• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Crowded Kitchen
MENUMENU
  • Recipes
  • About Us
  • Contact
  • Sign Up
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • About Us
  • Recipe Index
  • Contact
×

Home » Recipes » Tacos

Vegan Shawarma Tacos

Published: Mar 2, 2021 by Lexi

133 shares
Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

Taco Tuesday plans: Vegan Mushroom Shawarma Tacos with a creamy cilantro tahini sauce! The mushrooms are packed with flavor from a homemade shawarma spice blend and have the perfect meaty texture. Simple, delicious and easy to make in about 30 minutes!

overhead view of mushroom shawarma tacos on a platter with cilantro tahini sauce and feta.

Why we love this recipe

  • Just a few simple components: I love that these shawarma tacos are super simple, with just the mushroom shawarma filling and a quick cilantro tahini sauce. They don't require tons of prep (or dish washing!).
  • Super flavorful spice blend: the homemade shawarma spice blend is the key here. It's easy to throw together in less than 5 minutes and uses spices that you probably already have in your pantry. Bonus: make extra for quick use in the future!
  • Delicious weeknight dinner: perfect for any day of the week. You can even make the mushrooms in advance and reheat just before serving if you're extra short on time.
  • Vegan and gluten free (without sacrificing on flavor!): thanks to the mushrooms' meaty texture, this recipe is perfect for vegans and non-vegans alike. Corn tortillas make this 100% gluten free as well.
person grabbing mushroom shawarma taco off of platter.

Ingredient Notes

Here are a few of the key ingredients you'll need for these vegan shawarma tacos:

  • Mushrooms (both portobello and shiitake): we chose these two varieties for their meaty texture and earthy flavor, which better mimics meat. If you can't find any, you can sub with another variety (like cremini), but the texture may be a bit different.
  • Shawarma spice blend: we use a homemade spice blend here (instructions below!).
  • Tamari or soy sauce: tamari makes this recipe 100% gluten free, but use soy sauce if that's not an issue for you. Note that we used low sodium here, so if using regular, you may want to adjust the salt level in the seasoning blend.
  • Tahini: the smoother the tahini, the easier this sauce is to blend. If you want to make it homemade, check out this recipe!
  • Date syrup or agave: a touch of sweetness perfectly balances the spices. We love this date syrup, but if you can't find any, agave is a great sub.
  • Tortillas: we used corn, but you can also use flour or a grain free version (my favorite is these cassava ones from Siete Foods). I like to warm mine over an open flame on the stovetop for a bit of charred, smoky flavor.
close up view of mushroom shawarma tacos on a platter with cilantro tahini sauce and feta.

Homemade shawarma spice blend

We make our own easy homemade shawarma spice blend for these tacos. It's super flavorful, perfectly balanced, and easy to make with spices you probably already have in your pantry.

If you want to, you can triple or quadruple the batch so you have leftovers for the future.

We love using it in this shawarma sheet pan dinner or adding a pinch to a Mediterranean-inspired salad dressing! It would also be great in a marinade for grilled tofu!

Here are the spices you'll need for the blend:

overhead view of spices in small bowls for shawarma spice blend.

Step-by-step instructions

Make shawarma spice blend

Stir (or whisk) together all spices for shawarma spice blend. Alternatively, add everything to a glass jar, seal and shake well to combine.

before and after stirring together spices for shawarma spice blend.

Prep and cook mushrooms

Prep the portobellos: Remove the stems from the portobellos, then use two forks to "shred" the mushrooms into bite-sized pieces. The idea is to have different sizes and textures to mimic shredded meat.

person shredding portobello mushroom with two forks.

Prep the shiitake: Simply remove the stems and slice into thin strips. 

In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, tamari, date syrup, and the shawarma spice blend.

before and after whisking together marinade for shawarma mushrooms.

Add mushrooms to a large mixing bowl. Pour spice/oil blend over mushrooms and toss well to coat (it's easiest to use your hands to make sure the spices evenly coat the mushrooms). Let sit for 15 minutes so the mushrooms can soak up some of the flavor.

before and after marinating mushrooms in homemade shawarma marinade.

Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat with 1-2 tablespoon of olive oil. Once heated, add the mushrooms and cook, stirring often, for about 8-10 minutes, until softened and slightly crispy. 

close up view of mushrooms in pan cooked in shawarma marinade.

Make cilantro tahini sauce

While the mushrooms are cooking, add all ingredients for cilantro tahini sauce to a blender and blend until smooth and creamy. You may need to scrape down the sides a few times to make sure everything is blended.

before and after blending cilantro tahini sauce.

Assemble the tacos with warmed corn tortillas, chopped lettuce, mushrooms, cilantro tahini sauce and (optional) vegan feta. 

Expert Tips

Make ahead: you could actually make both the mushrooms and the cilantro tahini sauce ahead of time!

Store the mushrooms in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat in a skillet until warmed through.

Make the cilantro tahini sauce up to 5 days ahead of time and store in an airtight container or sealed jar. Shake or whisk before serving.

close up view of mushroom shawarma tacos on a platter with cilantro tahini sauce and feta.

Related Recipes

  • Vegan Al Pastor Tacos
  • Spicy Black Bean and Cauliflower Tacos
  • Chipotle Sofritas Tofu
  • Vegan Cauliflower Taco Meat

Tried this recipe? Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. You can also stay in touch with us through social media by following us on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook or by subscribing to our newsletter.

Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
overhead view of mushroom shawarma tacos on a platter with cilantro tahini sauce and feta.

