crispy salsa verde mushroom tacos with honey jalapeno crema
In the words of Jalen & Jacoby on ESPN, which I hear from upstairs right now: I. Give. The. PeoplLLLLLLLE…What. They. Want! In this case, tacos, because it’s Wednesday. Crispy Salsa Verde Mushroom Tacos with Honey Jalapeno Crema. A bit of heat, a touch of sweet, everything your veg-happy dinner table craves.
I feel for one of my good friends because I tend to show her every picture I shoot before I post a recipe, and 80% of them contain mushrooms. She abhors mushrooms about as much as I abhor matcha (sorry, you will never see a matcha recipe here because I would immediately think it an atrocity). Thing is, shrooms are the ideal meat substitute if you’re not feeling a faux version, or tofu.
Here, we’ve got seasoned mushrooms smothered in salsa verde and stuffed in tortillas with a pile of cheese, baked to gooey, cheesy heaven.
These tacos aren’t really fussy, but a few tricks will help garner the most excellent cooking experience you can muster.
1. Let the sauce thicken. Here, this means setting the mushrooms and verde off the burner for 5 minutes or so once the proper cooking process completes. Less liquid = sturdier tacos. Not that the world will collapse if one or two breaks, but you might find less mess to clean up.
2. Oil the tortillas. For ultimate crispage, rub each tortilla with oil before baking. We are making “crispy salsa verde mushroom tacos”, you know, not “soggy sock texture salsa verde mushroom tacos.”
3. Load them with crema. Seriously. Dip these gooey shells in as much crema as can fit on one bite and chow down. The honey and jalapeno counteract one another in a harmony worthy of a professional symphony.
Have I given the people what they want?
Tried these tacos out? Leave a comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you’ve made lately!
Recent Taco Wednesday features…
Crispy Citrus Avocado Tacos with Sweet Chili Chipotle Sauce
Buffalo Jackfruit Tacos with Bleu Cheese Dressing
Cheeseburger Tacos with Chipotle Cheddar Queso
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp + 2 tsp olive oil, divided
- 1 lb mixed mushrooms sliced 1/4 inch thick
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 2 tbsp oregano
- 1 cup salsa verde, homemade or storebought
- kosher salt and pepper
- 1 1/2 cups shredded monterey jack cheese
- 8 corn or flour tortillas
honey jalapeno crema
- 1 avocado, halved
- 1 jalapeno, seeded and deveined
- 1 clove garlic
- 1/3 cup cilantro
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tbsp honey
- kosher salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven t0 425 degrees and line a large baking sheet with parchment. You may need two baking sheets.
- Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a cast iron skillet. Toss in mushrooms along with cumin, chili powder, oregano, salt and pepper. Let cook undisturbed for 4-5 minutes, then flip and turn and cook an additional 3-5 minutes until mushrooms begin to release their juices and soften. Pour in salsa verde, lower the heat, and simmer at least 10 minutes but up to 20. Remove from heat and let the sauce thicken slightly for about 5 minutes.
- While the mushrooms simmer, blend all ingredients for honey jalapeno crema in a food processor or blender until smooth. Alternatively, you can finely chop all of the components and mix by hand, keeping in mind the finished product will be chunkier. Keep covered in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
- Microwave tortillas for about 15 seconds under a layer of damp paper towels. Rub each, one both sides, with a dab of olive oil, from the reserved 2 tsp, and lay on the baking sheet. Sprinkle about 2 tbsp shredded cheese onto one half and top with a layer of salsa verde mushrooms. Gently fold the other half over the filling and press to adhere. Repeat with remaining tortillas and filling.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes on one side, then flip and baking an additional 5-8 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes – the tortillas will continue to crisp and be easier to handle.
