Quick and Easy Butternut Squash in Adobo Tacos

Sweet and spicy butternut squash, tossed in adobo sauce, brown sugar, and seasonings, is air fried to crispy, sticky perfection, then served on a warm corn tortilla with black beans and tangy, shredded Brussel sprouts. Top with your choice of vegan sour cream (I use homemade) or sliced avocado. These hearty and healthy, oil-free, plant-based tacos are perfect for the fall and winter.

Yum Save this recipe to Yummly!

Butternut Squash in Adobo Tacos

Yield: 4

Author: Courtney Crary- Not Like Mama

Prep time: 20 MCook time: 12 MTotal time: 32 M

Sweet and spicy butternut squash, tossed in adobo sauce, brown sugar, and seasonings, is air fried to crispy, sticky perfection, then served on a warm corn tortilla with black beans and tangy, shredded brussel sprouts. Top with your choice of vegan sour cream (I use homemade) or sliced avocado. These hearty and healthy, oil-free, plant-based tacos are perfect for the fall and winter.

Ingredients:

3 cups butternut squash, chopped into small bite-sized pieces
1 ½ cups or 1 15 oz can black beans
1 ½ cups shredded brussels sprouts
2 Tbsp adobo sauce (from can of chipotles in adobo)
1 Tbsp brown sugar
½ tsp garlic powder
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
12 corn tortillas
¼ tsp salt
cilantro, for garnish
extra adobo sauce, for garnish
thinly sliced jalapeno, for garnish
thinly sliced onion, for garnish
small lime wedges, for garnish
vegan sour cream or sliced avocado, for garnish

Instructions:

In a small mixing bowl, combine the shredded brussels sprouts and salt. Massage the brussels sprouts for a few seconds, until they shrink in size and turn a brighter shade of green. Then add and the apple cider vinegar and stir to combine.
Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees F.
In another mixing bowl, combine the butternut squash, 2 Tbsp of adobo sauce, brown sugar, and garlic powder. Mix until the butternut squash is thoroughly coated in the mixture.
Transfer the butternut squash to the air fryer (depending on the size of holes your air fryer basket, you may need to line it with parchment paper). Air fry on 400 degrees for 12 minutes, shaking or turning over half way through.
Assemble the tacos! On a corn tortilla (see notes for help preparing these), add a spoonful of black beans, a spoonful of butternut squash, a few pinches of brussel sprouts, and all desired garnishes.
Serve while hot and enjoy! These also work great as a packed lunch.

Notes:

Corn tortillas need to be cooked before consumption or they will totally fall apart and will force you to eat your taco with a fork. If you aren’t frying them in oil (like me), try dry-frying them in a large non-stick pan over medium heat. Allow the pan to heat up, then add 1 or 2 tortillas (depending on the size of your pan). Once they begin to slightly bubble up, flip them over and repeat on the other side. Each side is done when parts of it turn golden brown. As you heat the tortillas, keep them warm and moist by wrapping your accumulating stack in a clean towel or paper towel. Alternatively, you can microwave or steam them. But I’ve had the most success with the dry-fry method.

Calories

474.59

Fat (grams)

12.46

Sat. Fat (grams)

2.92

Carbs (grams)

83.64

Fiber (grams)

23.04

Net carbs

60.60

Sugar (grams)

10.37

Protein (grams)

15.41

Sodium (milligrams)

671.96

Cholesterol (grams)

0.17

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @notlikemama on instagram and hashtag it #notlikemama

Created using The Recipes Generator

About the recipe:

If you enjoy these tacos, you can thank my poor planning skills. I ended up having random, leftover produce at the end of the week and not a clue what to do with it. Tacos, pizza, and pasta always work well as “kitchen sink” recipes, so I decided to throw my randoms in a corn tortilla with some seasoning and see what happened.

*MAGIC HAPPENED*

You don’t often find tacos that include strictly “fall” produce, which is the backbone of this recipe. A huge punch of flavor comes from the sweet, salty, and spicy butternut squash bites, which caramelize in the air fryer. The black beans add body and protein, while the Brussels sprouts offer a unique “fall-y” substitute for shredded cabbage. I topped these puppies with onion, jalapeno, cilantro, a squeeze of lime, and my homemade soy sour cream. If you didn’t make the sour cream in advance (it’s an overnight process), you can sub for sliced avocado.

Butternut squash is a delicious fall food. It’s high in Vitamins A and C and is low in calories while tasting surprisingly sweet. However, I’ve often found myself with a random amount of diced butternut squash leftover from a salad or soup and haven’t known quite what to do with it. So I’m glad to have another way to use up these often gargantuan squashes.

RECIPE NOTES

Just a few recipe notes for this recipe! Let’s dig in.

Corn tortillas need to be cooked before consumption or they will totally fall apart and will force you to eat your taco with a fork. If you aren’t frying them in oil (like me), try dry-frying them in a large non-stick pan over medium heat. Allow the pan to heat up, then add 1 or 2 tortillas (depending on the size of your pan). Once they begin to slightly bubble up, flip them over and repeat on the other side. Each side is done when parts of it turn golden brown. As you heat the tortillas, keep them warm and moist by wrapping your accumulating stack in a clean towel or paper towel. Alternatively, you can microwave or steam them. But I’ve had the most success with the dry-fry method.
If ‘Chipotles in Adobo’ is a new ingredient to you, find the cans in the “Mexican” or “International” isle of your grocery store. Store the leftovers in an air-tight Tupperware in the fridge and it will last for months! You can also make this creamy sauce with the leftover chipotle peppers.
If you hate brussels sprouts, sub green cabbage.
Don’t have an air fryer? Try baking the butternut squash at the same temperature on a non-stick mat or parchment paper. They will take longer, so keep poking at them with a fork to determine when they are completely cooked.

Did you make this recipe? Let me know! Tag me on Instagram @notlikemama. I love to see your versions of my recipes!

With that, I hope you enjoy these delicious tacos that are perfect for the season!

Happy Cooking,

✌️Courtney