Vegetarian tacos? Yep! Mushroom Spinach tacos are a quick healthy dinner. Fast, fresh, and delicious. In less than 30 minutes you’re eating dinner, but let’s think about Taco Tuesday breakfast.
It’s nothing new that vegetables are good for us, right?
The problem is how to make them interesting.
A side of canned green beans doesn’t offer much excitement.
A spoonful of peas. Boring.
Corn. Again?
Healthy dinner ideas? Think veggie taco!
How to make vegetarian Mushroom and Spinach Tacos
In this easy one-pan recipe, I sautéed mushrooms and wilted spinach to fill a plant-based taco.
- Cook mushrooms and spices 10 —12 minutes, until mushrooms are softened and browned.
- Stir in fresh spinach just until it wilts, about 3 minutes. Spoon some of the mixture onto a warm tortilla and add some salsa.
Cook’s note: Mushroom Spinach Tacos are great for dinner, but think about breakfast. Or use the mushroom and spinach in a quesadilla, rolled in a tortilla and topped with salsa verde for an enchilada, or stirred into scrambled eggs for breakfast.
Let’s start with fresh ingredients
How to buy fresh spinach
At the store, look for spinach that looks perky and fresh, not wilted. If it’s packaged, check the date. The Sell-by date is a suggestion for the store to sell it, still leaving you time to use it after you buy. The Use-by date is, a suggestion for best results. But you should use it within a couple days after buying because the longer it’s stored the more vitamin loss.
Leafy greens, such as spinach and lettuce, are best kept cold. Store it in the vegetable drawer. We’ve probably all thrown out a bag of brown goo that was once lettuce. Now that’s real vitamin (and money) loss!
How to buy mushrooms
Choose mushrooms that are smooth with tightly closed caps. If the gills under the cap are showing, the mushroom is old. Mushrooms absorb water, so rather than rinsing them, the best way to clean them is to rub them with a damp paper towel. Slice the mushrooms in similar sizes so that they cook evenly. Or save time and just buy them sliced.
Cook’s note: Slice the mushrooms in similar sizes so that they cook evenly. For a cup of mushrooms, I use a serrated edge paring knife.
Even though we ❤️ us some shrooms, we want them to brown, not steam, so give them some room. Don’t crowd the mushrooms in the pan.
How to smash garlic
To smash garlic, place the clove on the cutting board. Lay the flat part of a knife blade (sharp edge away from you) on top on the clove, then hit the flat part of the knife with the heel of your hand. Be careful to stay away from the sharp edge. I use a Chef’s knife because of the wide blade.
Cook’s note: Smashing releases the compounds that give garlic its pungent flavor and healthful benefits. Let the garlic rest for 10 minutes before cooking, to allow those compounds to work so you maximize the healthy benefits.
How to reduce wasted food
Fresh vegetables are what we toss the most. Produce doesn’t age well. From the farm to the store to your fridge, the clock is ticking. So try to use them as close to purchase as you can. Vegetables often end up in our grocery cart because of their healthy halo. We know we should eat them, so we buy them, but then find them weeks later in the fridge. Does this happen to you, too? Keep in mind how much you will eat through the week to avoid buying too much. A good deal at the store doesn’t translate if it ends up in the garbage. A 2015 study from the University of Arizona found that we pay close attention to sale prices, but not the money squandered through wasted food.
Colorful, fun plates make the menu!
More LiveBest mushroom recipes
- Mushroom Goat Cheese Dutch Baby
- Walnut Mushroom Lasagna Rolls
- Mushroom Spinach Frittata
- Mushroom and Spinach Stuffed Spaghetti Squash
Feel like spinach? Try these!
Here’s another idea for quick and easy: Fish Tacos with Chipotle Crema
P.S. Hungry for more healthy diet tips and recipes? Sign up for my newsletter right here.
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PrintMushroom Spinach Vegetarian Tacos
Vegetarian tacos? Yep! My Mushroom Spinach tacos are fast, fresh, healthy, and delicious. In less than 30 minutes you’re eating dinner, but let’s think about Taco Tuesday breakfast.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stove
- Cuisine: Mexican, Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 16-ounces fresh button or portabello mushrooms, sliced
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried
- 1 garlic clove, smashed
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 10-16 ounce package baby spinach
- 8 corn tortillas
- Salsa
Instructions
In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat, add mushrooms, thyme, garlic, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Stir occasionally, cooking 10 —12 minutes, until mushrooms are softened and browned. Stir in fresh spinach just until it wilts, about 3 minutes. Remove thyme stems and garlic clove. Spoon some of the mixture onto a warm tortilla and add some salsa.
Notes
Mushroom Spinach Tacos are great for dinner, but think about breakfast. The spinach mixture could be rolled in a tortilla and topped with salsa verde for an enchilada or stirred into scrambled eggs for breakfast.
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