Mushroom Fajitas

If you’re after a quick and easy, yet delicious veg-loaded meal that is satisfying, these mushroom fajitas will definitely be a hit!

Rich in flavour and colour, this recipe is a fun way to get more vegetables into your diet.

Mushroom fajitas never looked so good! They’re a healthy and family-friendly meal that’s perfect for a weeknight dinner or lunch.

What is a fajita?

According to Wikipedia, fajita is a Tex-Mex cuisine that is typically any stripped grilled meat with stripped peppers and onions that is usually served on a flour or corn tortilla.

The cut of meat first used in this dish was carne asada or skirt steak, which then evolved into chicken, other cuts of beef, and vegetables.

It’s typically served with guacamole, sour cream, lettuce, salsa, pico de gallo, cheese, refried beans, and tomatoes.

Why we used king oyster mushrooms for this vegan fajita recipe

When looking at all the other recipes out there, one thing that I was looking at was how closely could a plant-based recipe using whole foods resemble those strips of meat. This is where king oyster mushrooms come in. Mushrooms are the perfect replacement for meat.

I think that these mushrooms resemble strips of meat the most. They’re easy to flavour and adapt to what you’d like them to do, and these mushrooms certainly have that ‘meaty’ texture like a normal fajita would.

We chose not to use faux meat as it’s a processed product, and consistency depends on where you live. This way, you can get the same result with a healthier alternative.

How are these mushroom fajitas made?

You first need to shred the mushrooms by running a fork along the fibres, towards you and away from the cap. Once loosened, remove the caps and pull them apart with fingers. This will give you a shredded look. Then you finely slice the caps as we don’t want to waste any part of the mushroom.

Next, you’ll need to place the pulled mushrooms in a bowl with the marinade of orange juice, maple syrup, tamari and half of the spice mix – which is smoked paprika, oregano, cumin, and chilli flakes, tossing well. Set it aside while you saute the rest of the veggies.

To a skillet on medium-high heat, add the olive oil, bell peppers, onion and the other half of the spice mix. Use tongs to lightly coat the veggies with the oil, spices and about ½ teaspoon of salt, or to your taste. Fry until the onion becomes translucent and releases an aroma; peppers should soften and become slightly charred. This will take about 10-12 minutes. Remove the veggies from the skillet and set them aside.

Back into that same skillet, add the marinated mushrooms. Sauté them on high heat for about 6-8 minutes; they should be soft but crispy on the edges. Add about a generous pinch of salt towards the end.

Combine the mushrooms with the cooked peppers and enjoy. That’s it!

How can this mushroom fajita filling be used?

There are plenty of ways to use this recipe. Here are a few ideas for you!

• In a wrap
• In a tortilla (as pictured)
• Part of a bowl (as pictured)
• On salad
• In a burger or sandwich
• In a quesadilla

Some tips for making these vegan fajitas

• For this recipe, try and use bigger king oyster mushrooms if you can. This will ensure that you get the right look and consistency. The smaller ones are also much harder to shred correctly.
• As I mentioned earlier, these mushrooms are available in Asian supermarkets, however, I’ve also seen them in some fruit and veg stores, larger supermarkets, farmers markets (stalls that sell exotic mushrooms), and even my local health food store sells organic ones! Not dried, fresh.
• You can increase the protein in this dish with a can of black beans tossed into the onions and peppers. Do so a couple of minutes before you remove from the stove.
• We cook the mushrooms seperate to the rest of the vegetables because they take a different amount of time, cook on a different heat, and they are in a liquid marinade which would soften the peppers a little too much.
• You can marinade the mushrooms the night before if you like.
• You can use any colour peppers in this recipe. Enjoy the rainbow of options!

Other delicious recipes you’ll love:

1. Rainbow Falafel Salad
2. Vegan Buddha Bowl Three Ways
3. Vegan Tacos with Lentils & Cauliflower (Gluten-Free)
4. Vegan Loaded Nachos with Cashew Cheese Sauce
5. Roasted Eggplant and Capsicum Buckwheat Salad

If you try this recipe, let me know! We’d love for you to leave a comment and rating below. If you want to go that extra mile, tag us on Instagram or share your photo of the recipe on Pinterest. 

Print