Crispy fried butternut squash with roasted portobello mushrooms and a creamy avocado crema nestled all in a corn tortilla.
These Fried Butternut Squash & Mushroom Tacos are out-of-this-world delicious and perfect for the fall time! They are made with crispy fried butternut squash, umami-rich roasted mushrooms, and a creamy tangy avocado crema.
Tacos are one of my favorite dishes to make and I am 100% a fan of them all year-round. I was on a mission to make a taco suitable for fall and I think I nailed it.
Butternut squash is the star of this dish and it’s perfectly fried and crispy and full of flavor. The squash is paired with marinated & roasted portobella mushrooms and my absolute favorite avocado crema.
How to make Fried Butternut Squash & Mushroom Tacos:
Marinate the mushrooms
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the olive oil, garlic, ginger, spices, brown sugar, salt and lime. Add the sliced mushrooms and toss well to completely coat the mushrooms in the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (or overnight).
Prepare avocado crema
- While mushrooms are marinated, prepare the avocado crema. Add all ingredients to a large food processor. Process until creamy, adding 1-2 tbsp of water if needed. You want the consistency to be easily spreadable (similar to mayonnaise). Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate.
Prep the fried butternut squash
- Add cubed butternut squash to a large baking sheet. Sprinkle over ~1 tbsp kosher salt to evenly coat the squash. Let sit for 10 minutes. The salt will help to draw out excess moisture which will yield crispier fried squash! Rinse the squash and pat dry with a towel. Set aside.
- Prep the breading ingredients. Add flour to one shallow bowl, whisk the breadcrumbs with ½ tsp kosher salt and spices to another shallow bowl, and lightly beat the 3 eggs in a third shallow bowl. Set aside a large baking sheet to transfer final breaded squash.
Roast the mushrooms
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Add the marinated mushrooms to a large baking sheet. Spread into an even layer. Roasted for 20-23 minutes until crispy.
Fry the squash
- While mushrooms are roasting, cook the squash. In a medium saucepan, add the squash, milk, and 1 tbsp of kosher salt. Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer, and cook for 3-4 minutes until squash has softened (fork inserted comes out with little resistance). Be careful to not overcook the squash! You don’t want it to fall apart when fried. Drain and pat dry. Transfer squash to a large plate.
- One-by-one using one hand for dry mixture (flour and breadcrumbs) and the other for wet (eggs), coat the squash cubes in flour, then eggs, and finally in breadcrumbs. Transfer to a large baking sheet.
- Add butter to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the butter starts to foam, add the breaded squash. Don’t overcrowd the pan. Fry the squash for 2 minutes on each side until golden brown. Add to a paper-towel lined plate and sprinkle with salt.
Assembly
- Optionally char the tortillas over an open flame. Spread over avocado crema and top with fried squash, roasted mushrooms, and a couple more dollops of crema. Finish with fresh cilantro and a lime wedge on the side. Enjoy!
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Why you’ll love these Fried Butternut Squash & Mushroom Tacos:
Ultra crispy and cream butternut squash.
Delicious umami-filled mushrooms.
Easy & simple to make.
Vegetarian and easy to make vegan.
Perfect fall/winter dinner idea!
Recipe tips:
Crispy butternut squash. To get your butternut squash extra crispy, make sure to remove excess moisture first. Do this by cutting the squash, generously sprinkling over salt, and letting it sit for 10-15 minutes. You’ll see water droplets come to the surface. Rinse and pat dry.
When heating the butter, make sure it foams that means most of the water has evaporated and you’re left with fat = easier to fry!
Marinate the mushrooms. I recommend marinating the mushrooms for 30 minutes, but for maximize flavor marinate overnight.
Warm the tortillas. No one wants a dry tortilla. I highly recommend not skipping this step. Whether you warm up in the microwave for 10 sec or char over an open flame, just make sure to serve warm.
Serve with a side of lime. Finishing off this dish with a bit of extra acidity brightens all the flavors and balances out the salty and sweet flavors.
If you’re looking for more delicious fall dishes, you’ll also love this Hearty Potato Lentil Mushroom Stew, this Creamy Chanterelle Mushroom Pasta, and this Butternut Squash Orecchiette with Crispy Sage.
Also, if you make this recipe and decide to share it on Facebook or Instagram don’t forget to tag me @healthienut + #healthienut! I love seeing your mouthwatering recreations!
Crispy fried butternut squash with roasted portobello mushrooms and a creamy avocado crema nestled all in a corn tortilla.
- 10 oz. portobello mushrooms, sliced
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1-inch thumb of fresh ginger, grated
- 1 tbsp onion powder
- 2 tsp each: smoked paprika, cumin, coriander
- 2 tsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- Juice of 1 lime
- ½ large or 1 small butternut squash, cut in 1" cubes (~5 cups diced, 540g)
- 4 cups unsweetened, non-dairy milk (or sub regular dairy milk)
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 3 large eggs (or sub vegan egg replacer*)
- 2 cups panko breadcrumbs
- ½ tsp each: smoked paprika, cumin, coriander
- Kosher salt
- ½ cup vegan butter (or sub regular unsalted butter)
- 2 medium avocados
- 1 jalapeno, roughly chopped (seeds removed for lower heat)
- ⅓ cup plain non-dairy yogurt (or sub plain greek yogurt)
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro
- 1 garlic clove
- Juice of 1 lime
- 2 ½ tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp granulated sugar
- ¼ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
- 1-2 tbsp water, to thin
- 6-8 corn tortillas
- Fresh cilantro
- Lime wedges
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In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the olive oil, garlic, ginger, spices, brown sugar, salt and lime. Add the sliced mushrooms and toss well to completely coat the mushrooms in the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (or overnight).
-
While mushrooms are marinated, prepare the avocado crema. Add all ingredients to a large food processor. Process until creamy, adding 1-2 tbsp of water if needed. You want the consistency to be easily spreadable (similar to mayonnaise). Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate.
-
Add cubed butternut squash to a large baking sheet. Sprinkle over ~1 tbsp kosher salt to evenly coat the squash. Let sit for 10 minutes. The salt will help to draw out excess moisture which will yield crispier fried squash! Rinse the squash and pat dry with a towel. Set aside.
-
Prep the breading ingredients. Add flour to one shallow bowl, whisk the breadcrumbs with ½ tsp kosher salt and spices to another shallow bowl, and lightly beat the 3 eggs in a third shallow bowl. Set aside a large baking sheet to transfer final breaded squash.
-
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Add the marinated mushrooms to a large baking sheet. Spread into an even layer. Roasted for 20-23 minutes until crispy.
-
While mushrooms are roasting, cook the squash. In a medium saucepan, add the squash, milk, and 1 tbsp of kosher salt. Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer, and cook for 3-4 minutes until squash has softened (fork inserted comes out with little resistance). Be careful to not overcook the squash! You don't want it to fall apart when fried. Drain and pat dry. Transfer squash to a large plate.
-
One-by-one using one hand for dry mixture (flour and breadcrumbs) and the other for wet (eggs), coat the squash cubes in flour, then eggs, and finally in breadcrumbs. Transfer to a large baking sheet.
-
Add butter to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the butter starts to foam, add the breaded squash. Don't overcrowd the pan. Fry the squash for 2 minutes on each side until golden brown. Add to a paper-towel lined plate and sprinkle with salt.
-
Optionally char the tortillas over an open flame. Spread over avocado crema and top with fried squash, roasted mushrooms, and a couple more dollops of crema. Finish with fresh cilantro and a lime wedge on the side. Enjoy!
