Vegan butternut squash tacos with chipotle black beans are bound to be your new favorite meal. Creamy and smoky roasted squash paired with spicy black beans, crunchy red onions, citrusy lime juice, and creamy avocado crema, all wrapped up in a small soft corn tortilla. Gluten free too. A perfect vegan Cinco de Mayo recipe. Vegan tacos are the best!
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Is it absurd that I just bought a can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce for the first time? After years of seeing food blogger recipes with a mysterious (to me) ingredient it finally took a house-sitting gig for me to actually spot them in a grocery store.
I don’t know where I’ve been looking all these years but I could never find them in a US store. Ever.
Well now that I have, I am going to start buying these up in bulk.
I mean. Best sauce and flavoring ever. Of all time. This is a level of spice and flavor that has been missing all my life. I can’t even describe it, it’s spicy, it’s smoky, it kind of burns your tongue but you can’t help going for more. Except to be seeing a whole lot of chipotle in adobo added to everything I make for the next few months.
Starting with these vegan butternut squash tacos with chipotle black beans.
The other day D and I finally decided to take the ATV out to the grocery store – a stressful experience for me considering we’re housesitting in a village with hills reminiscent of an unpaved and potholed San Francisco.
You can imagine I was far from my ideal calm and composed when we were in the wrong gear and the ATV started rolling down the hill we were trying to climb. I might have started screaming non PG rated things.
Yea I guess high stress situations are not my forte. You know how you always like to envision yourself as cool and composed in any sort of warranted (or unwarranted) stressful situation?
Welll a house sit in a remote Costa Rican village might bring about the reality of that for you to face sooner rather than later.
It was once we finally got in the store and I spotted this tiny little can of magical peppers that all was well and good again. For a bit of clarification (or simply for my own knowledge) chipotle peppers in adobo sauce are jalapenos that have been dried by a smoking process and canned in a tomato based sauce.
Now that I finally had my hands on them what to make first?
Tacos.
Vegan butternut squash tacos with a chipotle in adobo black bean red onion mix, along with avocado crema, lime juice and cilantro.
Always go with the first recipe that pops into your head.
I love tacos but pretty much never make them. That needs to change. These butternut squash tacos were absolutely perfect. While the paprika dusted squash was roasted in the oven I pan fried some red onions with the chopped up chipotle in adobo before adding some black beans to the mix.
To make the avocado crema use a blender or mini food processor and simply blend with olive oil and lime juice (or get crazy and add coconut milk, cilantro, and all sorts of spices).
This butternut squash tacos recipe took me longer than it should have because I was set on having avocado crema instead of just chopped up avocados but had just remembered that we had broken the blender.
Eeek.
There was always the mini chop food processor, but last time I tried to use that to make almond butter out of toasted almonds the damn thing wasn’t strong enough. Well I figured avocados are soft right? It should work with those.
Wrong.
Still no dice. I was even furiously shaking the thing about at every which angle to try to get that little blade to start spinning about.
Nope.
Well when all else fails just make your avocado crema mix with a fork, until it resembles at least a chunky version of what you had imagined.
Even that little hiccup could not stop these butternut squash tacos from being perfect.
Smoky squash with spicy and again smoky black beans, citrusy lime juice, refreshing cilantro, and creamy avocado crema make for the perfect taco filling. I know you’re going to love these vegan tacos!
An awesome vegan and gluten-free meal.
Looking for more Cinco de Mayo recipe ideas?
- Mexican Tuna Salad with Avocado {GF, DF} –> {Pin it for later}
- Vegan Taquitos with Lentils, Squash, Arugula and Avocado Cream {GF} –> {Pin it for later}
- Slow Cooker Spicy Mexican Pineapple Chicken {GF, DF} –> {Pin it for later}
- Mexican Turkey Taco Lettuce Wraps {GF, DF}
- Seven Layer Dip {GF}
If you’re looking for other Mexican inspired recipe posts check out these:
- Cranberry, Pistachio and Coconut Vegan Dessert Quesadilla
- Vegan Taquitos with Lentils, Squash, Arugula and Avocado Crema
- 10 Vegan and Gluten Free Tacos
How to make butternut squash tacos
- 3 cups diced butternut squash
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil divided
- 1-2 chipotle peppers in adobo diced (for non spicy version omit chipotle peppers, or only use 1/2 of 1 pepper)
- 1/3 cup diced red onions
- 1 cup black beans
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 avocado
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- handful cilantro diced
- 6-8 corn tortillas
- lime to garnish
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Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
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In a bowl toss together squash, 1 tablespoon olive oil, paprika and salt. Bake in preheated oven on aluminum foil lined baking sheet for 20-25 minutes or until soft.
