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Vegan quesatacos stuffed with flavorful cajun gochujang mushrooms and lots of melty, vegan cheese is a super quick lunch or dinner! The combination of textures and flavors is absolutely addictive.
Table of Contents
This is quite a fusion taco filling! Most of the time these kind of recipes come about when I’m just cooking a quick meal for the evening, and I end up adding whatever I see in my spice pantry or in the fridge.
I literally open the fridge or the spice cabinet and use what looks good. So, I added some Tex-mex chili powder blend, cajun seasoning, and gochujang to these mushroom quesatacos, and it gave them this amazing flavor profile.
This is a super quick recipe. You just add the onions, mushrooms, and all of the sauces and spices to the pan, and let them cook down until the mushrooms are cooked and everything starts to kind of caramelize.
Then you stuff that filling into tacos with a little bit of cheese that you grill the tacos like quesadillas in the same skillet with a little bit of of hot sauce on the outside, so that the tacos get this nice flavor. For making it a meal, add some lightly mashed black beans or pinto beans to the mix or serve with a side of spiced beans!
Why You’ll Love Quesatacos
- Quick and easy lunch or dinner.
- Packed with amazing cajun gochujang mushrooms and creamy, gooey vegan cheese.
- Crispy tortillas with hot sauce and chili powder for extra flavor.
- Nut-free with gluten-free and soy-free options.
More Vegan Taco Recipes
- Tikka Masala Birria Tacos
- Cauliflower Taco Meat
- Crispy Quinoa Tacos
- Smoky Lentil Sweet Potato Tacos
- Barbacoa Mushroom Tacos
Mushroom Quesatacos
Ingredients
For the Mushrooms
- 1 teaspoon oil, or more if needed
- 1/2 cup sliced red onion
- 10 ounces mushrooms, chopped into 1/8” slices or sticks. I like to use white or cremini or baby portabella mushrooms.
- 1.5 tablespoons soy sauce, or use tamari for gluten-free
- 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste, or 3 cloves garlic minced, and 1/3 inch ginger minced
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 tablespoon gochujang
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon chili powder blend
- 1 to 2 teaspoons Cajun spice blend
- pinch of salt
For Making the Quesatacos
- 3 6 to 8 inch flour tortillas,, gluten-free if needed
- 1 to 2 tablespoons hot sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 3/4 cup vegan cheese, or more, as needed. I use a mix of mozzarella and cheddar.
To Serve
- chopped onions, cilantro , sliced jalapeños
- vegan sour cream
Instructions
Make the cajun gochujang mushrooms.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the oil and onions and stir for a minute. Then, add the mushrooms, all of the sauces, and the spices and salt and mix really well. Cover with a lid and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, opening the lid every 6 minutes or so to stir a little bit and check to make sure the nothing is sticking to the skillet. The mushrooms release a lot of moisture as they cook, so you shouldn’t need to really add any extra moisture.
- Continue to cook until the mushrooms are cooked to preference. Then, remove the mushrooms from the skillet or just move them to the side, if you have a large enough skillet.
Make the Quesatacos.
- Take one tortilla and brush some hot sauce on one side and sprinkle a little bit of the chili powder. Then, place tortilla into the skillet, hot-sauce-side down.
- Add some of the mushrooms and some cheese to half of the tortilla, and fold the tortilla over. You can add cheese on both sides of the mushrooms, if you like.
- Continue to cook until the tortilla gets golden on one side. Then, flip and continue to cook until the tortilla is golden on the other side, as well.
- Repeat for all the tortillas, then immediately garnish with some chopped red onion, lime juice, cilantro, jalapeño, and/or vegan sour cream. Slice and serve while it's still hot and crispy.
- For higher protein(meal), add some lightly mashed black beans or pinto beans to the mushroom mix towards the end, add more of the spices and Gochujang to taste. Or serve with a side of spiced beans!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- oil – To sauté.
- red onion – Adds umami flavor to the filling.
