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Vegetarian Fajitas: Recipe for Portabella Mushroom Fajitas
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It’s been our tradition for a while now to eat a vegetarian meal at least once a week. I’ve been wanting to test out a vegetarian fajitas recipe for a while and finally got around to it. Fatjitas are so fast to whip up, but they’re even faster in this vegetarian version of a classic Mexican favorite.
Eating vegetarian once in a while helps me increase my vegetable intake and it’s pretty simple to dream up vegetarian version of some of my favorite recipes, such as here with these tasty Vegetarian Fajitas, using a few of these simple guidelines.
How to Vegetarian-ize a Main Dish
“Almost” Vegetarian
Many recipes, such as these fajitas, are so close to vegetarian already that you simply have to make a small change, such as substituting a vegetable based broth for a meat broth. Another easy fix is omitting a bacon garnish.
Try Tofu, Eggs, or Cheese in Lieu of Meats
These simple meat substitutes can add protein back into a meal that you’ve taken meat out of. Try marinated tofu strips in stir-fry instead of chicken for a simple change.
Add Extra Vegetables
If you’re taking out meat, you’ll need to add something else back in. Many times my solution is to add extra vegetables if I feel the recipe already has plenty of protein.
Don’t Forget Flavor
Meat can often add a lot of flavor to a dish. For instance, I often brown or sear meats for soups and then de-glaze those leftover browned bits into the pan. Removing that will change the taste of the dish.
You can easily counter act this with additional spices, aromatics, herbs, roasted garlic or finishing oils (such as truffle oil).
Bulk Up
You can easily add bulk back into a recipe by using protein-rich quinoa, lentils, or legumes that will keep you feeling full in place of the meat.
I know that eating lighter meals, like these Vegetarian Fajitas, regularly allows me the opportunity to indulge in dessert once in a while. But more importantly, I’m setting the example that vegetables taste good. Or really, more than just good.
Most small children are not big fans of vegetables, and though I continue to offer vegetables to my children at meal time and place them on their plates, I figure that the best example I can really give is to eat a wide variety of vegetables myself. Logan is literally a “vegetarian” in that he doesn’t eat meat, but that doesn’t mean he loves his vegetables yet.
In this Vegetarian Fajita Recipe I substituted mushrooms for the chicken or beef in this recipe. You could use regular white button mushrooms, but I picked out some smaller portabellas for a hearty taste. I hope you’ll give these Vegetarian Fajitas a try next time you’re craving Mexican food!
What is your favorite vegetarian main dish to cook?
Vegetarian Fajitas with Portabella Mushroom
serves 3-4
Ingredients:
For the Fajita Filling:
8 ounces small portabella mushrooms
1 yellow red bell pepper
1 red bell pepper
1 large purple onion
4-6 flour tortillas, warmedFor the Portabella Marinade:
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 lime, juiced
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 - 3/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon paprikaFor the Garnishes:
Restaurant Style Salsa
homemade guacamole
shredded cheddar, Monterrey jack or pepper jack cheese
fresh cilantro leaves
sour creamDirections:
Remove the stems off the mushrooms, reserving for a later use. Slice the mushrooms in 1/3 to 1/4 inch thick slices. Combine the ingredients for the marinade and whisk until well mixed. Add the portabella mushroom slices, tossing to coat, and let marinade for 20-30 minutes.
Meanwhile, slice the peppers and onions into strips half inch strips, discarding the seeds, stem and ribbing from the peppers and the skins from the onion.
Heat a large saute or cast iron pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil to the pan. Add the onions and peppers, cooking until the onions are slightly translucent - about five minutes. Stir frequently.
Then, add the mushrooms and half of the marinade. Cook until the marinade is absorbed and the mushrooms are tender, about 3-5 minutes.
Fill warmed tortillas with vegetable mixture, cheese, sour cream cilantro, salsa, and guacamole.
About the Author:
Katie’s lifelong interest in cooking good food has shown her that part of the goodness in life is enjoying delicious food with friends and family. She is: Writer. Photographer. Recipe Developer. Website Founder. Lover of all things good in life. Wife & Mom. A mix of great recipes, family memories, and yummy photography is what Katie serves up each week at GoodLife Eats™. Katie resides in Colorado with her husband and two children.
