EspañolThese Mexican-style mushrooms, also known as champiñones a la mexicana, make the perfect filling for vegetarian tacos, tostadas, sopes, enchiladas, quesadillas, and tamales.
They're also delicious served alongside rice, refried beans, and warm tortillas. Learn how to make them step by step with our easy recipe.
An Easy Mushroom Recipe
Some recipes transport you back to the family table without you even realizing it. This recipe is one of them. They taste like food made with love, using simple ingredients and honest cooking techniques. Nothing fancy or pretentious.
Plus, this is one of those recipes that saves the day when you don't know what to cook but want something delicious and homemade.
With just a few basic ingredients you probably already have at home, you'll create a juicy dish that gets a little kick from the serrano peppers and the fresh aroma of cilantro. Today, I'll share the best way to clean and chop the mushrooms.
If you're looking for a simple, budget-friendly dish that's bursting with flavor, you've come to the right place.
Ingredients y Sustitutions
Mushrooms – I love Baby Bella or cremini, but if you can only find white button mushrooms, they work great too.
Onion – Traditional Mexican cooking typically uses white onions, but if you can't find them, yellow onions work as well.
Garlic – The recipe calls for 2 cloves, but if you're a garlic lover, feel free to add more.
Tomatoes – Roma tomatoes (also called plum tomatoes) are best because they're firmer. If you can't find them, any red tomato will work.
Chile – Serrano is my favorite because it adds flavor and a good amount of heat. You can substitute with jalapeño. Add more if you like it spicy.
Cilantro – Fresh is always best. However, you can also use parsley; the flavor will be slightly different, though.
Salt and oil – I use table salt for this recipe. If you're using coarse or kosher salt, you'll need a bit more; adjust to taste. I prefer olive oil, but feel free to use whatever you like.
How to Clean Mushrooms
Mushrooms absorb water easily, so you need to wash them quickly without letting them soak for too long. This makes a difference between a juicy dish and a watery one.
- Place the mushrooms in a bowl and cover them with water.
- Take one in your hands, gently wipe away any dirt, and then remove it from the water immediately. Place it in a colander and repeat until all mushrooms are cleaned.
Some people clean them with a damp cloth or paper towel. I always prefer to dunk them in water because it's easier to clean them.
Check the mushrooms' stems. If they're clean, use them. If the base is very dark, trim the dirty part. If they're too short and didn't get clean during washing, omit them.
How to Make Mexican-Style Mushrooms Step by Step
Here's the basic order. You'll find the complete recipe with measurements after my tips.
- Wash and chop the mushrooms, onion, garlic, and tomatoes.
- Heat the oil in a large pan.
- Sauté the onion and garlic. Add the tomatoes and salt, and cook until soft.
- Add the mushrooms, wait for them to release their water, cook over low heat until tender, adjust salt, add the chopped cilantro, and enjoy!
Silvia's Tips
Don't throw out the cooking liquid: The mushrooms will release a significant amount of water, which is good. As they release it, the water combines with the vegetable flavors. As it cooks, the mushrooms reabsorb this flavourful liquid. Let it reduce, but don't let it evaporate completely.
Adjust salt at the end: We add a little salt to the vegetables but adjust it after the mushrooms have shrunk. If we add all the salt at the beginning, we might overdo it.
Size matters: Medium-sized cubes provide a satisfying bite, allowing you to taste each ingredient. Don't chop them too small.
Please don't soak the mushrooms for too long: I must repeat this because it's crucial. Only soak them long enough to clean them quickly.
If you like to serve your dishes with fresh salsa, check out my roasted red salsa recipe. It goes wonderfully with mushroom tacos.
Mexican-Style Mushrooms Recipe
Ingredients
- 24 oz mushrooms of your choice Baby Bella, Cremini, or White Button (about 500 gr)
- ½ white onion large
- 2 garlic cloves large
- 2 Roma or plum tomatoes large
- 1 serrano pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or your preferred oil
- ½ teaspoon salt plus more to taste
- 1 small bunch fresh cilantro washed
Utensilios
- 1 Large bowl
- 1 Sharp knife
- 1 Medium saucepan
Instructions
- Following the cleaning method mentioned above, clean the mushrooms. Decide how to cut them. You can slice them, but I prefer cutting them into ½-¾ inch cubes. They'll shrink when cooked, so this keeps them from getting too tiny. Chop the stems last.
- Peel and chop the half onion and garlic. Wash and dice the tomatoes. Cut the serrano in half.
- Heat the oil in the pan over medium-high heat. When ready, add the onion and sauté for 2-3 minutes until it starts to look translucent and soft.
- Add the garlic to the center of the pan, stirring while it becomes golden and changes color, about 30 seconds, then mix with the onion for another 20-30 seconds.
- Add the tomatoes, serrano pepper, and salt. Stir to combine. Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tomato softens and reduces.
- Add the mushrooms. At first it might seem like too many for your pan, but they'll gradually reduce in size.
- Stir until all ingredients are combined. After 1-2 minutes, you'll see the mushrooms start releasing lots of water, creating a flavorful liquid at the bottom, this is where all the flavor concentrates.
- Lower to a simmer and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid has reduced and the mushrooms are tender but still juicy.
- While they're cooking, chop the cilantro. At the end of cooking, add the cilantro, taste and adjust salt, and turn off the heat. Enjoy!
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
Tag @mamalatina on Instagram and hashtag it #mamalatinatips
How to Serve and Variations
The simplest way is to serve them with white or Mexican rice, refried beans with queso fresco, salsa, and warm tortillas.
Here are other ideas:
- In quesadillas: My favorite way. Corn tortilla with Oaxaca cheese. Add a generous spoonful of the Mexican-style mushrooms, salsa, and avocado. They're also delicious in flour tortillas. If you want to make homemade flour tortillas, I have a recipe for that too.
- In tacos: Warm tortillas, mushrooms, chopped onion, salsa, and cheese.
- On tostadas: Refried beans serve as the base, accompanied by mushrooms, lettuce, crema, and salsa.
- On sopes: Bed of beans, mushrooms, avocado salsa, and queso fresco.
- Tamales: This is an ideal filling for vegetarian tamales. Prepare the masa, then prepare the corn husks or banana leaves. Fill them with the mushrooms and steam. Delicious!
- Side dish: Serve them alongside meat or fish.
Storage Tips
If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. I always keep some in the fridge for a quick quesadilla snack.
You can also freeze them to up to 3 months.
Save to Pinterest
If you love authentic, practical Mexican cooking, try making this recipe today. Please share it with your family and experiment with the variations I suggested.
And if you save it to Pinterest, you can come back to it whenever you want, plus you'll help me share my recipes with more people around the world. Thank you!
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