- mushrooms – This is the base for your filling. I like to use white, cremini or portobello
- soy sauce – You can use tamari for gluten-free.
- ginger garlic paste – Adds so much amazing flavor to complement the gochujang! Use minced garlic and ginger if needed
- maple syrup – Enhances the sweetness in the gochujang.
- lime juice – For tang.
- gochujang – Adds a spicy-sweet-umami flavor. Use gluten-free and/or soy-free, if needed.
- ground spices – You’re seasoning the mushrooms with paprika, Tex mex chili powder, and cajun spice blend. You’ll also sprinkle some chili powder on the outsides of the tacos before grilling them in the pan.
- tortillas – Use gluten-free, if needed.
- hot sauce – Choose your favorite!
- vegan cheese – Adds melty creaminess to the quesatcos.
- toppings – Top these with chopped onion, cilantro, jalapeños and some vegan sour cream.
Tips
- While the mushrooms are cooking, make sure to stir a few times to make sure they aren’t sticking to the bottom of the pan.
- You can put cheese on one side of the mushrooms or both sides when you’re stuffing the tacos. It depends on how cheesy you want these!
How to Make Mushroom Quesatacos
First, make the cajun gochujang mushrooms.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat, add the oil and onions and stir for a minute. Then, add the mushrooms, all of the sauces, and the spices and salt and mix really well. Cover with a lid and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, opening the lid every 6 minutes or so to stir a little bit and check to make sure the nothing is sticking to the skillet. The mushrooms release a lot of moisture as they cook, so you shouldn’t need to really add any extra moisture. If they are drying out too much then splash a bit of water or stock.
Continue to cook until the mushrooms are cooked to preference. Then, remove the mushrooms from the skillet or just move them to the side, if you have a large enough skillet.
Now, make the quesatacos.
Take one tortilla and brush some hot sauce on one side and sprinkle a little bit of the chili powder. Then, place tortilla into the skillet, hot-sauce-side down.
Add some of the mushrooms and some cheese to half of the tortilla, and fold the tortilla over. You can add cheese on both sides of the mushrooms, if you like.
Continue to cook until the tortilla gets golden on one side. Then, flip and continue to cook until the tortilla is golden on the other side, as well.
Repeat for all the tortillas, then immediately garnish with some onion, lime juice, cilantro, jalapeño, and/or vegan sour cream. Slice and serve while it’s still hot and crispy.
What to Serve with Mushrooms Quesatacos
You can serve this on its own or with some salsa for dipping! If you want a side, include chips and queso.
Frequently Asked Questions
This recipe is naturally nut-free.
To make the quesatacos gluten-free, use the tamari instead of soy sauce, make sure that your gochujang is gluten-free, and use gluten-free or corn tortillas.
To make it soy-free, use coconut aminos instead of soy sauce, and ensure that your gochujang is soy-free. Or use Gochugaru flakes and a touch of balsamic vinegar.
These are cheesy tacos with that you crisp up like a quesadilla.
These full -of-flavor gems are outstanding. Quick, easy and delicious. Will serve with guacamole next time. Thanks Richa
Awesome!
Absolutely delicious!!! I will absolutely be making this again – the flavors are incredible.
Yay! Thanks for taking the time to comment.
What a wonderful recipe!! I added black beans as well as some corn. Definitely a keeper for us! Loved the hot sauce & chili powder cooked on the outside of the tortilla, what a great idea!
Yay
What a magnificent recipe!! I added black beans as well as some corn. Definitely a keeper for us! Loved the hot sauce & chili powder cooked on the outside of the tortilla, what a great idea!
Made this the other day and even the meat eating husband loved it! Although there seem to be a lot of ingredients, if you get everything together before you start cooking, it all comes together easily and will definitely be made regularly here.
Good to hear!
Delicious, different, and very easy. Definitely added black beans to the mix for more substance. The gochujang is new to me, we’ll be using it in the future. Thanks.
Awesome!! So glad you loved them!