Smoking-Hot Oyster Mushroom "Carne Asada" Tacos
Friday night means tacos, and listen to me: we are not suffering for dinner just because we're skipping meat. The inspiration for these Smoking-Hot Oyster Mushroom "Carne Asada" Tacos came last month when my youngest decided she was vegetarian (again) exactly ten minutes before I started cooking. Mom math dictated I needed something fast that still had that smoky taquería plancha soul. Enter the mighty oyster mushroom. You're going to tear them into thick shreds, toss them in a quick toasted-chile umami bomb, and sear them in a screaming hot pan until they get those crispy, charred edges. This recipe is special to me because it perfectly bridges my Oaxacan roots—hello, toasted ancho and guajillo—with Brooklyn grocery-store realism. The charred scallion crema cools it all down while you get that essential cabbage crunch. Want to make it your own? Bodega Mode: use standard sour cream thinned with tantito lime juice. If You've Got a Mexican Market Nearby: grab real thick crema and maybe some fresh serranos to blend in. Just remember my golden rule before you plate: taste it—then decide if it needs a pinch more salt. Ándale, grab your tortillas, dinner is ready in twenty!
Featured Recipe
Smoking-Hot Oyster Mushroom “Carne Asada” Tacos + Charred Scallion Crema
Friday night means tacos, and we are not suffering for dinner just because we're skipping meat. Thick shreds of oyster mushrooms tossed in a quick toasted-chile umami bomb, then seared so hard they get those crispy, charred edges you usually only get from a taquería plancha. Paired with a smoky, cooling scallion crema and a bright cabbage crunch, this is high-reward, low-stress cooking.
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Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs oyster mushrooms(Torn into thick, meaty shreds (don't chop them, pull them apart))
- 1 dried guajillo chile(Stemmed and seeded. (Bodega Mode: swap both dried chiles for 1 tbsp chili powder + 1 tsp smoked paprika))
- 1 dried ancho chile(Stemmed and seeded)
- 3 cloves garlic(Peeled)
- 2 tbsp soy sauce(Or Maggi seasoning (my Brooklyn umami shortcut for 'beefy' flavor))
- 1/4 cup orange juice(Fresh or boxed, we aren't judging)
- 3 tbsp neutral oil(Avocado or canola, divided)
- 1 bunch scallions(Roots trimmed)
- 1 jalapeño(Leave whole (use 2 if you want it spicy))
- 1/2 cup Mexican crema(Or sour cream thinned with a splash of water)
- 2 cups green cabbage(Finely shredded)
- 2 limes(Cut into wedges)
- 12 corn tortillas(The good kind, warmed)
- 1 tsp kosher salt(Plus more to taste)
- 3 tbsp neutral oil(mentioned in step 3 and 4, but only 2 tbsp listed)
Instructions
- 1
Heat a large, dry cast-iron skillet or comal over medium-high heat. Drop in 1 bunch scallions and 1 jalapeño. Let them sit undisturbed until deeply blackened in spots, turning occasionally, about 4 minutes. In the last 30 seconds, add the 1 dried guajillo chile and 1 dried ancho chile, pressing them flat with a spatula just until fragrant and slightly changed in color. Do not let them smoke or they get bitter! Remove everything from the pan.
5 min
Tip: Turn on your exhaust fan! We are charring, not burning the house down.
- 2
Place the toasted 1 dried guajillo chile and 1 dried ancho chile in a small bowl and cover with hot tap water to soften. Meanwhile, roughly chop the charred 1 bunch scallions and 1 jalapeño (remove seeds if you want a milder night) and toss them into your blender or food processor along with 1/2 cup Mexican crema and a pinch of kosher salt. Blend until smooth and pale green. Pour into a bowl and set aside. Rinse out the blender.
5 min
Tip: Taste it—then decide if it needs more salt. It should taste smoky, creamy, and bright.
- 3
Drain the softened chiles and add them to the clean blender along with 3 cloves garlic, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1/4 cup orange juice, and 1 tbsp neutral oil. Blend until it forms a smooth, rich adobo paste. Pour this magic over your shredded 1.5 lbs oyster mushrooms and toss well to coat. (Mom math: this is a great time to assign someone else to set the table.)
5 min
Tip: If doing Bodega Mode (using chili powder/paprika instead of dried chiles), skip the soaking and just blend the powders with the garlic, soy, OJ, and oil.
- 4
Wipe out your cast iron and crank the heat to high. Add 1 tbsp neutral oil. Once it shimmers, add half of the marinated 1.5 lbs oyster mushrooms in an even layer. Step away! Do not touch them for 3 minutes. We want a hard, aggressive sear so they get crispy edges. Toss once, cook for 1 more minute, then transfer to a serving bowl. Repeat with the remaining 1 tbsp neutral oil and the rest of the mushrooms.
10 min
Tip: If you crowd the pan, the mushrooms will sweat and steam. We want a sear! Two batches is the secret to taquería texture at home.
- 5
While the second batch of mushrooms is searing, quickly toss the shredded 2 cups green cabbage with the juice of 1 limes and a heavy pinch of 1 tsp kosher salt. Warm your 12 corn tortillas directly over a gas flame or in a hot skillet until pliable and slightly charred at the edges. Keep them wrapped in a clean kitchen towel.
5 min
Tip: Never serve cold tortillas, ándale. It ruins all the hard work you just did.
- 6
Bring it all to the table. Build your tacos: a warm tortilla, a generous pile of crispy charred mushrooms, a heap of limey cabbage, and a heavy drizzle of the smoky scallion crema. Serve with the remaining 1 limes cut into wedges.
2 min
Tip: We're not suffering for dinner, guys. Look at this spread.
Chef's Notes
Real life note: Oyster mushrooms are magical because they shred just like meat and soak up flavor like a sponge. The soy sauce might seem out of place in a Mexican recipe, but my Brooklyn pantry knows it’s the fastest way to add deep, savory 'asada' vibes without boiling down a meat stock. If you can only find regular button mushrooms, slice them thick, but promise me you won't crowd the pan.
María “Mari” Santiago
Oaxacan comfort, Brooklyn shortcuts, weeknight bright.
María “Mari” Santiago was born in Oaxaca, where her earliest kitchen memories are measured in scent: chiles toasting on a comal, cinnamon and chocolate blooming in mole, and the warm, nutty snap of a tlayuda folded in half for the walk home. She learned by watching—first her tías, then her abuela—picking up the small, practical rules that never made it into written recipes: how to tell when the garlic is *just* right, how to rescue a too-spicy salsa, and why you always taste the broth before you add the salt. Now in Brooklyn, Mari cooks the food she grew up on while raising two little kids and juggling real-life time limits. Her style is “real flavor, real life”: traditional Oaxacan and everyday Mexican dishes—moles, caldos, frijoles, enfrijoladas, salsas, and crispy tlayudas—made weeknight-friendly with smart shortcuts, brighter salsas, and more vegetables without losing the soul of the dish. She’s not precious about rules, she’s big on swaps, and she’s on a mission to prove that you can cook deeply flavorful Mexican food with what you can actually find at a normal grocery store (and still get dinner on the table before a meltdown). Mari’s recipes read like a friend texting you from the produce aisle: clear, funny, and unpretentious, with a side of abuela wisdom. If there’s a hard-to-find ingredient, she gives you a realistic alternative, tells you what will change (and what won’t), and keeps the focus where it belongs—on food that tastes like home, even when home is a small Brooklyn kitchen.