BBQ Pulled Portobello Tacos with Spicy Slaw

These barbecue pulled portobello tacos are coated in a sweet BBQ sauce and combined with a spicy mustard slaw to make the perfect easy summer meal.

BBQ pulled portobello mushrooms are the perfect taco stuffer. The chewy and tender texture of sauted portobellos makes for a great plant based alternative to BBQ pulled pork.

How to make BBQ pulled portobello tacos

BBQ pulled portobello tacos are so easy to make! Slice up four portobello mushrooms into thin strips (about pointer finger width). and add to a saucepan. Because portobellos are packed with water, you don't need much oil to cook them. I use just a teaspoon to prevent sticking or burning, then let the mushrooms work their magic.

After a few minutes of sauteing, coat the mushrooms in homemade sweet & spicy barbecue sauce. I like the little spicy kick that this BBQ sauce adds to the portobello tacos, but any storebought sauce will do.

The portobellos are then simmered in the barbecue sauce for another 5-10 minutes. This allows the mushrooms to soak up that delicious BBQ flavor!

Should I remove the gills from portobellos?

I'm not a fan of wasting any part of a fruit or veggie, so I prefer to keep the mushroom gills (the underside of the portobello). However, removing the gills can improve texture and coloration in certain dishes.

For example, if I was making stuffed mushrooms I would be more likely to remove the gills. Because the mushrooms in these BBQ portobello tacos are cut into small strips, I leave the gills.

If you prefer to remove the gills, you can easily use a spoon to gently scrape them off the underside of the mushroom.

Spicy Mustard Slaw

Lest we not forget the second star of today's show: spicy mustard (cole)slaw! I love how easy it is to make this slaw. The spicy mustard pairs so well with the sweet (& spicy!) barbecue sauce. It's summer in a taco shell!

This slaw deviates from tradition by omitting mayonnaise (like my tahini coleslaw) but spicy brown mustard does a mighty fine job of filling mayo's shoes.

Add just a few simple ingredients and you've got yourself an easy taco stuffer, vegetarian burger topper, or side dish:

• Coleslaw mix
• Pumpkin seeds
• Spicy brown mustard
• Apple cider vinegar
• Hot sauce (optional but awesome)
• A dash of sugar (optional)

Premade coleslaw mix is an inexpensive time saver, and you can find it on the shelves of most grocery stores.

I chose a basic coleslaw for this recipe: cabbage, red cabbage, carrots, and celery. Cool and crunchy!

Looking for more recipes?

These instant pot vegan lentil sloppy joes and vegetarian mushroom cheesesteaks are two more great dinner options.

If you're not in the mood for barbecue but are craving something similar, you might like these vegetarian black bean enchiladas, jerk tofu tacos or even this enchilada casserole.