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Hello! I'm Katie Goodman, author of GoodLife Eats Etc. where I share what I find in my life. A mix of great recipes, family memories, adventures, good reads, and anything else that I love is what you will discover here.
YUM…i actually love grilled mushrooms…to make them into fajitas sounds dreamy!
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great tips! i try to do this as well. i think people would be surprised how much money they can save by going veg a couple days a week!
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These are great tips. I think people would be surprised to realize how easy it is to create a meatless meal.
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I love portobello mushrooms! What a great way to incorporate them
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Looks delish! Love portabello mush!
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Yes, I have my own recipe I make often. These loook delicious!
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We love portobello mushrooms and use it quite often in our recipes. Looks awesome!
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Yummy! I try to do a vegetarian dinner at least once a week, too. This will be nice to add to my repertoire!
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I love finding vegetarian versions of some of my favorite meat-filled dishes! I feel so much more virtuous about eating them…always a good thing!
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Thanks for sharing this! At our favorite Mexican restaurant, my daughter and I often order their mushroom quesadilla. I think this recipe comes close enough to be added to the list of things my family enjoys.
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Katie replied: — January 31st, 2011 @ 6:49 PM
I love Mushroom Quesadillas!
These fajitas look fabulous! I’m always trying to squeeze some new vegetarian meals into our menu each week, so I appreciate all of your tips!
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Mushrooms are amazing, and this is too!
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These would have been perfect for a vegetarian option for the Mexican Fiesta that I just had! Wish I would have thought about this. Next time
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Great tips on getting some vegetarian meals in. I also like to eat vegetarian for some of the time.
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Pure deliciousness. I really love the photos too, Katie.
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These are great tips on getting some more vegetables into our diets!
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I just made this tonight and it was so great! Even my meat-loving husband thought it was a great meal. I’d love to see more vegetarian meals!
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Katie replied: — January 31st, 2011 @ 6:49 PM
Glad you both liked it! Check out the Vegetarian section of the Recipe Index. There are quite a few there, but I will definitely be posting more.
You forgot one – beans are great meat substitutes! My husband is veggie and loves portabellos so I will be bookmarking this one…
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What a cool idea, Katie! I would not be missing the meat with the great flavor profile that you’ve got going on here.
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Love using mushrooms in lieu of meat!
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Love this post! Your suggestions for converting a meat recipe to a veggie one are spot on. I have especially found that amping up spices is usually a good idea.
I found myself wanting these tacos and I am still totally full from dinner! They look delish.
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These look awesome Katie! I’ve cut out meat for the past year (minus seafood and fish!) and it was surprising how easy it was for me! I have to try these fajitas, I love portobellas, this would make a great dinner.
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It makes me so happy to see that vegetables are getting some much love these days – Yay for Meatless Mondays!
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Wow these fajitas look so fresh and delicious! Love portabella mushrooms and how haeary they are too!
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THese look amazing. Honestly, I prefer portabella mushrooms over beef any day!!
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I always try to eat one or two vegetarian meals a week also. I just love mushrooms. I’ll have to give this a try.
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Katie, these look so good! I love veggies and area always looking for good meals that are has less meat. Will have to try this asap!
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Katie, just made this yesterday, using store bought salsa (and skipping guacamole – no time). It is so good already! Yum!
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I just made these for dinner and they came out great. My husband said they were better than any fajitas he’s had at a restaurant. Definitely a keeper, thanks!
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Very nice! I love portobello. I wonder if I could trick my husband into thinking there’s meat in this? I think it’s a great idea to make a veggie only night. By the way, you have a beautiful blog and gorgeous photos!
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Great tips! I love the easy guide you put together to help with ways to make eating vegetarian even easier. Great photos as well!
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we do a lot of tacos here and I’m not a big meat eater, so this is perfect!
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These look so good! I’m a vegan so I appreciate you posting a vegan friendly recipe
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Mmmmmm! I’ve been trying to eat more vegetarian dishes too! This one sounds fabulous!
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Hi.
Stumbled across this recipe and made it last night. The marinade was great, but I did sub in some summer squash for one of the peppers. Thanks a lot for the inspiration.
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That marinade was so good! Made the whole meal. Thanks for posting it.
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