Vegan Shawarma Tacos


★★★★★

5 from 2 reviews

  • Author: Lexi
  • Total Time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x
  • Diet: Vegan
Print Recipe
Pin Recipe

Description

Taco Tuesday plans: Vegan Mushroom Shawarma Tacos with a creamy cilantro tahini sauce! The mushrooms are packed with flavor from a homemade shawarma spice blend and have the perfect meaty texture. Simple, delicious and easy to make in about 30 minutes!


Ingredients

Scale

Tacos:

  • 6 oz portobello mushrooms, stems removed and shredded with two forks
  • 6 oz shiitake mushrooms, sliced thinly
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp low sodium tamari or soy sauce
  • 1 tsp agave or date syrup
  • 1 tbsp shawarma spice blend (recipe below)
  • Corn tortillas 
  • For serving: romaine lettuce, cilantro tahini sauce (recipe below), vegan (or regular) feta cheese

Homemade Shawarma Spice Blend:

  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • ½ tsp turmeric
  • ¼ tsp allspice
  • ¼ tsp coriander
  • ¼ tsp garlic powder
  • ¼ tsp onion powder
  • ⅛ tsp cinnamon 
  • ¼ tsp fine grain kosher salt 
  • ⅛ tsp black pepper

Cilantro Tahini Sauce: 

  • ¼ cup tahini
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • ¼ cup water
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • ¼ tsp cumin
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • Pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Stir (or whisk) together all spices for shawarma spice blend.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk together oil, tamari, date syrup, and the shawarma spice blend.
  3. To prep the mushrooms: remove the stems from the portobellos, then use two forks to "shred" the mushrooms into bite-sized pieces. The idea is to have different sizes and textures to mimic shredded meat. To prep the shiitake, simply remove the stems and slice into thin strips. 
  4. Add mushrooms to a large mixing bowl. Pour spice/oil blend over mushrooms and toss well to coat (it's easiest to use your hands to make sure the spices evenly coat the mushrooms). Let sit for 15 minutes.
  5. Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat with 1-2 tablespoon of olive oil. Once heated, add the mushrooms and cook, stirring often, for about 8-10 minutes, until softened and slightly crispy. 
  6. Meanwhile, add all ingredients for cilantro tahini sauce to a blender and blend until smooth and creamy.
  7. Assemble the tacos with warmed corn tortillas, chopped lettuce, mushrooms, cilantro tahini sauce and (optional) vegan feta. 

Notes

Mushrooms: we chose these two varieties for their meaty texture and earthy flavor, which better mimics meat. If you can't find any, you can sub with another variety (like cremini), but the texture may be a bit different.

Tahini: make it from scratch with this recipe. 

Date syrup: a touch of sweetness perfectly balances the spices. We love this date syrup, but if you can't find any, agave is a great sub.

  • Prep Time: 25 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Category: Dinner
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: Middle Eastern

Nutrition

  • Serving Size:
  • Calories: 350
  • Sugar: 2.6 g
  • Sodium: 436.2 mg
  • Fat: 23.9 g
  • Carbohydrates: 31.8 g
  • Fiber: 5.6 g
  • Protein: 7.5 g

Keywords: vegan shawarma tacos

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @crowded_kitchen on Instagram and hashtag it #crowdedkitchen

More Vegan Taco Recipes

  • Super Crispy Potato Tacos
  • Vegan Avocado Crema
  • Quick Pickled Red Cabbage
  • Scrambled Tofu Breakfast Tacos

Reader Interactions

Comments

    Let us know what you think! Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

  1. Sam

    August 06, 2021 at 6:00 pm

    omg the complexity!!!! such a great recipe. well balanced, delicious. Topped with pickled red onions for absolute perfection that even pleased the meat eaters. Will say two of us mowed down what's written here as a four person serving so keep that in mind.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Lexi

      August 16, 2021 at 9:19 am

      So glad to hear that! Thanks so much for your comment.

      Reply
  2. Erica

    July 15, 2021 at 2:04 am

    Love this! I used maple syrup instead of agave and couldn't find shitake mushrooms so used onlyportabellos. Worked out really well! That spice mix was super easy to throw together and really flavorful. I added a simple guacamole into the mix as well, went nicely with the tahini sauce!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  3. Zora

    March 25, 2021 at 11:50 pm

    Remarkable! I would not normally choose to try a recipe that has longish list of ingredients but based on the photos I decided to give it a try. The spice blend is perfect and using it to coat the mushrooms worked out really well. A lot simpler to prepare than I had originally anticipated. This recipe will be one I prepare over and over...both at home and while we are on the road in our Airstream.

    Reply

Primary Sidebar

Lexi and Beth toasting with wine.

Hi, we're Lexi and Beth, a mother-daughter team from Michigan. The recipes you'll find here are a reflection of how we bring our family together around the dinner table despite various dietary differences.

More about us →

Featured in:

Featured in Buzzfeed, yahoo, Men's Journal, Huffpost, MSN, Food & Wine, Country Living, yummly, and Parade.

Winter Recipes

  • Vegan Mushroom Stew over Mashed Potatoes
  • Vegan Coq au Vin
  • Vegetable Stew
  • Vegan Meatloaf
  • Vegan Pumpkin Chili
  • Vegan Broccoli Casserole

Most popular recipes

  • Best Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies
  • Creamy Beet Pasta
  • Super Green Vegetable Soup
  • Vegan Miso Soup
  • Vegan Jalapeño Poppers
  • Limoncello Spritz

See more-->

Footer

Back to top ↑

About

  • Learn About Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Accessibility Statement
  • See our Portfolio

Newsletter

  • Sign up for weekly emails and updates

Contact

  • Contact Us
  • Work With Us
  • As Seen In

Copyright © 2022 Crowded Kitchen