Fried Butternut Squash & Mushroom Tacos
Crispy fried butternut squash with roasted portobello mushrooms and a creamy avocado crema nestled all in a corn tortilla.
Ingredients
Roasted Mushrooms
- 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
Fried Butternut Squash
- 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)
Avocado Crema
- 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
Other
- 6-8 corn tortillas
- Fresh cilantro
- Lime wedges
Instructions
Marinate the mushrooms
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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).
Prepare avocado crema
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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
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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.
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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
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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
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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.
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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.
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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
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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!