Taco Tuesday

It's time for another Taco Tuesday. Here are six yummy vegetarian taco recipes to try, including Stand 'N Stuff™ Breakfast Tacos and Adobo Tofu & Portobello Tacos w/Chunky Guacamole. Enjoy!

BEAN AND CHEESE BURRITOS

This is from Kay Chun in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipe, Kay wrote, "Mexican refried beans are a cinch to make at home on a weeknight thanks to some staple pantry items and a few basic fresh ingredients. Buttery canned pinto beans are perfect in this dish, breaking down into a creamy, silky mixture. (Black beans would also work great.) While the beans are often fried in lard or bacon drippings, this vegetarian version builds flavor with caramelized onion, bell pepper, garlic and smoked paprika instead. Pico de gallo adds a touch of tang to counter the rich beans. Pan-frying the wrapped burritos guarantees a golden, irresistibly crispy exterior and an interior that oozes with melted cheese."

Time: 40 minutes; Yield: 6 burritos

To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1022532-bean-and-cheese-burritos.

Ingredients

4 tablespoons safflower or canola oil

1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion (from 1/2 medium onion)

1/2 cup finely chopped green bell pepper (from 1/2 pepper)

Salt and black pepper

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 (15-ounce) cans pinto beans, 1/2 cup of bean liquid reserved and the rest drained

1/2 cup store-bought or homemade pico de gallo or salsa

1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika

6 (9- to 10-inch) flour tortillas

2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar (8 ounces)

Sour cream and hot sauce, for serving

Preparation

In a large nonstick skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium. Add onion and bell pepper, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until light golden and tender, about 8 minutes. Stir in garlic until fragrant, 1 minute. Add pinto beans, pico de gallo, smoked paprika, reserved bean liquid and 1/2 cup of water, and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring and mashing occasionally with a potato masher or the back of a spoon, until liquid is absorbed and mixture is thick, about 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer refried beans to a bowl, and wipe out skillet.

Spread 1/2 cup of the refried beans in the center of each tortilla and top each with ⅓ cup of the cheese. Fold the short sides of the tortilla over the filling; fold the bottom of the tortilla up and over the filling and tightly roll.

In the skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium. Add 3 burritos seam side down and cook until golden, turning occasionally, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to serving plates and repeat with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and 3 burritos. Serve warm with sour cream and hot sauce on the side.

CRISPY POTATO TACOS

This is from Hetty Lui McKinnon in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. This recipe begins, "Potato tacos, or tacos de papa, as they are known in Mexico, make the perfect meal for those times when you find yourself with an excess of potatoes and a package of tortillas on hand. Tortillas are an endlessly versatile pantry item. In this recipe, adapted from “Tenderheart” by Hetty Lui McKinnon (Alfred A. Knopf, 2023), they are stuffed with potato and cheese for a deeply satisfying meal or light snack. Cooking the potatoes whole, skin intact, prevents them from absorbing too much water, and the skin also adds a nice texture to the filling. Shortcuts are always available: If you’ve got leftover mashed potatoes, you can use them and skip the first step."

Time: 1-1/4 hours; Yield: 4 servings

This was featured in "4 Easy Dishes That Embrace Everyday Vegetables", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1024397-crispy-potato-tacos.

Ingredients

For the Tacos

Sea salt

1-1/2 pounds potatoes (any variety), scrubbed and cut into 1-1/2-inch pieces

1-1/2 cups grated Cheddar

Handful of cilantro, leaves and stems finely chopped

1 small garlic clove, finely chopped

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon paprika

16 to 18 corn tortillas

Neutral oil, as needed

Any combination of sliced lettuce or cabbage, very finely sliced red onion or sour cream (all optional), for serving

For the Spicy Red Salsa

3 tomatoes (about 1 pound), chopped

1/2 red onion, roughly chopped

Small handful of cilantro, leaves and stems roughly chopped

1 fresh serrano or Fresno chile (seeded, if you prefer less spice)

1 garlic clove, chopped

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

Sea salt

3/4 cup vegetable stock

Preparation

Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the potatoes and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, until tender. (Check them by inserting a fork or knife into the largest potato piece. If it goes in and out easily, the potato is ready.) Drain and allow to cool for a few minutes.

