Summer Squash Tacos with Black Beans (Easy Vegan Dinner Recipe)
This vibrant, satisfying, easy vegan dinner takes just about 30 minutes to throw together and is a fresh take on hand held tacos. These savory black bean and summer squash tacos are the ultimate upgrade for your next taco night! I noticed on my last trip to Mexico that is was common to put a variety of in season vegetabes into a vegan taco. If you are looking for authentic-tasting vegan Mexican food that skips the processed meat substitutes and celebrates fresh, seasonal produce, this is the vegan taco recipe you’ve been waiting for.
This is a yellow squash recipe that uses squash in a brand new way. I particularly like to use sweet Mexican calabacita or Mexican squash for this recipe but it works out great with yellow summer squash too. When the squash is sauteed over high heat with sweet onions and bell peppers, the squash retains a beautiful bite instead of turning mushy. Layered over savory, seasoned black beans on warm blue corn tortillas and topped with a bright, homemade pico de gallo, these vegan tacos deliver an incredible contrast of flavor and texture. It is a clean, plant-based meal so hearty that even the meat-eaters at your table will be asking for seconds.
Why This Summer Squash Recipe Works
The secret to exceptional vegan recipes isn't complicated techniques—it’s about treating your vegetables with respect. Many yellow squash recipes result in a watery mess because the squash is overcooked. By quickly sauteeing the summer squash, you caramelize the natural sugars while maintaining a firm texture that perfectly mimics the chew of a classic street taco. Paired with fiber-packed black beans and the clean acidity of fresh tomatoes, lime juice, and cilantro, it creates a nutritionally balanced, incredibly satisfying handheld meal.
A Bonus!
Every taco needs a topping, in this recipe I also show you how to make a homemade salsa/fresh pico de Gallo, made with simple onions, avocado, cilantro, lime and tomatoes, this easy salsa recipe is the perfect topping for any taco!
Summer Squash Tacos with Black Beans (Easy Vegan Dinner Recipe)
Ingredients
- 1 can black beans
- 1 cup vegan beef broth or any vegan broth
- 1 yellow onion
- 1 jalapeno
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 bell pepper, I use 1/2 red and 1/2 green
- 2 Mexican squash (Calabacitas) or yellow summer squash
- Avocado oil or refined coconut oil (any cooking oil will work, these are preferences)
- 1/2 large avocado
- 1 medium sized tomato
- 1/4 cup cilantro
- 1/4 red onion
- Juice of 1 lime
- 6-8 corn tortillas, I like to use blue corn tortillas for this recipe
- Salt
Instructions
- Rinse the black beans gently then add to a sauce pan with 1 cup of vegan beef broth
- Add to the beans 1/4 cup of finely chopped yellow onion, 1/2-1 jalapeno pepper, 1-2 cloves of chopped garlic, and a few dashes of salt
- Simmer the beans uncovered over medium low heat until almost all the liquid is absorbed
- Once almost all the liquid is absorbed mash the beans to make a consistency of refried beans, you can do this in the pan or in a separate bowl. The beans do not have to be completely mashed, you can have some whole beans mixed in.
- While the beans are cooking you can cook your taco filling as instructed below:
- Dice up 1/2 of the remaining yellow onion into small pieces
- Dice up 1/2 a green bell pepper and 1/2 red bell pepper into bite size pieces, about 1 inch in size
- Dice up the remaining 1/2 jalapeno pepper
- Add the onion, and peppers (including the jalapeno) to a saute pan that has been coated with avocado oil or refined coconut oil, saute over medium/medium low heat tossing occasionally to prevent sticking
- While the peppers and onions are sauteing cut up 2 Mexican squash (these are light green squash–also called calabacitas or kousa) into small 1 inch pieces (Note you can also use yellow summer squash)
- When the onions are fragrant and the peppers are bright green/red (after about 5 minutes) add the chopped squash to the saute pan and saute stirring occationally for about 5-7 minutes. The key here is you want the vegetables to be cooked but firm- not mushy!
- To put the tacos together; put a layer of black beans, a layer of cooked veggies, and top with delicious homemade pico de gallo (see below). I like to add an extra squeeze of lime.
- Enjoy!
- Finely chop 1/4 red onion
- Finely chop 1/4 cup of fresh cilantro
- Chop 1/2 of a large avocado into small chunks
- Dice 1 medium sized tomato into small pieces, be sure to remove the seeds
- Note- I like to use Roma tomatoes, but any will work the fresher the tomato the better this will be!
- Combine all the ingredients into a bowl and mix together well
- Add the juice of 1 lime to the other ingredients, add a dash of salt and mix again to make sure it is well combined.
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