March 8, 2020
Vegan BBQ Pulled ‘Pork’ Flautas
BBQ Pulled ‘Pork’ Flautas. Basically everything we know and love about a pulled pork sandwich, but rolled into a tortilla and fried to crispy, golden perfection. Filled with smokey shredded oyster mushrooms, melty cheddar cheese, and topped with tangy, crunchy slaw – these BBQ Pulled ‘Pork’ Flautas are so good, no one will even know they’re vegan!
bbq pulled pork meets crispy taquito
Ok, ya’ll … these BBQ Pulled ‘Pork’ Flautas are seriously the best of both worlds. If you love pulled pork sandwiches and if you love flautas, then these are going to BLOW. YOUR. MIND. Whether you’re looking for a crowd-pleasing appetizer, or a fun weeknight dinner, these taquitos will surely not disappoint! They’re
- Meaty
- Smokey
- Sweet
- Savory
- Crispy
- Cheesy
- and absolutely frickin’ delicious!
You drooling yet? Because I am! Grab a brew and let’s get to making the best Vegan Pulled ‘Pork’ Flautas!
what are flautas?
Flautas were given their name due to their similar shape to the musical instrument known as the flute. Flautas can be found all over Mexico, with a wide variation in size and flavors. Nobody really knows where they originated, but the state of Sinaloa in Mexico recognizes flautas as one of their unique food specialties. With flautas, the only two things that will vary by region will be the filling and the toppings – I believe traditionally, most are made with corn tortillas, but sometime made with flour, so “taquito” and “flauta” are often times used interchangeably. Typically, flautas are filled with some kind of meat and cheese, rolled, and then fried. The concept is simple and makes for the most delicious meal!
While my BBQ Pulled ‘Pork’ flautas are by no means “traditional”, we are taking the same concept and cooking methods to turn a classic favorite into a fun and new dish!
how to make flautas or taquitos
My delicious BBQ Pulled ‘Pork’ flautas come together in just a few easy steps! Oyster mushrooms are the substitute for pulled pork in this dish – they are so meaty and flavorful, I promise most of the people you feed these to won’t even know they’re vegan! Here’s how to make them:
- Shred. Using your hands or the back of two forks, shred the mushrooms until they eerily resemble shredded meat. Once the shrooms are all shredded, toss with the BBQ ‘Pork’ seasoning.
- Cook. Once you’ve seasoned your shredded shrooms, cook them in a skillet with some oil so they get nice and crisped on the edges, and warm and meaty on the inside. Cooking the shredded mushrooms before rolling them into taquitos give them that meaty texture we’re looking for in this dish! Toss with your favorite BBQ sauce, and we’re ready to roll!
- Roll. After you’ve cooked you’re shredded mushrooms, toss them into a large bowl with your shredded vegan cheese. Give it a good mix to combine, and start rolling! Take about 1/4 cup of the mushroom/cheese mixture and place towards the bottom half of a flour tortilla. Then, using both hands, roll tightly and secure with toothpicks. Repeat until all the filling is gone.
- Fry. After all your flautas are rolled, it’s time to fry these babies. I like to fry only 3-4 taquitos at a time, seam side down, for about 3 minutes per side. Make sure your oil is hot enough, otherwise they’ll just be a soggy mess … and nobody wants that. Once they’re golden brown and crispy, transfer the cooked flautas to a paper towel lined plate and repeat until they’re all fried!
- EAT! My favorite part, obviously. I like to serve my Vegan BBQ Pulled ‘Pork’ Flautas topped with tangy coleslaw, pickled jalapenos, cilantro, and a drizzle of BBQ sauce and vegan ranch. The goal is to scoop up the slaw and fixin’s with the flauta, so you get a little bit of everything in one bite. Seriously SO F*CKIN GOOD.
so … whadya think?
Did you love this recipe as much as I do? Were you able to fool the biggest meat-eating BBQ lover into thinking these were real meat? Did your friends and family gobble them up?! Snap a photo or a video, upload it to Instagram, and tag me at @eat_figs_not_pigs and #EatFigsNotPigs! I love seeing all your recreations of my recipes and hearing what you think! Til next time, friends!
XOXO!
- 6 cups loosely packed tri-colored coleslaw mix
- 6 TBS vegan mayonnaise
- 1 TBS apple cider vinegar
- 1 TBS sweet relish
- ⅛ tsp celery seed
- Kosher salt and fresh pepper to taste
- 1 LB oyster or king oyster mushrooms
- 4 TBS avocado oil, divided
- 1 tsp each : coconut or brown sugar, garlic powder, smoked paprika, liquid smoke, apple cider vinegar
- ½ tsp Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper
- ½ cup BBQ sauce, plus more for serving
- 1 cup vegan cheddar cheese shreds
- 12 flour tortillas
- Canola oil, for frying
- Pickled jalapeños, for serving
- Chopped cilantro, for serving
- Vegan ranch, for serving
- In a large bowl, whisk together mayo, apple cider vinegar, sweet relish, and celery seed. Toss in coleslaw mix and combine thoroughly, making sure everything is well combined and that the cabbage is coated (keep in mind it the slaw may seem a bit "dry", but I don't want it too soggy. I like the cabbage to stay nice and crisp). Taste and adjust seasonings. Cover and set in the refrigerator to cool and marinate.
- With your hands or the back of two forks, shred the mushrooms until they begin to resemble shredded meat. Place in a large bowl and toss with coconut sugar, garlic powder, smoked paprika, liquid smoke, apple cider vinegar, salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons avocado oil. Mix thoroughly to ensure all the shredded mushrooms pieces are coated.
- In a large skillet on medium high heat, add the remaining 2 tablespoons avocado oil. Once the oil is hot, place seasoned mushroom shreds into the pan and sauté until most of the moisture has cooked out of the mushrooms and they're slightly crisped on the edges, about 10 minutes. Stir in BBQ sauce and cook an additional 5 minutes.
- Transfer the mushrooms to a large bowl with vegan cheddar shreds, mixing throughly to combine. Set the large skillet aside.
- Working with one tortilla at a time, add about ¼ cup of the shredded mushroom and cheese mixture in a line down the center of the tortilla.
- Roll tightly upwards and secure with 1-2 toothpicks. Repeat until the mixture is gone.
- Meanwhile, in the same large skillet used to prepare the mushrooms, add about 1" of canola oil on medium heat. Once the oil is glistening, working in small batches, fry the prepared taquitos seam side down, until they are golden-brown and crispy, about 3-4 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate and repeat until they're all fried.
- When ready to serve, top taquitos with coleslaw, pickled jalapeños, chopped cilantro, and a drizzle of BBQ sauce and vegan ranch.
- ENJOY!
This recipe is so yummy and quick to make! The recipe is very easy to follow and the ingredients are so flavorful. The meat eaters in my family couldn’t get enough. Definitely making again! (Seriously try this out)
Air Frying Possible? I haven’t used oyster mushrooms, but would love to!
Hey Val! You can absolutely air fry these! I suggest spraying or brushing them with a bit of oil. Since I didn’t test this recipe in the air-fryer, I’m also not sure on cooking time & temperature. Let me know how they turn out!