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Tostadas with Caramelized Mushrooms and Fresh Tomatillo Salsa

Crispy corn tortillas… tender caramelized mushrooms… guacamole… a fresh tomatillo & corn salsa… and lime-infused cashew sour cream. Is it okay if I skip the part where I tell you this is the greatest thing you’ll ever taste, etc., so that we can get right down to the recipe itself?

Now, there’s no question that these tostadas take a bit of work, but your time will be greatly rewarded because they are truly delicious. Also, there aren’t any crazy ingredients (except maybe tomatillos, which you could always replace with tomatoes), no difficult techniques, and the whole thing can be completed in about an hour. But because this one has a few different moving parts, I’ve actually split each of the four steps into its own mini recipe.

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Before starting… preheat your oven to 350º and soak 2/3 cup cashews in water for at least an hour.

Step One – Tomatillo Salsa

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Ingredients:

  • 1 cup fresh tomatillos
  • 1/2 cup roasted corn (frozen is fine)
  • 1 jalapeno
  • 1/4 cup red onion
  • 1/4 cup cilantro
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice
  • salt, to taste

This was actually my first time using tomatillos and I love them. The salsa we’re making here highlights their freshness and remind me of a green pico de gallo. Here’s how to make it:

Start by removing the outer skin of the tomatillos and rinsing them under warm water. Then dice them into small chunks and add to a large bowl. Throw in 1/2 cup of roasted corn kernels, one minced jalapeño (or less, to taste), 1/4 cup diced red onion, some chopped cilantro leaves, a splash of lime juice and some salt. Stir together and allow this to marinate for at least an hour before serving, for best results.

Step Two – Corn Tostadas

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Ingredients:

  • 8-10 small corn tortillas
  • 1 – 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Tostadas are simply toasted corn tortillas (tostada… toast… get it?). Naturally, the American version tends to be deep fried, like everything else in this country, but toasting is the best way to go. With just a tiny bit of oil and a 350º oven, you can get some beautiful crunchy tortillas with way less fat. Here’s how.

Preheat the oven to 350º F. Lay out 8-10 corn tortillas and a dish with a tablespoon of vegetable oil. Use a brush if you have one to very lightly coat both sides of each tortilla with the oil, then place on a baking sheet and bake for about 10 minutes on each side until they become crispy and golden.

Step Three – Caramelized Mushrooms

Ingredients:

  • About 6 cups sliced button mushrooms
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

These mushrooms are one of my favorite recipes. There’s few plant-based foods that have a more meaty umami flavor than these. They’re also really simple to make:

Slice the mushrooms fairly thin (or buy them pre-sliced) and transfer to a large skillet, add a splash of water and allow these to cook over medium-high heat until they reduce quite a bit. This is important – the mushrooms will release water as they reduce, so continually drain out this water until the skillet seems to stay fairly dry. Only then is it time to add in all the other ingredients: the soy sauce, a drizzle of maple syrup, and about 1/2 teaspoon (to start) of each spice. Stir these occasionally and give them about 10 more minutes to caramelize. If the pan becomes too dry, add a tablespoon or two of water to dissolve all the caramelized bits. Give them a taste and adjust any seasonings as needed. When they’re perfect, remove from the heat and let’s put these tostadas together!

Note: 6 cups seems like a huge amount of mushrooms, but they cook down dramatically. See the before & after photos below:

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Step Three – Cashew Sour Cream + Assembly

Ingredients:

  • 2/3 cup raw cashews
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • Salt, to taste
  • Mashed avocado / guacamole, for serving.

These tostadas really aren’t complete without a little lime-infused cashew sour cream. It’s super easy to make. Simply, soak some raw cashews for about an hour to soften them. Drain the soaking water and add them to a blender with 1/2 cup fresh water, lime juice, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, and salt. Blend until smooth and feel free to adjust any flavors as needed. Allow to chill for 1+ hours for best results.

Also, make some guacamole with your favorite recipe, or just mash an avocado with some lime juice and salt.

Finally! To make the tostadas, line half of each crispy tortilla with the mushrooms, the other half with mashed avocado, top with the tomatillo salsa, and add a drizzle of cashew cream. Enjoy!

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10 Comments

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  1. These were so delicious! I went all out (for me) and made every single component of this recipe. Wow. I felt like I was ordering delicious restaurant food! Thanks for a great recipe! It was something special!

  2. YES! Uh-maaaazing!! And I don’t even care what my carnivorous family says. Some people just don’t appreciate good (vegan) food. I’m in heaven anyway 🙂

  3. Simply put, this is the best thing I’ve made since going vegan! I’ve never used tomatillos and loved the tang they provided in this recipe. I will be making these over and over and over. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!

  4. O-M-G! You really knew what you were doing because you hit the nail right on the head with the cashew lime sour cream. The best plant based sour cream I have ever tasted. I did not even miss the cheese. Thank you for sharing this recipe. I look forward to making it for my mom.

  5. These are AWESOME! I made the mushrooms using a mix of portobello and oyster, and added some sweet corn and fresh spinach. We put a smear of refried beans on the tostadas, topped with the mushrooms, your lime crema, avocado and cilantro. Will have to try your salsa next time.

    • That’s great, Lisa! I love to hear that. 🙂 Sounds delicious… I haven’t made these in forever. Thanks for letting me know you liked them!

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