“This dish pairs the familiarity of barbecue with the health benefits of mushrooms,” says Full Circle Mushrooms owner Ximena Zamacona. With its chewy, spongelike texture, lion’s mane makes a great meat substitute and absorbs all the flavors of this delicious sauce.

  • 1 can (15 ounces) brown or green lentils
  • Neutral cooking oil, such as avocado or safflower
  • 1 sweet onion, chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon cumin, plus ½ teaspoon
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • ½ tablespoon coconut aminos
  • 8 ounces lion’s mane mushrooms
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon oregano
  • ½ cup barbecue sauce
  • 5 or more flour tortillas
  • Optional toppings: avocado slices, cilantro, pickled red onions

Serves 5

1. Drain and rinse the lentils, set aside.

2. In a frying pan, heat a drizzle of oil and sauté the onion for about 3 minutes until fragrant. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.

3. Transfer lentils to the pan and add chili powder and 1 teaspoon of the cumin, tossing to coat evenly and toast the spices for 1–2 minutes.

4. Add the soy sauce and coconut aminos, and keep stirring until lentils are cooked through and most of the liquid is gone. Set the lentils aside and keep warm.

5. Trim off any hard woody stems of the lion’s mane and pull into small pieces with your hands.

6. In a large nonstick pan, heat about ½ tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat. When hot, toss in the shredded mushrooms, then add the paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, and remaining ½ teaspoon cumin, and stir to coat the mushrooms evenly and toast the spices.

7. Let the mushrooms brown on one side before flipping to brown on the other, about 3–4 minutes per side.

8. When mushrooms are golden brown, pour in the barbecue sauce and cook over medium heat until the sauce thickens and is mostly absorbed by the mushrooms.

9. Warm the tortillas and assemble tacos with lentil “meat,” BBQ lion’s mane, avocado, cilantro, and pickled red onions.

This recipe originally appeared in "Shroom Boom" by Lynn Cline.