These oyster mushroom tacos pack a big crispy crunch while the chipotle-lime sauce adds some acidity, spice, smoke and creaminess. Serve in warmed corn tortillas with cabbage and cilantro for your next Taco Tuesday!

One hand holding a oyster mushroom taco, another squirting sauce over the top.

If you are craving a taco, but want to mix it up, these mushroom tacos will definitely deliver! Big, meaty oyster mushrooms are breaded in a seasoned panko blend, while VeganEgg serves as a great egg substitute.

Mandolined cabbage and fresh cilantro add a clean and fresh element that every taco loves. Top it off with a chipotle-lime sauce to add some acidity, creaminess, smokiness and a little spice. Warm your corn tortillas and pile on the toppings for an addictive and delicious taco.

A cluster of oyster mushrooms held in one hand.

Start with the biggest, juiciest oyster mushrooms you can find. An Asian market is probably your best bet. It’s good to have different-sized shrooms for texture: one-bite, two-bite or three-bite. That way, some are crispy, some are meaty and every bite will taste a little different.

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How to set up a breading station for frying mushrooms

A breading station allows your food to fry up to perfection. Use wide, shallow bowls or plates with a lip to ease moving the food around. Work in small batches to ensure even coverage and to avoid clumping.

First stop (dip): A vegan egg wash. I used Follow Your Heart’s VeganEgg here and added a little extra liquid, but you can also experiment with a flax egg or Ener-G egg replacer. It doesn’t need to be completely coated in the vegan egg wash and won’t. Just cover it enough so most of the mushrooms are covered.

Second stop (dunk): A bowl of flour. I use AP (all-purpose) flour here, but you can also use rice flour for a gluten-free option. Toss the mushrooms around a bit in small batches.

Third stop (dip): Return them back to the vegan egg mixture.

Fourth stop (coat): Your breading. I used panko here, seasoned with garlic and onion powders. If you are gluten-free, you can try gluten-free bread crumbs, corn flakes or whatever you are used to using. It just may need to be tweaked a bit to work. Press the breading onto the mushrooms as well as you can.

Dip, dunk, dip, coat. Transfer the battered mushrooms to a wire rack so once you fry them, you’ll end up with the crispiest, meatiest shrooms for your tacos.

Oyster mushrooms, breaded, on a cooling rack.

Deep frying: tips and tricks

In order to deep fry successfully, your oil has to be the right temperature, around 350 degrees. You can check the oil’s readiness with a chopstick!

Place several inches of neutral-tasting oil into a cast-iron or other medium-sized, heavy pot. You don’t want to overcrowd your pot. Heat, uncovered, over medium-high heat.
After about 7 minutes, test your oil with a chopstick so it touches the bottom.
If bubbles form around the chopstick immediately, you are ready to fry. If not, wait another minute and try again.
Don’t overcrowd your pot. You want the items you are frying to move around a bit to avoid sogginess.
Fry in small batches.
Season your food with a touch of salt immediately after it comes out of the fryer.
Line a cookie sheet with a cookie rack. Transfer to that in a single layer as you are frying to allow any oil to drain. This will ensure a crispy mushroom!

The tiny shrooms are perfect for dipping into the sauce while you are prepping. 🙂 So maybe make that first.

Oyster mushroom tacos held in one hand while sauce is squirted on top with the other.

While you are prepping, there is also plenty of time for your husband to photograph his vintage Han Solo figure.

For More Taco Inspiration, Check These Recipes Out!

Korean-Style Tacos

Veggie Grill Copycat Koreatown Tacos

Crispy Hearts of Palm Tacos

Gochujang Queso

Jackfruit Soft Tacos

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Oyster Mushroom Tacos with Chipotle and Lime Sauce

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 8 reviews

Author: erin wysocarski
Total Time: 45 minutes
Yield: 2-4 servings
Diet: Vegan

Print Recipe

Description

These oyster mushroom tacos are crispy on the outside and meaty on the inside. This creamy chipotle-lime sauce adds some creaminess and brightness. Serve in warmed corn tortillas with cabbage and cilantro for an amazing mushroom taco!

Ingredients

for the mushrooms

8–10 oz. oyster mushrooms
2 TB Follow Your Heart’s VeganEgg, whisked with 1 1/2 cup freezing cold water
1/2 to 3/4 cup AP flour
2 cups panko
1 TB garlic powder
1 TB onion powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
canola or grapeseed oil, for frying

for the chipotle + lime sauce

1–3 chipotles in adobo
1/2 cup vegan mayo
juice from 1/2 a lime

to serve

mandolined green + red cabbage
fresh cilantro
corn tortillas, warmed

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Instructions

to make the mushrooms

Set up three large bowls in a row. In the first bowl, whisk together the VeganEgg + freezing cold water. In the second bowl, place the AP flour. In third bowl, the seasoned panko.
Line a baking sheet with a wire cooling rack.
Working in small batches, dip the shrooms into the VeganEgg, then the AP flour, back into the VeganEgg, then press into the panko mixture until well-coated. Transfer to the cooling rack until all shrooms are breaded.
In a medium-sized cast iron or dutch oven, heat several inches of oil over medium-high heat. After about 7 minutes, test the oil for readiness. (It should be between 350 and 375 degrees.) I test for readiness by inserting a chopstick into the oil until it touches the bottom of the pot. If bubbles form around it immediately, you are ready to fry.
Fry in small batches (overcrowding will reduce the oil temp, resulting in soggy shrooms). Transfer back to the wire rack to cool as you finish frying the rest.

to make the sauce

Combine the chipotle + lime and vegan mayo. Taste and adjust any flavors as desired. Can be made ahead of time and chilled.

to serve

Warm the tortillas in a cast iron pan or baking sheet at 350 for a couple of minutes. Serve immediately with the mandolined cabbage, shrooms, herbs and sauce.

Notes

Reheating the mushrooms: The fried mushrooms in this recipe reheat very well in an air fryer for a few minutes at 400.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Category: Lunch, Dinner
Method: Battered, Deep Fried
Cuisine: American, Mexican

My gratitude list for the week + favorite finds:

Magnesium Glycinate Chelate. This, along with acupuncture, is increasing my calm, I think. Do I just want them to or is it actually working? Giving it another month, but thankful for options.

How to Be Nice to Yourself, by Laura Silberstein-Tirch PsyD. Working on self-compassion! This book tells you why self-compassion is essential and helps you set up and build a strategy to be more resilient.

On Monday, it was cool enough that we could open up all the windows in the house. The fallish-feeling Boston breeze felt so good, I wanted to cry. My hatred for summer heat and humidity runs deep, which makes Fall the best time of the year.

Mindhunter on Netflix, Season One. Obsessed!

This post was last updated on July 10, 2024.