Al Pastor Chickpea Tacos feature a bright and bold pineapple chili sauce tossed with mushrooms, chickpeas, and onion. The most flavorful vegan tacos, even the most devout carnivores will love this 30 minute recipe. 
Why You'll Love these Al Pastor Chickpea Tacos
Al Pastor tacos are considered one of the original fusion foods. Described as a cross between Middle Eastern shawarma and guajillo-rubbed pork (indigenous to central Mexico), it's a popular street food that has spread to the United States.
Classic al Pastor tacos feature marinated, spit-grilled pork piled high in a tortilla with fresh toppings. The marinade is where the real magic is at, and this vegetarian version channels the quintessential sweet, smoky spice.
These vegan tacos are so incredibly hearty and flavorful that you won't even miss the meat. The chickpeas add ample protein, while the mushrooms amp up the meatiness and umami. Finish them off with fresh, crunchy toppings, and you have yourself a winning weeknight meal.
Recipe Ingredients and Substitutions:
- Pineapple: You need one can of pineapple chunks for this recipe, for which you'll use both the fruit + the juice. The pineapple lends sweetness and acidity to the marinade. If you have leftover pineapple chunks, feel free to use them as a garnish.
- Chipotle chiles: Chipotle chiles come canned in adobo sauce (typically found in the international aisle). They are intensely smoky with quite a bit of heat. The recipe suggests using one to two chiles--one for medium heat, and two if you like it hot.
- Spices: A mix of chili powder, paprika, ground cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper create the dynamic spice profile of the sauce.
- Vinegar: Most classic al Pastor marinades call for white vinegar, however I found it to be too bracing in this version. Alternatively, I prefer using apple cider vinegar, which has a sweeter, less harsh flavor.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic lends an aromatic backbone and bite to the sauce. The recipe calls for 2 cloves, however feel free to bump it up to 3 if you're a garlic lover.
- Chickpeas: Canned chickpeas offer a one-two punch of plant protein and fiber. They also have a "meatier" texture than any other bean, making them a great stand-in for pork.
- Mushrooms: Baby bella (or cremini) mushrooms amp up the umami of these tacos. Alternatively, you can use shiitake or chopped portobello caps.
- Onion: Sautéed red onion is part of the veggie taco filling, however you can also use chopped raw onion as a garnish. The crunch and bite are a fabulous complement to the sauce.
As far as garnishes, I love layering on some queso fresco, fresh cilantro, chopped raw onion, and a squeeze of fresh lime juice. Additionally, avocado slices, pico de gallo, and shaved radish are lovely toppings. 
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Blend Al Pastor Sauce
Combine pineapple chunks and juice, chipotle chiles, vinegar, garlic, and spices in a blender. Blend on high speed for 30 to 45 seconds, or until the sauce is smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. 
Step 2: Sauté Mushrooms, Onion, and Chickpeas
Heat 2 Tbsp. of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Next, add mushrooms and red onion; cook until the onion softens and mushrooms are golden, about 6 minutes.
Next, stir in chickpeas and cook 5 minutes, stirring only occasionally, allowing the chickpeas to pick up some color and crisp. Season mixture with ½ tsp. salt. 
Step 3: Add Sauce to Skillet
Pour al Pastor sauce into skillet with chickpeas and vegetables. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring often, allowing the sauce to slightly reduce and thicken.
Step 4: Assemble Chickpea Tacos
Warm or toast tortillas in a cast iron skillet or over a gas flame. Next, add a scoop of the chickpea mixture to each tortilla, and top with garnishes of choice. Finish each taco with a spritz of lime juice, and serve.
Make-Ahead, Storage, and Reheating Tips:
- Make-Ahead: The al Pastor sauce can be made up to 3 days ahead--just keep it stored in an airtight container refrigerated. The mushrooms and red onion can also be chopped up to 1 day in advance.
- Storage: Store leftover taco filling in an airtight container refrigerated for up to 4 days.
- Reheat: Reheat the taco filling in a skillet over medium heat, adding a splash of broth as needed to thin it out. Alternatively, reheat gently in the microwave, stopping to stir every 30 seconds, until warm. The tortillas should be warmed fresh every time for best results.
More Ways to Serve Chickpea Tacos
- Ditch the tortilla and serve the taco filling over brown rice, quinoa, or cauliflower rice--taco bowl style.
- Swap the tortilla for bib lettuce leaves to create lettuce cups.
- Top with a fried egg or mix with eggs to create a veggie taco scramble.
Other Tasty Vegan Taco Recipes:
30 Minute Lentil and Mushroom Tacos
Chipotle-Roasted Butternut Squash Tacos
BBQ Cauliflower Tacos with Green Tahini Sauce
If you give these vegan tacos a try, I’d love for you to leave a rating and review. Also, be sure snap a pic and tag #dishingouthealth so I can see your beautiful creations.
