Mushroom Carnitas Tacos (High Protein & Vegan)
These Mushroom Carnitas Tacos are bold, satisfying and packed with texture - crispy shredded mushrooms layered with creamy, spicy and fresh toppings, all wrapped in soft tortillas. High in protein and big on flavour, this is vegan food that doesn’t feel like a compromise.
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Serves: 4
Calories: 567kcal
Ingredients
For the jalapeño cream cheese:
- 100 g cashews (soaked in boiling water for at least 1 hour (ideally overnight))
- 200 g silken tofu (drained)
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1.5 tsp fresh garlic (minced (or 0.25 tsp garlic powder))
- 1 tsp dried onion granules
- 0.5 tsp salt
- 1 pinch ground black pepper
- 15 g jalapeños (from a jar, diced)
- Substitute: Your favourite shop-bought vegan cream cheese with diced jalapeños stirred through, to taste
For the shredded mushrooms:
- 1 kg mushrooms
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 4 tsp ground cumin
- 3 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- ¾ tsp cayenne pepper
- 75 g onion (sliced)
- 150 ml orange juice
For the vegan garlic mayonnaise sauce:
- 60 g vegan mayo
- 1 tsp fresh garlic (minced)
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- Pinch black pepper
- Substitute: Your favourite shop-bought vegan garlic mayo
For the easy pickled red onions:
- ½ red onion (sliced)
- 1 tbsp vinegar
- Substitute: A shop-bought pickled pink slaw
To serve:
- 8 mini soft tortilla wraps (or corn tortillas)
- 2 tbsp fresh coriander (roughly chopped)
- 1 lime (cut into 4 wedges)
Instructions
To make the jalapeño cream cheese:
- Soak the cashews in boiling water for at least 1 hour (ideally overnight).
- Drain the soaking water from the cashews and discard. Add the cream cheese ingredients, except for the jalapeños, to a high power blender and blend for 2-3 minutes until silky smooth.100 g cashews, 200 g silken tofu, 2 tbsp lemon juice, 1.5 tsp fresh garlic, 1 tsp dried onion granules, 0.5 tsp salt, 1 pinch ground black pepper
- Stir through the diced jalapeños and then place the cream cheese the fridge to firm up whilst you make the rest of the dish.15 g jalapeños
To make the shredded mushrooms:
- Preheat the oven to 175°C fan (195°C conventional / 390°F / gas mark 6).
- Clean the mushrooms by wiping off off any mud.Note: Don't soak the mushrooms in water to clean them, they have a tendency to soak up the water which will lead to a much longer cook time.1 kg mushrooms
- Put the mushrooms on a large unlined tray (i.e. no baking paper) and use the back of a fork to crush them so they end up with a shredded texture (please see the process photos on the blog).
- Add the oil, herbs, spices and seasoning to the mushrooms and stir through with a spoon or your hands.3 tbsp olive oil, 4 tsp ground cumin, 3 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper, 3/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- Stir through the sliced onion and orange juice.75 g onion, 150 ml orange juice
- Once all of the mushroom ingredients are mixed together, divide the mushrooms between two large trays and spread them out into a thin layerNote: If you cook them on one tray they will take much longer to cook.
- Bake for around 45 minutes, or until the edges of the mushrooms are starting to crisp up. Note: The mushrooms will reduce in size by at least 1/2 whilst cooking.
To make the vegan garlic mayonnaise sauce:
- Stir together all of the garlic mayonnaise sauce ingredients until combined.60 g vegan mayo, 1 tsp fresh garlic, 1 tsp lemon juice, Pinch black pepper
To make the easy pickled red onions
- Add the sliced red onions to a bowl and cover with boiling water. Set aside for 10 minutes.1/2 red onion
- Drain the water off, stir in 1 tbsp of vinegar and leave for 5 minutes (they’ll turn a lovely bright pink).1 tbsp vinegar
To serve:
- Spread cream cheese on the soft mini tortillas and then add the crispy shredded mushrooms.8 mini soft tortilla wraps
- Top with pickled red onions, a drizzle of garlic mayo, fresh coriander and finish with a squeeze of fresh lime.2 tbsp fresh coriander, 1 lime
- Enjoy whilst the mushrooms are still warm.
Notes
Vegan / Dairy Free / Egg Free
Recipe inspired by: Mexico
* A NOTE ABOUT PROTEIN: These carnitas have approx 20g protein per serving! If you want to increase that further, use our Easy Homemade Tofu Mayo to make the garlic mayonnaise sauce, rather than shop bought mayonnaise.
Please note: This recipe was originally posted in March 2022 and was updated in March 2026.
Please check the allergens on the ingredients you purchase before use. The allergen and nutritional information provided in this recipe is intended as a guide only and is based on the specific ingredients and brands used at the time of creating the recipe, therefore we cannot guarantee that the same will apply to the ingredients you use.
Prep time excludes any inactive time.
We highly recommend you use the metric and 1x options on this recipe card for the best results. Please note that this recipe has not been tested using US measurements or increasing ingredient quantities to 2x or 3x, therefore results may vary.
Nutrition
Calories: 567kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 37g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Sodium: 1280mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 13g | Net Carbohydrates: 39g
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