Veggie Tacos

When I asked my family what they thought about these veggie tacos, they said they didn’t notice that they didn’t have meat in them! So if you’ve been trying to make more plant-based recipes part of your menu and you’re looking for a veggie taco recipe, this is the one to try! Even carnivores will love them!

I originally shared this recipe on January 29, 2021. I have updated the images and some of the text today.

Why We Love Veggie Tacos

Last fall my friend Eve requested that I come up with a vegetarian taco recipe for the blog. I was torn whether to use beans or fresh vegetables, and ultimately I decided that I would have to use both.

The outcome is this taco filling made with sauteed peppers, mushrooms and onions with taco spices with the addition of black beans! They are hearty and flavorful and are ready in only 20 minutes making the perfect for those busy weeknights. The best part is that by combining just a few simple ingredients you can create a delicious vegetarian meal with so much flavor that your whole family will love!

Ingredients For Veggie Tacos

Corn Tortillas

You can use either soft tortillas or hard crispy tortillas. Believe it or not, they both have about the same calories (60 cals per tortilla) so if you prefer the crunch of a hard taco shell, then go for it! We tested it both ways. I love the crunch of the hard shell.

If you like wheat tortillas or grain free tortillas instead, that is totally fine. Use the package instructions for heating them up, and you’ll want to adjust the nutritional counts if you are following a diet.

Cooking Oil

Choose your favorite neutral cooking oil. I like avocado oil for its high smoke point and healthy fat profile. Olive oil would work as well.

Portobello Mushrooms

The texture of portobello mushrooms is a great addition to vegetable tacos because they add a slightly chewy and “meaty” texture. Remove the stems and scrape out the gills with a spoon before slicing them.

Bell Peppers

Choose whichever bell pepper you like. I tend to go for the yellow, orange and red ones for this kind of recipe. Green works well too and they are less expensive.

Red Onions

You’ll need a small red onion for this. Slice it lengthwise (also known as a French Cut.)

Spices

I used a blend of chili powder and ground cumin. You can use homemade taco seasoning, Mexican seasoning too. Just use 5 teaspoons total.

Tomato Paste

The tomato paste and water mimics the saucy texture of taco meat made with packaged taco seasoning. It is thick and coats the veggies beautifully without giving it an overtly tomato flavor.

Black Beans

For a nutritious source of plant based protein and to give these vegetable tacos a hearty satisfying base, we added in canned black beans. Look for black beans that are canned in BPA-free lined cans. I like Eden brand. Drain them in a fine mesh sieve and then give them a good rinse to wash off the excess canning liquid and sodium.

Toppings

• I used store bought guacamole for these because I wanted to get dinner on the table fast, but if you have the time, making Guacamole from scratch is always best.
• Choose your favorite salsa or homemade Pico de Gallo. If you want more heat use a spicy salsa or make your own Chipotle Salsa.
• I added on chopped fresh cilantro too.
• Pickled red onions are another traditional taco topping. (Try our quick pickled onions recipe.)
• If you like vegan cheese, add that on as well, or add on some pepitas for a bit of crunch.
• A squeeze of fresh lime juice would also be a welcome addition. Simply slice fresh limes into wedges and serve on the side.

This is just a starting point for your taco toppings! My point is, if you have other toppings you want to add, go for it!

How To Make Vegetable Tacos

Heat The Tortillas

Oven Method:

If you are using soft tortillas wrap them in foil and set them in the hot oven set at 350 degrees. They only take 10 or so minutes to warm up. For hard shells, lay them on a baking sheet and bake for 5 minutes.

Microwave:

Or alternatively, you can warm the soft tortillas in the microwave. Just wait until the last minute to do so because it only takes a few seconds. Wrap them in a moist paper towel and microwave them for 30 seconds or until warm and pliable.

Hard/crisp taco shells do not work well in the microwave.

Cut the Vegetables

Next you’ll want to slice the peppers and onions into strips.

For the portobello mushrooms, snap off the stem. Then scrape out the gills with a spoon. Then slice across into thin strips.

Cook the Veggies

• Heat oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat and sauté the peppers, onions and mushrooms for 10 to 12 minutes.
• Add the salt now to help draw the moisture out of them as they cook.
• You’ll want to stir them regularly so they do not get too dark. They should be browned and softened.

Add The Spices

• Sprinkle on the cumin and chili powder and stir to coat the veggies with the spices.
• Cook the spices, and veggies, until they become fragrant and toasted in the hot skillet.

Add Tomato Paste and Water

• To make the “sauce” for these vegetarian tacos, add in the tomato paste and water. The water will stop the spices from getting too dark.
• Stir well to make sure the tomato paste is dissolved into the water and the mixture coats the vegetables well.

Add in The Black Beans

Lastly, add the black beans to the veggie taco filling and stir them in. Heat the mixture through for a minute or so before removing the skillet from the heat.

Assemble and Add Toppings

By now your taco shells should be warm and ready to go. If you opted to microwave, pop them in now for several seconds to get warm tortillas. Add on the cilantro, guacamole and salsa.

Assemble the vegetable tacos by dividing the taco ingredients among the tortillas. (It’s about 1/2 cup taco filling per taco.)

FAQs for this recipe

At Healthy Seasonal Recipes, we specialize in cooking with fresh veggies and creating weeknight meals. Sign up HERE to get more produce-forward dinner ideas for FREE! If you make this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review. I would love to hear what you thought! Happy Cooking! ~Katie

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