Al Pastor Chickpea Tacos
Al Pastor Chickpea Tacos feature a bright and bold pineapple chili sauce tossed with mushrooms, chickpeas, and onion. The most flavorful vegan tacos, even the most devout carnivores will love this 30 minute recipe.
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Servings: 4
Calories: 350kcal
Equipment
- Blender
- Large skillet
Ingredients
- 1 (20-oz.) can pineapple chunks (in 100% pineapple juice)
- 1 to 2 chipotle peppers in adobo (1 for medium heat, 2 for hot)
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 to 3 garlic cloves
- 1 Tbsp. chili powder
- 1 ½ tsp. ground cumin
- 1 tsp. paprika
- 1 tsp. dried oregano
- 1 tsp. kosher salt, divided
- 3 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
- 8 oz. cremini (baby bella) mushrooms, quartered
- ½ red onion, roughly chopped (use remaining half for garnish, if desired)
- 1 (15-oz.) can chickpeas drained, rinsed, and patted dry
- 8 corn tortillas, warmed/toasted
- Fresh cilantro, queso fresco (or avocado if making vegan), and lime juice for garnish
Instructions
- Place a strainer inside a medium bowl. Drain pineapple chunks into strainer, letting the juice collect in the bowl. Transfer 1 cup of pineapple chunks and ½ cup of pineapple juice to a high power blender. Add chipotle pepper, vinegar, garlic, chili powder, cumin, paprika, oregano, and ½ tsp. salt; blend mixture until completely smooth. Set aside.
- Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Once hot, add mushrooms and red onion; cook until softened, about 6 minutes. Add chickpeas and remaining 1 Tbsp. oil; cook 5 to 6 more minutes, stirring only occasionally, allowing the chickpeas to pick up some color and crisp. Season mixture with remaining ½ tsp. salt.
- Pour Al Pastor sauce into skillet, and toss with chickpeas and veggies. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the sauce slightly thickens. Remove from heat.
- Divide chickpea mixture evenly into 8 warmed tortillas. If desired, finely chop remaining half of red onion to use as topping. Garnish with fresh cilantro, queso fresco (or avocado), and a spritz of fresh lime juice.
Video
Notes
*Nutrition Facts do not include garnishes.
Make-Ahead: The sauce can be made up to 3 days ahead--just keep it stored in an airtight container refrigerated. The mushrooms and red onion can also be chopped up to 1 day in advance.
Storage: Store leftover taco filling in an airtight container refrigerated for up to 4 days.
Reheat: Reheat the taco filling in a skillet over medium heat, adding a splash of broth or water as needed to thin it out. Alternatively, reheat gently in the microwave, stopping to stir every 30 seconds, until warm. The tortillas should be warmed fresh every time for best results.
Nutrition
Serving: 2tacos | Calories: 350kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 848mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 20g
Tried this Recipe? Tag me on Instagram!Mention @dishingouthealth or tag #dishingouthealth!
Jen
This sounds amazing but my husband won't touch mushrooms! What do you suggest swapping fore? Thank you!
Emily
Tacos al Pastor are my favorite, but I had never tried them with a meat alternative until now. The tacos were delicious and easy to make! Next time I'll chop up some of the leftover pineapple chunks and add them to the mixture.
Maria Rivera
Your recipes never disappoint.🙌🏼 This is another hit! 🤌🏼
Denise
This is on repeat in our house hold!
Jamie Vespa
So glad to hear that, Denise! Thank you for leaving a rating and review!
Meagan B.
It is no surprise that this dish has so many 5 star reviews! DO NOT SLEEP on this vegan spin of Al Pastor tacos. Even my Mexican carnivore husband loved them! The balance of the spicy chipotle and sweet pineapple gives this dish a balance of flavors while the mushrooms gives you that meaty texture.
Sarah Hovsepian
The flavors in this dish are wonderful! We loved these tacos so much we made them twice in one week! Sooo dang good! Super easy to throw together for a week night meal 💛
Emily Gervais
These are absolutely bomb. I shared with a friend and got her making this recipe all the time now too! Delicious
Maran
I love this recipe, I keep repeating it! This sauce is so delicious!
Jon
Would the sauce work well for marinating chicken thighs?
Jamie Vespa
YES definitely! It works well with any other protein. Enjoy!
Andie
Super super easy and SO DELICIOUS! As a new vegetarian this was perfect. Fulfilled all my cravings for tacos! I didn't have chipotle peppers so I replaced it with Spanish Smoked Paprika and it turned out really yummy over rice. Thank you for this recipe!
Jamie Vespa
Hi Andie - Yay!! I'm so glad you enjoyed this one! Thank you for taking the time to leave a review.
Sarah
Absolutely delicious and simple dinner! I let the sauce simmer for awhile longer since I wanted it to be a little thicker, but the flavors were amazing. I topped the tacos with avocado, cilantro and extra pineapple pieces - perfection.
Jamie Vespa
Sarah I'm so glad you enjoyed these!! Thank you for taking time to leave a review!
