Refried Beans, Crispy Mushrooms & Chipotle Crema Vegan Taco 

I’ve previously written about vegan tacos being delicious and tasting like a night out, with vibrant flavours and tantalising textures. To construct a tasty vegan taco, I use a very simple flavour matrix, which takes into account the texture of the protein, whether you need to add a crunchy element like slaw, how spicy or tart your salsa is, and if you need also to add some healthy fats like avocado or nut-based sauce to make your taco taste rich, flavourful and keep you feel full for longer. 

I must say, with the wide array of vegan products on supermarket shelves, it is not a difficult task to make tasty plant-based tacos. If you have things like Beyond Meat mince or steak pieces (see my vegan steak tacos article here) and maybe even Violife epic cheddar handy, it is very easy.

But similarly, you do not need to have a lot of commercially made products to make a delicious veggie taco. Let me show you one option that I deem a huge success, and it follows my flavour matrix perfectly.

Introducing refried beans, crispy oyster mushrooms and chipotle cashew crema taco

Refried beans preparation is a staple that you can use virtually anywhere: from chilaquiles, to tacos, tortas, tostadas, and so much more. Here is my beans article, where you can learn how you can make yours with ease.

Crispy oyster mushrooms provide that extra umami, vitamin-rich and crunchy element to your taco, making it exciting.

Here is how you make it:

For your mushrooms, you need medium-sized oyster mushrooms, cleaned with a towel and trimmed a bit so you cut the thicker parts of the stems.

Make a batter by mixing 2/3 cup of water with 1/3 cup of flour into a nice uniform slurry. You can make the batter spicier or add a crunch enhancer like cornstarch, but I just keep it very simple. 

Make a dry mix with fine cornflour and some spices (I’ve used some paprika, cumin, chipotle powder, and salt).

Preheat neutral oil in a medium pot so it is very hot.

Now, drench your mushrooms in a wet batter and then coat with the cornflour dry mix, and carefully start frying without overcrowding the pot. One layer is enough for a single platter of tacos, but if you are cooking for some guests, you might need to do it in batches.

Fry for a few minutes on each side and then use a slotted spoon to take out and place on the kitchen towels to drain some excess oil. 

It is a classic way that does not require any special equipment. But I’m partial to Ninja air fryers, and to avoid using too much oil (mushrooms unfortunately tend to soak up some oil during deep-frying or shallow-frying). I quite like how crispy these oyster mushrooms turn out!

Finally, chipotle cashew crema is something super easy to make, and it adds that rich, creamy and a little bit spicy touch. I have read recently that condiments that are both sweet-ish and spicy are gaining massive popularity. No wonder. I love this crema a lot.

Here is how to make it:

1. I do not bother with soaking cashews overnight. I boil a cup of cashews for 20 minutes to make them soft. Let them cool down.
2. Drain cashews and add them to a high-speed blender. Add 1-2 tbsp of chipotle paste (see full chipotle paste recipe here on my salsas page). Add the juice of 1 lime, a cup of water or neutral plant-based milk, salt, pepper and blitz to a creamy consistency. Add more liquid if you need to help the blades run and make a very smooth paste.
3. Try to adjust the balance how you like it most – more tart, spicier and more liquid. That’s all!

My Vegan Taco Assembly

1. Get your fresh tortillas ready. Here is my article on how to make fresh tortillas from scratch. And here is my recommendation, which masa harina is the best. Though if you aren’t in the mood to make fresh ones, you can simply reheat your yesterday’s tortillas in a warming pouch in the microwave, or fry them to turn the taco into a tostada!
2. Arrange a good layer of warm refried beans.
3. Add your crispy mushrooms.
4. Pour a dollop of chipotle cashew crema.
5. Finish off with some lime and onion-coriander touch.

Vegan Taco Verdict

This refried beans, crispy oyster mushroom and chipotle cashew crema vegan taco has it all – nutrition (protein, fibre and vitamins), richness, freshness, spicy kick and joyful flavours. Provecho!

[Taco Craft | Salsa Magic | Proper Tortillas]