Recipe for the day: Mushroom Taco Cups

World Salt Awareness Week, which will take place from 12 to 18 May 2025, aims to promote evidence-based strategies for reducing salt consumption across the population.

While salt enhances the flavour of our food and is necessary in small amounts for our bodies, it can also pose significant health risks.

Surpassing the recommended daily limit of 5g for adults set by the World Health Organization (WHO) can quickly shift the narrative from being the “Salt of the Earth” to being in “Salt the Earth” territory!

Excessive sodium intake can lead to serious health issues, including high blood pressure, heart attacks, and strokes.

Additionally, a report from the UK’s Action on Salt indicates that “high salt intake has also been shown to increase the amount of protein in the urine, which is a major risk factor for a decline in kidney function.”

An additional perk of using more mushrooms in your cooking in place of salt, according to WebMD, is that “mushrooms are a rich source of potassium, a nutrient known for reducing the negative impact that sodium can have on your body.

 “When sodium levels increase, potassium levels tend to decrease,” agrees The Cleveland Clinic.

“Eating more potassium has the opposite effect of sodium.”  

“Potassium lessens the tension in blood vessels, potentially helping to lower blood pressure,” notes WebMD.

“Additionally, mushrooms have a low level of sodium, so using them in recipes that call for saltier ingredients can reduce your sodium intake, which in turn helps with blood pressure.”  

Take your first foray into low-salt, high-flavour eating with this recipe:

ALSO READ: Recipe of the day: Jollof rice

Ingredients:

Filling:

500g beef mince

1 Tbsp taco spice / Mexican seasoning

1 large onion, finely diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 small jalapeño, thinly sliced

500g Portabellini mushrooms, sliced

1 x 400g tin diced tomatoes

1 x 400g tin black beans, drained and rinsed

1 Tbsp taco spice / Mexican seasoning

1 cup / ± 160g frozen corn kernels

Handful fresh coriander leaves, roughly chopped

Tortilla cups:

8 medium flour tortillas

Spring onions, sliced, for garnish

Special equipment:

Muffin tin

Olive oil, for cooking

Salt and pepper, to taste

Method:

For the filling:

Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven.

Add the beef and cook until it turns brown and crisp on the edges.

Season well with taco spice.

Remove beef from the pan and set aside.

Add a fresh drizzle of olive oil to the pan.

Add onion and fry until tender.

Add the garlic and jalapeño and cook for a minute until fragrant.

Add the mushrooms and cook until golden brown and tender.

Pour in the tinned tomatoes, black beans, and seasoning.

Return the mince to the dish.

Bring to a simmer and cover.

Cook for a few minutes, allowing the flavours to meld and the tomato to thicken.

Add the corn and cook until warmed through.

When ready to serve, finish with fresh coriander and stir through.

For the tortilla cups:

Preheat oven to 200˚C with the fan on.

Different brands will make flour tortillas in various sizes.

Measure tortillas by pressing and folding one into the muffin tin to create a little cup and seeing how much excess there is.

Trim tortillas if necessary so that once they are placed in the muffin tin, there is a little lip over the edge for plenty of filling.

Brush tortillas on both sides with a little olive oil.

Place in the muffin tin.

If you have a six-cup muffin tin, do two rounds.

Place a little oven-safe ramekin or a little metal dessert mould in the muffin cup to help hold the shape.

Bake for ± 8 minutes until golden brown.

Remove from the oven and, when cool enough to handle, remove the tortilla cups and place them on a cooling rack. They will crisp up as they cool.

To assemble:

Spoon the warm filling into the baked tortilla cups.

Garnish with spring onions, serve with lime wedges, and enjoy!

Serves 8

-Recipe supplied by: The South African Mushroom Farmers’ Association