Meredith
Another delicious, easy and healthy meal. thank you!
Samantha Drake
We love these tacos! They are a go-to recipe in our house. The flavors are bold and comforting. Highly recommend!
Jamie Vespa
Hi Samantha - I'm so glad this one is a hit! Thank you for taking the time to leave a review!
Arleen
my family -all three generations-lived these tacos. Said I hit it out if the park! A 10 for certain.
Jamie Vespa
Hi Arleen - I'm so glad the tacos were a hit! Thank you for taking the time to leave a review!
Michele Magner
These are amazing!! Sooo delicious. I didn’t add the full chili pepper because it would have been too spicy for me but didn’t change anything else and they were a hit.
Taryn
Wonderful flavors and super filling for a vegetarian/vegan recipe! The first night I made these, I made them as tacos. After the first bite, the tortilla disintegrated and I proceeded to just eat everything with a knife and fork. That got me thinking… So, the next day, I used the left overs to make chilaquiles! It was even better as chilaquiles than tacos!! I put the chickpeas and mushrooms over 2 scrambled eggs (know this rules out vegans, but I’m not vegan, soooooo) and crisped up the tortillas in a pan on the stove, then cut ‘em into chip-like triangles. One of the best bowls of food I’ve had in a long time!
Jamie Vespa
I'm so glad you enjoyed this one, Taryn! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review!
Megan
Another great recipe. This was very easy/quick to make. I made the new salmon taco recipe a few days ago and doubled the pickled onion recipe from that so I used the leftvers on these taco and it was a great addition!
Jamie Vespa
I'm so glad you enjoyed this one, Megan! Thank you for taking the time to leave a review!
Brij Bhushan
thank you so much for this recipe it will be very tasty.you have chosen a good subject. I love this post. I wanted a post like this. Interesting.thanks again
Michelle
This looks amazing! I have a mushroom allergy and was hoping to substitute with cubed eggplant. Do you think that would work? Or any other ideas? Thanks!
Jamie Vespa
Hi Michelle - I think cubed eggplant would work great! Enjoy.
Andrea
This recipe is absolutely amazing! I highly recommend it. They are now a staple here. We eat them almost every week!!!
Jamie Vespa
I'm so thrilled you enjoyed this one, Andrea! Thank you for taking the time to leave a review!
Joanne
Absolutely delicious and the flavors are outstanding. Highly recommend 👏 👏
Jennifer
I never leave reviews but this is amazing. Easy to fix and add chicken for non-vegans and/or serve over rice. This will go into our regular rotation. Thanks!
Teresa Wiederhold
This is a true crowd pleaser. Hands down one of the best recipes I have ever made. Thank you for your beautiful creation. I look forward to try many more amazing recipes from your blog. Again, thank you.
Tara
Loved this recipe! We substituted the adobo for a sweet baby pepper and everyone (including kids) really enjoyed this. Paired with a cooling tahini, honey, lime sauce and it was perfect.
Jamie Vespa
I'm so glad you enjoyed this one, Tara! Thank you for taking the time to leave a review!
Elizabeth
Delicious. Made exactly as per recipe. Will make again !!
Connie
These were amazing! My husband and I aren't even a huge fan of mushrooms but we wanted to branch out and give them a try and I cannot say enough wonderful things about this recipe. I will definitely make again!
Jamie Vespa
I'm so glad they were a hit, Connie! Thank you for taking the time to leave a review!
Anna
Delish and easy sauce! F
Jamie Vespa
So glad you enjoyed this one, Anna!
Shearer
These tacos were fantastic! I found them easy and quick to make. They're so incredibly flavorful, and I would highly recommend. I'll for sure be making them again, thank you so much!!
Jamie Vespa
Hi Shearer--I'm so glad you enjoyed the tacos!! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review.
R. Flynn
Easily the BEST chickpea tacos I’ve tried. The flavor is NEXT level!!
Olivia M
I have always been a hard core carnivore, lately have been transitioning to a more plant based diet. The regular al pastor one of my favorite meals. I wanted one so bad! This vegan variation, in comparison is just as good or better!! My stomach doesn’t hurt after eating these like with the meat. I’m in love with these. Made my own pineapple jalapeño salsa and it tasted phenomenal. Thank you so much for this recipe!!
Jamie Vespa
Hi Olivia,
Oh I'm so thrilled you enjoyed these and found them just as satisfying as the meat version. That pineapple jalapeno salsa also sounds amazing! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a rating and review!
Kristin
Insanely delicious! Using the leftovers to make breakfast nachos!
Olivia M
Insanely delicious 👌
Sean
This Al Pastor taco recipe was delicious. It was easy and fun to make. I intend to continue making this for taco night.
Jamie Vespa
I'm so glad you enjoyed it, Sean! Thank you for taking the time to leave a review!
Simone
Just tried this, loved it. Quick and tasteful.
Jamie Vespa
Hi Simone--I'm so glad you enjoyed this one! Thank you for taking the time to leave a review!