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Heat pan over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add red onions and chipotle peppers. Cook for a couple mins and add the black beans. Add cumin and salt. Cook for a few minutes, mixing occasionally.
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In a blender or food processor combine avocado, lime juice and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Blend until smooth. Add salt to taste.
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Heat corn tortillas on skillet for 10-20 seconds per side.
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Top tortillas with squash, black beans, avocado crema, squeeze of lime juice and cilantro.
Tina says
I was doing a bunch of roast butternut squash last fall, spicing it up and popping in the oven. But I never thought to make tacos out of it. Thanks for this great idea!
Vicky says
It is sooo good on tacos! Hope you’ll try it this way some time!
Katie Crenshaw says
These tacos look perfectly yummy! I am “pinning” and “yumming” this recipe right now!!!
Vicky says
Thanks for sharing!
footnotes and finds says
oh wow these look delicious! being vegetarian it’s always so great for me to come across wonderful recipes i feel like i can actually try and enjoy!
http://www.footnotesandfinds.com
Vicky says
Thanks! You’ll find lots of vegetarian recipes here for sure :))
Kami says
I can’t wait to try these! Also… your photos are gorgeous and can’t stop my mouth from watering. I would be honored if you checked out our conference and affiliate program. We need awesome bloggers like you! http://www.foodbloggingconference.com/become-an-affiliate/
Vicky says
Aww thanks so much Kami! Happy to check out your site too!
Kylee says
Wow! I love making butternut squash enchiladas, but this looks like an absolute must try. Although we are not vegan, vegetarian or GF, I have plenty of room in my life for deliciousness.
Great post!
Vicky says
Butternut squash enchiladas sound delicious too – I’ve actually never made enchiladas before so need to do that next!
lindsay says
seriously, smoked paprika is the best with squash! YUM! Pinning
Vicky says
I love smoked paprika with everything! Seriously obsessed. Hot smoked paprika is awesome too! Thanks for sharing!
Vickie says
This is so beautiful. I am definitely going to try it. Plus avocado is one of my favorite foods 🙂
Vicky says
Mine tooo : )) You’re going to love these!
Jennifer says
I just made these and they rocked! My meat-eating bf loved them. I also added Kale cooked with garlic and shallot and sunflower seeds. This recipe is a keeper. Thanks for sharing!
Vicky says
Yayy so glad you liked the recipe Jennifer and thanks for letting me know! It really makes my day when I hear from readers that they tried out and liked my recipes : ))Love the addition of kale and sunflower seeds – yum!
Lindsey Sparhawk says
I’m sooooooo excited to try this out!!! If I can’t find the chipotle peppers in adobo you were talking about, what would you recommend using instead? Just regular chipotles?
Vicky says
Yes just use regular chipotles or any other hot pepper that you like – jalapenos, habaneros, any will work to give it a kick though the chipotles in adobo give it a nice smoky taste as well!
Danita Platt says
I just made this and it was delicious! I have never cooked with or eaten butternut squash. Getting it pealed, seeded and chopped into uniform pieces was a little rough. LOL! I was standing at my cutting board fighting with that squash and thinking “You had better roast yourself into some thing near celestial buddy.”
I understand why people purchase these already peeled and chopped into cubes.
Thanks for the recipe. Again, it was delicious!
Vicky says
Yayyy so glad you liked this Danita! Thanks for taking the time to comment and let me know. Makes my day! Yes cutting up butternut squash is the worst part!
Carol Ann Robrahn says
I made these tonight and they are fabulous and filling. This is a keeper for our house!
Vicky says
Yayyy so glad you liked them Carol!!
Megan Fleharty says
These were amazing and turned out just like you said! Thank you for giving me an alternative to butternut squash soup!
Vicky says
Yayy so glad you enjoyed the recipe!!!
Teri says
This was too spicy hot for me even though I omitted the smoked paprika. I will try it again though. Perhaps leave out the chipotle peppers and just use the smoked paprika for flavor.
Vicky says
I’m sorry to hear it was too spicy. The spicyness comes from the chipotle peppers, so next time you might want to leave it out.
FP says
Made these tonight in under an hour, only used 1/2 an adobo and chopped the squash into a smaller dice…tasted delicious! Thanks for sharing this recipe, I’m totally making this again!!
Vicky says
So happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe! Thanks for taking the time to comment and let me know ; ))
Hanna says
Hi,
Am I supposed to drain the chipotles? Or include the adobo sauce in with the beans?
Vicky says
Yes, drain the chipotles