I have a little secret for you. Pumpkin recipes do not have be sweet and tacos do not have to be full of meat + cheese to be awesome. Yep, you heard me correctly.ย These Pumpkin Black Bean Tacos are by far the best tacos I have ever eaten.ย Trust me, I have eaten a lot of tacos. They not only scream fall, but they are packed with outrageous flavor + are super healthy ๐๐๐๐!
Tara’s Tips For Perfect Pumpkin Black Bean Tacos:
- Choose the perfect pumpkin.ย Those giant pumpkins that we carve are not for eating, stick to jack-o-lanterns for those.ย The perfect pumpkin for this recipe is the small pie pumpkin you find in the produce section of the grocery store.ย They will often be called sugar pumpkins.ย They are sweeter and more similar to a squash.
- Be careful when cutting your pie pumpkin.ย Cut the top off + cut it in half.ย Then, the entire thing needs to be peeled.ย This takes some time.ย Be patient + be careful, it will be worth it. After you dice your pumpkin into little cubes, you will air fry them. I included instructions in the recipe below or you can get it here:ย Air Fryer Pumpkin.
- Keep these guys vegan + gluten-free by simply adding diced red onion and avocado.ย I would not steer you wrong, they don’t need much more flavor than they already get from the roasted pumpkin.ย I know my cheese lovers out there will be tempted to sprinkle some cheese on top, if that is your thing, go for it, but if you skip it, these are awesome without it.
- You choose! Crunchy or soft tacos or a combination of both ๐ฎ๐ฎ๐ฎ!
- Need some ideas to drizzle on top of your taco? Try one of my favorites: Creamy Vegan Avocado Dressing,ย Vegan Ghost Pepper Ranch Dressing,ย Silken Tofu Sour Cream Recipe,ย Jalapeรฑo Hot Sauce Recipe.
Love Pumpkin? ๐
Me too! Try one of my other favorite recipes:
Instant Pot Pumpkin Steel Cut Oatmeal
Healthy Pumpkin Cookies (GF + Vegan + Refined Sugar Free)
Pumpkin Chia Seed Overnight Oats
Whole Wheat Pumpkin Banana Muffins
Savory Pumpkin Hummus (Oil-Free!)
Pumpkin Black Bean Tacos
Pumpkin Black Bean Tacos! Autumn in a taco! Perfectly roasted pumpkin + black beans + avocado for a vegan + gluten-free + healthy fall dinner!
Ingredients
- 1 sugar pie pumpkin
- olive or avocado oil spray (optional)
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/4 - 1/2 tsp chili pepper powder (to taste)
- 2 tsp cumin powder
- 1 tsp salt + black pepper
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 can black beans rinsed + drained (or 1 1/2 cups cooked beans)
- 6 taco shells
- 1 diced avocado
- 1/2 cup diced red onion
- 1 cup creamy avocado dressing (optional/see tips above for the recipe)
- hot sauce to taste
Directions
- Step 1 Prepare the pumpkin by thoroughly washing the outside and drying. Cut off the stem then cut in half vertically. Scoop out all the pulp + seeds. Peel the thick orange skin off of the outside of the pumpkin with a vegetable peeler. Cut the meat of the pumpkin into wedges + then into 1/2 inch cubes (see photos above).
- Step 2 Place the pumpkin chunks into a bowl and spray with oil spray (optional). Then, sprinkle with all of the spices (paprika, chili pepper powder, cumin, garlic powder, salt).
- Step 3 Transfer to the basket of your air fryer. Roast in air fryer for 10 minutes at 350 degrees. Shake the basket once during the 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, check to see that each chunk is golden brown on the edges. If not, cook for an additional 3-5 minutes or until golden brown.
- Step 4 Carefully remove pumpkin from air fryer + set aside.
- Step 5 If you do not have an air fryer then roast the pumpkin cubes on a silicone lined baking sheet in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes or until the edges are golden brown.
- Step 6 Heat black beans in microwave or on stove top until warm.
- Step 7 Prepare taco shells according to package directions, then assemble tacos by layering in the black beans followed by pumpkin. Finally, add the toppings of red onion, avocado, hot sauce + optional creamy avocado dressing.
- Step 8 Eat immediately, enjoy!
โคDid you make these Pumpkin Black Bean Tacos? Love them? Leave a rating + a comment below!
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