with the yogurt + lime juice. Set in the fridge until ready to eat.
Pour half of the al pastor sauce in the skillet with the mushrooms, and stir. Spoon in a bit more of the sauce if needed // desired to better coat the veggies. Continue to cook the veggies and sauce over low heat for 10-12 more minutes.
As the mushroom mix finishes cooking, warm the tortillas.
Assemble the tacos by smearing a spoonful of the smashed avocado on the tortilla. Top with a spoonful of the mushroom mix, a sprinkle of cheese + cilantro, and a light drizzle of the creamy sauce. Just perfect!