These gluten-free and vegan mushroom and asparagus tacos pack a flavorful punch thanks to a creamy jalapeno and cilantro crema.
I don’t know about you, but I find a good taco hard to resist. Wrap a warm tortilla around pretty much anything you’ve got kicking around in the fridge and you have yourself a tasty meal in no time. They’re simple enough to make when you’re short on time and fun to eat with your hands (especially for little ones.)
While a lot of vegan tacos out there are full of grains, beans and/or soy based meat replacements, these tacos are filled entirely with fresh vegetables, a spicy dairy-free crema and wrapped in a grain-free tortilla. They’re definitely not your ordinary taco night tacos.
There’s sweet asparagus, tender mushrooms, garlicky greens and toasted pumpkin seeds for crunch, but the real star of the show is the sauce. It’s a dreamy, creamy cashew crema spiked with spicy japaleno and fresh cilantro.
How to make vegan tacos with cashew crema:
You’ll need to plan ahead and soak the cashews for a few hours (or overnight) to soften them, and then blitz them up with a jalapeno pepper for heat, a good handful of cilantro for freshness and a squeeze of lime for extra zip. The end result is a wonderfully creamy green sauce that’s delicious straight from the spoon or dolloped onto raw vegetables as a dip, and that takes these asparagus and mushroom tacos over the top.
Next the asparagus is cut crosswise into bite-sized bits and quickly sautéed with a pile of thinly sliced mushrooms until well seared and tender. A few fistfuls of baby spinach are tossed in the pan to wilt and everything is ready to pile into your tortilla.
I like to use either coconut and cassava or almond flour tortillas instead of corn to keep these grain-free and paleo-friendly. You can make your own but there are some terrific store bought options available these days (like these and these.)
Everything else is just a matter of assembly. Don’t forget to finish them with an extra drizzle of sauce and a scattering of chopped scallions and pumpkin seeds!
More asparagus recipes:
Asparagus Tacos with Mushrooms
These gluten-free and vegan mushroom and asparagus tacos pack a flavorful punch thanks to a creamy jalapeno and cilantro crema.
Ingredients
For the Jalapeno Cashew Crema:
- ½ cup/56g raw cashews
- ½ cup fresh cilantro leaves, packed
- 1 small jalapeno pepper, seeds removed
- ¼ cup/60ml water
- 1 Tablespoon/15ml fresh lime juice
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
For the Asparagus Mushroom Tacos:
- 2 Tablespoons/30ml olive oil (divided use)
- 1 bunch thin asparagus spears, cut into 1 inch pieces
- 8oz/227g cremini mushroom, thinly sliced
- 5oz/142g baby spinach leaves
- 1 garlic clove, grated on a microplane grater
- 1 teaspoon sea salt (divided use)
- ⅛th teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- 6-8 Grain-free tortillas
- Jalapeno cashew crema
- ¼ cup/28g pumpkin seeds
- 1 green onion, finely chopped
Instructions
Make the Jalapeno Cashew Crema:
- Soak the cashews in filtered water for 8 hours or overnight. Drain and rinse.
- Place all the crema ingredients into a small high-speed blender jar or mini food processor. Blend on high until smooth and creamy (adding a teaspoon more water at a time if needed.)
Make the Asparagus Mushroom Tacos:
- Add a Tablespoon of oil to a large skillet. Add the mushrooms and season with ¼ teaspoon of the salt. Sauté the mushrooms for 2-3 minutes (until starting to soften), then add asparagus pieces and another ¼ teaspoon of the salt along with the pepper and continue to cook stirring occasionally until tender (another 2-3 minutes). Once cooked, transfer the mushrooms and asparagus to a plate and set aside.
- Wipe down skillet or in another large skillet, heat the remaining 1 Tablespoon oil over medium heat; add the garlic, spinach, remaining salt and a teaspoon of water to the pan. Toss to coat using tongs and cook just until bright green and wilted (1-2 minutes) then remove from heat and squeeze gently to remove excess moisture.
- Heat the tortillas one at a time in a dry, cast-iron or non-stick skillet over medium heat, turning frequently with tongs, until warm and pliable.
- To serve, place 1-2 Tablespoons of the cashew crema in the center of a tortilla, followed by some sautéed spinach, then the mushrooms and asparagus. Sprinkle with pumpkin seeds and chopped green onions; fold the tortilla in half over the filling. Repeat for the remaining tortillas. Serve warm.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 299Total Fat: 15gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 3mgSodium: 603mgCarbohydrates: 34gFiber: 3gSugar: 1gProtein: 8g
Nutritional information for recipes contained on this website, such as calories, fat, carbs, etc. are only estimates and are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Sylvie Shirazi is the recipe developer and food photographer behind Gourmande in the Kitchen. For the last 10 years she's been making eating more healthfully easy and accessible with gluten-free, grain-free, paleo and vegan recipes that are free from processed ingredients.
Kelsey says
This looks FANTASTIC! I'm getting used to the fact that many plant-based meals are equally as delicious as their "meaty" counterparts! Love that cashew crema!
Anya says
I'm such a sucker for good tacos. Love all the flavors in this one and that crema looks absolutely stunning!
Emily @ Recipes to Nourish says
These are my kind of tacos, they look amazing! And that cashew crema!!! It's not only beautiful, but I'm sure it packs some crazy good flavor.
Anna says
These look amazing! I especially like the crema addition.
Carol Little R.H. says
WOW. I cannot wait to try this sauce!!
The tacos also look so delish-- I am a saucy gal.. lol.
THANKS!!
Char says
what brand of grain free tortillas do you buy? this looks really delish!
Sylvie says
I like the seite brand and the real coconut tortillas the best.