Make the spicy red salsa: Place tomatoes, onion, cilantro, chile, garlic, cumin, oregano, sugar and 1 teaspoon salt into a blender or food processor and blitz until completely smooth. Pour the purée into a saucepan, add the vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until darker in color and slightly thickened, while you prepare the remaining ingredients.

Place the cooled potatoes in a bowl and roughly mash them. (It does not have to be smooth; a chunky texture is great.) Add the Cheddar, cilantro, garlic, cumin, paprika and 1 teaspoon sea salt and mix to combine.

Place a large skillet over medium-high heat and, working in batches, add the corn tortillas and heat until soft and pliable. Remove from the pan and cover the tortillas with a clean kitchen towel to keep them warm. Fill each warmed tortilla with 1 to 2 tablespoons of the potato mixture, then fold in half and press down lightly.

In the same skillet, add enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan and warm over medium-high heat. Place three or four tacos in the oil, pressing down lightly with a spatula so that the edges are in the oil, and fry for 1 to 2 minutes, until golden and crispy. Flip them over and repeat on the other side. Repeat with the remaining tacos.

Serve the tacos with the spicy red salsa and any of the optional serving suggestions. (The potatoes can be cooked and mashed 2 days ahead and stored in an airtight container in the fridge. The salsa can be made 2 days ahead and kept in the fridge. For freezing info, see Tip.)

Tip

You can freeze these assembled tacos by wrapping them tightly and storing in a freezer bag or airtight container. To cook, there is no need to thaw; you can fry them straight from frozen.

VEGETARIAN TACOS WITH AVOCADO SAUCE

This comes from Jeanine and Jack on their wonderful site, Love & Lemons.

This recipe begins, "These easy vegetarian tacos are filled with black beans, roasted vegetables, and a delicious creamy avocado tomatillo sauce. Feel free to use any roasted vegetables you like here. Sweet potatoes, winter squash, poblano peppers, and/or roasted onions would all be great."

Serves 2-3

To view this online, go to https://www.loveandlemons.com/vegetarian-tacos/#wprm-recipe-container-46265.

Ingredients

1 small Japanese eggplant, chopped into 1-inch pieces

1 cup chopped summer squash

1 red bell pepper, chopped into 1-inch pieces

1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced

extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

6 tortillas

1 cup cooked black beans, drained and rinsed

1 avocados, diced

chopped cilantro

1 serrano pepper, sliced, optional

crumbled cotija cheese, optional

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Avocado Tomatillo Sauce

1/3 cup tomatillo salsa

1/4 cup pepitas

1/2 avocado

handful of spinach

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

lime juice, to taste

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400° F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the chopped eggplant, squash, red pepper and tomatoes onto the baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and pinches of salt and pepper and roast until golden brown around the edges 25-30 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the sauce. In a food processor, blend together the tomatillo salsa, pepitas, avocado, spinach, olive oil, lime juice and pinches of salt and pepper, to taste. Chill until ready to use.

Assemble the tacos with the black beans, roasted vegetables, diced avocado, cilantro, serrano, and cotija, if using, and generous scoops of sauce. Serve with extra sauce on the side.

Notes

Store extra sauce in the fridge for 2 to 3 days.

INDIAN DAL TACOS

This is from Vegetarian Times. It begins, "Yellow lentils or dal can be found in Indian markets, but orange or brown lentils can also be used here. To make your own Greek-style yogurt, place 2/3 cup low-fat plain yogurt in a paper-towel-lined fine-mesh strainer and set over a bowl. Let stand 12 to 15 minutes, then discard liquid and use yogurt."

Makes 4 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/indian-dal-tacos/.

Ingredients

1/2 cup diced onion

3/4 tsp. ground cumin

1/4 tsp. plus 1/8 tsp. turmeric

1/2 tsp. plus 1/8 tsp. salt, divided

1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

2/3 cup yellow split lentils, sorted, rinsed, and drained

1/2 cup plain low-fat Greek yogurt

1/3 cup diced cucumber

1 Tbs. freshly chopped mint

4 6-inch corn or flour tortillas, warmed

1 cup thinly sliced fresh spinach

1 cup mung bean sprouts

Preparation

Heat nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, and coat with cooking spray. Add onion, and cook 5 minutes, or until softened and starting to brown. Stir in cumin, turmeric, 1/2 tsp. salt, and pepper. Add lentils and 2 1/2 cups water. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer 40 minutes, or until lentils are cooked but still hold their shape. There will be 1 to 2 Tbs. liquid left in pan.

