Wild Oyster Mushroom Tacos with Purple Cabbage Slaw
Celebrate taco Tuesday right with these vegan wild oyster mushroom tacos- or maybe make them up for forager Friday. Or both- they’re good enough to eat twice a week. The mushrooms are cut into thin slices are sautéed, then they’re joined in the shell (corn or flour) with a fresh purple cabbage slaw and a creamy cilantro cashew sauce. For a bit for tropical flair, try adding fresh mango as well!
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Wild Oyster Mushrooms vs. Store-bought Oyster Mushrooms
While gilled mushrooms are more often poisonous than their pored pals, there are countless edible mushrooms with gills, including pearly shelled oyster mushrooms. Oyster mushrooms have been domesticated and can now be farmed, but the wild mushrooms have a stronger flavor than the store-bought varieties- they’re definitely worth the trip to the woods. If you don’t fancy foraging, I highly recommend searching for a small, local mushroom farmer, the locally farmed mushrooms are usually much more flavorful than the ones you find in the supermarket. My Boston-area mushroom dealer is Mycoterra, but there are lots of great little mushroom companies around.
Identifying Oyster Mushrooms
Disclaimer- use caution when foraging wild edibles, and always be certain of your identification. While I assume responsibility for the accuracy of the information provided on this site, I can’t be responsible for the accuracy of your information. Consult multiple websites, books and local experts, and when it doubt, do without.
We found these oyster mushrooms on a dying tree at the end of a foraging day. We were headed back to the car, but in a desperate attempt to not leave empty handed I scurried down a side loop, my companions following reluctantly behind. It was then I stopped in amazement- right on the side of the trail, blossoming out of every foot of this tall, dead tree were gorgeous clusters of white shells.
Oyster mushrooms have decurrent, white gills, smooth, often clustering caps, about 2-10 inches, and no stem (or only a small, stubby little stem. You can find them on dead wood or dying trees, and they often have the scent of licorice. One possible lookalike to watch out for are Angels Wings, which look like smaller, more delicate oyster mushrooms. While Angels Wings were once considered a choice edible, their consumption is no longer recommended after some fatalities in Japan associated with people with poorly functioning kidneys.
Looking for Other Recipes with Cabbage? Try one of these recipes!
- Cold Weather Cabbage Soup with Butternut Squash and Turmeric
- Lazy Vegan Cabbage Rolls with Mung Beans
- Vegan Miso Napa Cabbage Slaw
- Vegan Posole with Tempeh and Mushrooms
- Kabocha Squash and Cheese Vegan Pupusas
- Caramelized Vegetarian Cabbage Soup
- Weeknight Caramelized Cabbage with Gnocchi
- Vegan Stuffed Cabbage (Okara Recipe)
- Vegan Red Cabbage and Rhubarb Slaw
Got Oyster Mushrooms? Try one of these!
- Crispy Black Pearl Oyster Mushroom Croutons
- Wild Oyster Mushroom Dumplings
- Creamy Squash Ravioli with Oyster Mushrooms
Making Wild Oyster Mushroom Tacos
I made a very simple, slightly sweet, purple cabbage slaw from ingredients I had lying around. I used my mandolin to slice them all into thin strips. and tossed them in a very simple vinegar-based dressing. I made a creamy, light green, cilantro filled cashew sauce. Cashews are an easy way to get a quick vegan cream sauce- just make sure to let the cashews soak in water for at least 10 minutes before blending to avoid a grainy texture. All that remained were the oyster mushrooms. Because they’re wild I like to cook them extra long- you’re never really sure what exactly that mushroom has been up to in its life in the forest, and a little extra cook might just burn away a threat you never knew was there. Some mushrooms (like morels) are actually poisonous when consumed raw, so its a good idea to always cook your foraged treasures rather than take the risk. If you got your oyster mushrooms from the store, you might not need to cook them as long as I did. When all of your ingredients are ready, scoop a little of each into a taco shell and enjoy! For a fun bit of exotic flavor, try adding slices of fresh mango to your tacos!
Wild Oyster Mushroom Tacos
Ingredients
- 1/4 head purple cabbage
- 1/2 medium-sized onion
- 1 red pepper
- 1 small carrot
- 2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp. agave
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/2 cup raw, unsalted cashews
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup loosely packed cilantro
- 1/2 lime, juiced
- 2 cloves garlic
- Salt, to taste
- 1 lb oyster mushrooms, cut into strips
- Oil, for cooking
- 1/2 tsp cumin powder
- 1/2 tsp curry powder
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- 1/2 tsp balsamic vinegar
- One package of small tortillas
Instructions
- Start by creating the slaw. Slice the cabbage, carrot, pepper and onion thinly. Whisk the agave, vinegar and salt together and pour over the slaw. Add the dressing to the vegetables, and stir to coat them before setting aside.
- Add the cashews to a small saucepan with water, bring to a boil, and boil the cashews for 10 or more minutes. After the cashews have softened, drain the excess water and blend all the ingredients for the cream together.
- Slice the mushrooms into strips. Heat oil, and add spices. Throw in mushrooms in and sauté for a few minutes before adding the balsamic and soy sauce. Cook for 10 minutes, until darker in color and softer.
- Heat the tortillas and arrange the tacos with the cilantro cream, cabbage slaw, and sautéed mushrooms.
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