Harissa Mushroom Mini Tacos with Healthy Avocado Crema

These bite-sized mini mushroom tacos feature smoky harissa roasted portobellos with slaw and healthy jalapeno avocado crema, on soft griddled tortillas (homemade if you dare!).

Why this recipe works

• Size- these soft mini tacos are easy to pick up and eat in 2-3 bites without them falling apart, whereas standard tacos are 6″ and fall apart as soon as you cut into them or take your first bite. The size works well for serving a crowd or just as a regular meal.
• Flavors- the familiar flavors of tangy slaw with lime juice and avocado jalapeno crema form the base of the tacos and the introduction of smoky, sweet roasted portobello (originated by my Harissa Mushroom Jerky Recipe) adds a flavorful twist, not to mention the harissa spice in the background.
• Rustic handmade tortillas- a big part of this recipe’s uniqueness are the rustic handmade tortillas. They couldn’t be easier to make. See below for how it’s done. They are soft, not too thin, and are not oily or fried. That said, the taco filling is so magnificent you can certainly use store bought mini tortillas or cut 6-8″ tortillas in quarters.
• Crema- this recipe uses my Healthy Avocado Lime Crema which is more filling and nutritious than typical crema (simply a thinned out cultured cream). The crema is blitzed up quickly, is jam packed with veggies and herbs and is made with Greek yogurt, so it adds substantial flavor to the mushroom tacos.
• Veggies- from the mushrooms to the slaw to the yogurt based crema, there are 8 types of veggies plus cilantro in these tacos!

Ingredient notes and substitutions

• Components- these tacos consist of four components you make up, as described below.
• Tortillas- I’m recommending simple, soft rustic mini tortillas you make by mixing masa harina, salt, and warm water. I recommend rolling and grilling these as the portobellos are cooking (the dough rests for 1 hour or can be made a day or two ahead). You can substitue standard, store bought 6″ corn tortillas, quartering them before heating up to soften.
• Slaw- a simple slaw of cabbage, carrots and cilantro is sliced and tossed with lime, salt and jalapeno tabasco. This can be made up 1-3 days ahead.
• Crema– a simple but unique crema style sauce is blitzed up in a blender with Greek yogurt, scallions, cilantro and a jalapeno. This can be made up 1-3 days ahead. Sub other dairy options such as regular yogurt, full or non-fat, labneh, or sour cream.
• Mushroom jerky bites– sliced portobello mushrooms are tossed with a marinade and roasted in the oven for 30 minutes. I recommend making these right before you serve. You can use shiitake (smaller and harder to slice thinly), oyster (including king oyster), or pre-sliced portobello (that you slice further from 1/4″ into 1/8″). I don’t recommend standard white mushrooms as their water content is much highter, and flavor too mild.

Above: finished crema in a bowl, with finished slaw. The jalapeno tobasco is the secret magic ingredient that adds a fruity kick, with the lime and salt to the excellent slaw.

Above: homemade tortillas couldn’t be simpler. Store bought masa harina is mixed with salt and warm water and mixed into sticky-ish dough that then rests. Smaller than golfball sized dough balls are dusted with masa harina and rolled by hand (no tortilla press needed).

Step-by-step instructions

What is so great about making this veggie packed recipe is that so much can be done ahead of time. I recommend making the slaw and crema a day or more ahead.

The dough for the tortillas rests for an hour to hydrate. I recommend mixing the tortilla dough a day ahead so you have less to do on the day you make the recipe.

An hour or two before you want to serve these tacos, you make the mushroom bacon.

First, you slice the mushrooms, toss with the mushroom marinade and place them in a 375 degree oven to roast for about 30 minutes

While the mushrooms are roasting, you take out the tortilla dough you already made and heat your pan on medium-high. While it heats you begin to gather smaller than golf ball sized dough balls, roughly roll them into a ball, then dust surface with masa harina, press the dough ball down a bit, sprinkle a bit more masa and use a rolling pin to roll the dough a couple times, turning over and rotating once to get a round-ish, but rustic shape. I roll them to about 1/8″ but just roughly.

You can continue to roll and add the mini tortillas to the pan, as they cook, and flip them as they lightly brown, removing them to a plate as they are finished.

Once the mushrooms are roasted and the tortillas are grilled, you are ready to create the tacos and serve them up!