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Get your weeknight sizzling In just 30 minutes with these Portobello Vegan Fajitas. They are spicy, smoky, and robust! The flavors come together when the seared veggies meet the homemade fajita sauce. It's mouth-watering good!
Ahhh, that sizzling sound, don't you just love it? Especially, when you're dining out and hear those noisy Vegan Fajitas coming your way. They really do make an entrance, that's for sure!
Fajitas are always a great choice because they are customizable, fun to eat, and perfect for sharing. They are served with an array of toppings to please everyone's palate. I load them up!
Fajitas may seem complicated to make at home, but they are ridiculously easy. They are a top family favorite along with my Vegan Pineapple Fried Rice and Vegan Mac n Cheese.
What Makes them So Flavorful?
Fajita sauce! You don't really need a sauce for flavorful fajitas, BUT this sauce takes things to another level. It adds an EXTRA layer of flavor and has the perfect balance of smokiness, spiciness, and tang. You've gotta try it!
Here's What You'll Need for the Fajita Sauce
This is a quick overview with step-by-step photos. For the complete ingredient amounts and instructions, scroll down to the recipe card.
Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
Vegetable broth
Lime juice
Garlic Powder
Chili powder
Cumin
Salt
The robust and smoky flavor comes from the chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. I use them to amp up so many recipes. Buy a few cans and keep them in your pantry. You won't regret it!
To make the sauce, just blend everything up until smooth and get those fajitas ready for greatness!
Remaining Ingredients
Avocado oil (or preferred oil)
Portobello Mushrooms
Bell Peppers,
Red Onion
Salt and Pepper.
How to Make Vegan Fajitas
STEP 1 - Blend up the fajita sauce and set it aside.
STEP 2 - Sauté the mushrooms until perfectly browned and set aside.
STEP 3 - In the same pan, sauté the onions and peppers until slightly tender and somewhat charred.
STEP 4 - Add the sauce and cook for a few minutes to incorporate flavors.
How to Serve
They are delicious with warm corn tortillas, lime wedges, fresh-cut cilantro, vegan sour cream, guacamole, or Spanish Rice and Beans, but feel free to get creative. They are pretty spicy, but if you want to turn up the heat, add your favorite hot sauce or salsa.
Tips for Cooking Mushrooms
- The key to flavorful veggies is perfectly browning and caramelizing them. Make sure your heat is high enough and don't add them to the pan until it's hot. You should hear that familiar sizzle right away!
- Don't overcrowd the pan when sauteéing the mushrooms or they will steam instead of searing and browning. They need lots of room, so you may need to cook the portobellos in two batches.
- To clean mushrooms, use a dry, slightly damp paper towel or a soft brush to clean each mushroom. Mushrooms are like sponges and will absorb a lot of water which can make the mushrooms soggy.
- The brown gills on the mushrooms can be gently scraped if desired. They make the vegetable mixture a little darker, but it doesn't affect the taste. I usually leave them intact.
An alternative to Fajita Sauce
If you think the sauce might be too spicy for your taste, you can omit it altogether. Instead, add the dry spices (garlic powder, cumin, chili powder) when the cooked mushrooms go into the pan of sauteéd onions and peppers. You can add ½ teaspoon of smoked paprika too. Add a squeeze of lime juice when everything is done.
More Flavor-Packed Recipes to Love
I’d love to hear from you
If you make these Vegan Fajitas, let me know what you think by ★ star rating it and leaving a comment below. It would really make my day. You can also follow me on Instagram and share your creation with me. Just tag me @veganhuggs and hashtag #veganhuggs so I don’t miss it.
Recipe
Portobello Vegan Fajitas
Ingredients
Fajita sauce
- 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce + 1 tablespoon sauce
- ⅓ cup vegetable broth , low sodium
- 2 tablespoons lime juice , fresh squeezed
- ½ teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Fajitas
- 3-4 tablespoons avocado oil (or any high smoke point oil)
- 4 large portobello mushrooms , remove stems & cut caps into ½" slices
- 2 large bell peppers , cut into ¼" strips
- 1 large red onion , cut into ¼" strips
- Fresh cracked pepper , to taste
- Salt , to taste
To Serve
- 8 6" corn tortillas , warmed (*see note)
- vegan sour cream (homemade or store-bought)
- *Optional chopped cilantro, lime wedges, guacamole and rice
Instructions
Fajita Sauce
- Add all the fajita sauce ingredients to a blender. Blend on high until smooth. Set aside
Fajitas
- Heat a large pan over medium-high heat (*see note). When it's very hot, add 1-2 tablespoons of oil. As soon as the oil gets hot and shimmery, add the mushrooms (you should hear a sizzle). Don't move the mushrooms around the first 2-3 minutes. This will give them time to sear and brown on one side.
- Now give them a stir and let them brown for another 2-3 minutes. Once they have reduced their size and are fully browned, sprinkle with a generous pinch of salt & pepper. (*optional: to deglaze, splash some sherry into the pan - this will pick up some brown bits and add more flavor to your mushrooms). Remove from heat and place mushrooms on a plate or bowl.
- Heat the same large pan between medium and medium-high heat. When it's hot, add 2 tablespoons of oil. As soon as the oil gets hot and shimmery, add the onions and peppers (you should hear a sizzle). Now add a generous pinch of salt & pepper. Stir occasionally, but don't move them around too much, so they have time to get nicely browned and somewhat charred. This will create a robust flavor. Sauté until lightly tender and browned about 6-8 minutes. (*optional: to deglaze, splash some sherry into the pan)
- Now add the cooked mushrooms and fajita sauce. You'll want to stir frequently at this point to prevent burning the sauce. Taste for seasoning and add if needed. Cook for 1-2 minutes and remove from heat. Serve immediately.
Julia
This looks soooo good and I really want to try it! I was wondering about the chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, can I use chipotle paste instead? Or are these ingredients too different? I'm new to cooking Mexican food, sorry for my ignorance and thanks a lot in advance for any help!🙏✨️
Melissa Huggins
Hi Julia, good question! Yes, you can use the paste instead of the sauce. Each brand might vary regarding the spice level, so you may want to use caution so it's not overly spicy. I'm so glad you'll give them a try. Thank you 🙂
Michele
Delicious. Use less adobe peppers if you don't want it spicy.
Melissa Huggins
Hi Michele, I'm so glad you loved the recipe. Thank you for sharing feedback. 🙂
Pablo
Wonderful and tasteful. Healthy and smells amazing.
Melissa Huggins
So glad you loved them, Pablo! Thanks for trying the recipe. 🙂
Kimberly
Have made this recipe four times. It is in the weekly rotation of meals. Thank you so so much!
Melissa Huggins
Hi Kimberly, I'm so happy you love the recipe and it's a part of your rotation. Thanks so much for leaving feedback. 🙂