Meanwhile, combine yogurt, cucumber, mint, and remaining 1/8 tsp. salt in bowl.

Fill tortillas with spinach, bean sprouts, and lentil mixture. Drizzle with yogurt mixture or serve on side.

STAND 'N STUFF BREAKFAST TACOS

This is from Old El Paso, and begins, "Tacos for breakfast? Absolutely! The Old El Paso® Stand 'n Stuff soft taco shells make the perfect vessel to hold your breakfast favorites."

Prep Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 20 minutes; Makes 6 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.oldelpaso.com/recipes/stand-n-stuff-breakfast-tacos.

Ingredients

6 eggs

1/4 cup half-and-half

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons butter

1 can (15 oz) Progresso™ black beans, drained, rinsed

4 medium green onions, sliced (1/2 cup)

6 Old El Paso™ Soft Tortilla Bowls

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (4 oz)

1/3 cup Old El Paso™ Thick 'n Chunky salsa

1 avocado, pitted, peeled and diced

1/3 cup sour cream

Preparation

In large bowl, beat eggs with whisk. Add half-and-half and salt; beat well. In 10-inch nonstick skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add egg mixture; cook about 7 minutes, scraping cooked eggs up from bottom of skillet occasionally, until mixture is firm but still moist. Gently fold in beans and green onions, stirring to combine.

Heat tortillas as directed on package. Divide egg mixture evenly among tortillas. Top with Toppings. If desired, garnish with dark green tops of green onions.

Expert Tips

Complete this fabulous meal with a delicious fresh fruit salad.

ADOBO TOFU & PORTOBELLO TACOS WITH CHUNKY GUACAMOLE

This is from Vegetarian Times. Prep Time: 30 minutes; Cook Time: 25 minutes; Total Time: 55 minutes; Makes 4 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/adobo-tofu-portobello-tacos/.

Ingredients

1 14-oz pkg organic extra-firm tofu, drained

1 1/2 tbsp finely chopped canned chipotle chiles in adobo

1 tbsp fresh orange juice

2 tsp raw honey (TRY: Wholesome! Organic Raw Honey)

8 6-inch corn tortillas

1 large red bell pepper, cut into 1/4-inch strips

1 large portobello mushroom, stem discarded, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices

1/4 sweet onion, cut into 1/4-inch slices

2 tsp safflower oil

1/4 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

Guacamole

3 tbsp finely chopped sweet onion

2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

1/2 jalapeño chile pepper, finely chopped (about 1 tbsp)

1 small avocado, peeled, pitted and diced

1 tsp fresh lime juice

1/4 tsp sea salt

Preparation

Cut tofu block into 4 slabs. Arrange on a paper towel–lined baking sheet, cover with more paper towels and top with another baking sheet. Using cans, weigh the baking sheet down and set aside at room temperature for 30 minutes to drain.

Meanwhile, prepare guacamole: On a cutting board, mash onion, cilantro and jalapeño with a fork until onion is mashed. In a small bowl, combine onion mixture with avocado, lime juice and 1/4 tsp salt. Cover and set aside.

In a small bowl, combine chipotle chiles, orange juice and honey. Remove cans and top baking sheet from tofu and discard paper towels. Rub mixture on all sides of tofu and set aside on baking sheet.

Heat a grill pan or grill on medium-high. Add tortillas and grill until warm and pliable, about 1 minute per side. Stack tortillas and wrap in foil; set aside.

Mist grill pan with cooking spray or grease grill grate (still on medium-high). In a single layer, add tofu and grill until browned and heated through, 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a cutting board, then cut tofu into 2-inch strips, cover with foil and set aside.

In a large bowl, toss bell pepper, mushroom and onion slices with oil, 1/4 tsp salt and black pepper. Add to grill pan or a grill basket (for outdoor grill) and cook on medium-high, tossing occasionally, until mushrooms are soft and peppers and onions are crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Divide tofu and vegetables among tortillas and top with dollops of guacamole.