Pulled Aubergine Tacos
Pulled aubergine tacos are genuinely one of those recipes we come back to again and again. There's something about roasted aubergine and smoky mushrooms that just works so well together, especially when you pull them apart and pile them into warm tortillas. The texture is incredible, kind of meaty and satisfying in a way that always surprises people who've never tried it before. Chuck on some fresh toppings and a punchy sauce and you've got a dinner that looks and tastes seriously impressive. Honestly, make these tonight and we guarantee they'll be on your regular rotation by the weekend.
Before You Start
- 2x large baking trays
- Large heavy-bottomed saucepan
- Fork (for pulling aubergine flesh)
Ingredients
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 3 tbsp harissa paste
- 1 tbsp brown rice miso paste
- 300g king oyster mushrooms
- 1 x 400g can x 400g can(s) of chopped tomatoes
- 250ml boiling water
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 vegetable stock pot
- Salt & pepper to taste
- salt
- 1 onion
- olive oil
- 8 mini tortilla wraps
- Bunch of coriander
- 5 medium tomatoes
- ½ red onion
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 lime
- 100g grated plant-based cheese
- 1 handful of chopped coriander
- 1 lime
Method
Make the filling
- Slice the aubergines in half lengthways and place onto a large baking tray
- Drizzle with olive oil and a good pinch of salt before roasting for 30 minutes until soft
- Pull the mushrooms apart with your hands and place onto a separate baking tray, sprinkle with the paprika and drizzle with olive oil and salt
- Mix well and cook for 30 minutes until soft
While the mushrooms and aubergines are cooking, make the sauce
- Peel and dice the onions and garlic
- Place a large heavy bottom saucepan over a medium heat and add a drizzle of olive oil
- Once warm, add the diced onion, garlic and a pinch of salt
- Mix well and cook for 5-10 minutes, or until the onions turn soft
- At this point, add the chopped tomatoes, harissa paste, miso paste, stock pot and boiling water
- Bring to the boil before reducing the temperature and leaving to simmer for 15-20 minutes
Make the tomato salsa
- Slice the tomatoes and coriander into small pieces
- Peel and very finely dice the onion and garlic
- Place the tomato, onion, garlic, the juice of 1 lime, coriander and a good pinch of salt
- Mix well, taste and season
Finish the filling
- Once the aubergines are cooked, remove them from the oven and pull the flesh apart using a fork
- Add the pulled flesh to the sauce, along with the cooked mushrooms
- Mix well so everything is combined
Time to serve
- Cook the tortillas according to instructions on the packet
- Serve the tacos on a serving plate, with the filling in a large bowl, tomato salsa, plant-based cheese and some extra lime wedges to squeeze over the top
Tips & Variations
- Get ahead with the veg: You can roast the aubergine and mushrooms earlier in the day and just warm them through before serving. Makes weeknight dinners way less stressful.
- Char your tortillas: We always hold our tortillas directly over a gas flame for about 30 seconds each side. It adds this brilliant smoky flavour and makes the whole thing feel a bit more special. If you've got electric hobs, a dry hot pan works great too.
- Load up the toppings: This is where you can really make it your own. We love pickled red onions, sliced avocado, a handful of fresh coriander and a squeeze of lime. Don't skip the lime, trust us on this one.
Why This Works
The trick here is roasting the aubergine and mushrooms separately so they each get properly caramelised and a little bit sticky rather than steaming each other. Pulling the mushrooms apart by hand before they go in the oven gives you all those lovely irregular edges that crisp up beautifully. That combination of textures with the sauce is what really makes this one sing.