I love the warm and comforting flavors of fall dishes, but they tend to be so heavy! If you are looking for an easy fall dinner that won’t make you feel sluggish, try these butternut squash tacos.
You get the great autumnal flavor of the squash while keeping it light and healthy. Plus, the black beans add great protein and they can be customized with whatever toppings you like! You could also add shredded chicken or pork if you prefer your tacos with meat.
Butternut Squash and Black Bean Tacos Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 butternut squash, peeled and cubed
- 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp cinnamon
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- Flour or corn tortillas
- Your choice of toppings
Directions:
Peel and clean your squash
Start with 1 butternut squash. You could buy butternut squash already peeled and cubed in the produce section of most grocery stores to save time, but it’s cheaper to do it yourself. Peel the squash with a vegetable peeler until you expose the orange flesh.
Cut into 1-inch cubes
You’ll want to make sure you use a large, sharp knife for these next steps. Butternut squash can be quite tough to cut through and not having a sharp knife leaves you in danger of cutting yourself as you try to saw through it with a dull knife. Cut off the top and bottom ends and then slice the entire squash in half. Using a spoon, scoop out the seeds and pulp. Then cut the cleaned squash into about 1-inch cubes. Try to cut them all roughly the same size so they cook evenly.
Season and coat with oil
Pile the cubes onto a baking sheet and season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and cinnamon. Drizzle with olive oil and toss to get them evenly coated.
Roast at 400 degrees for 30 minutes
Roast in a 400 degree oven for about 30 minutes until the squash is tender and slightly brown.
Add beans and cook additional 5 minutes
Add 1 can of drained and rinsed black beans to the baking sheet and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Fill flour or corn tortillas with the butternut squash and black bean mixture.
Serve in tortillas with toppings
Top with avocado slices, queso fresco cheese, chopped cilantro, onions, salsa, or whatever you like. The possibilities are endless. I like to serve this dish with cilantro lime rice. Enjoy!
