Taco Tuesday

If you love tacos, then you might not mind Taco Tuesday. Today's vegetarian offerings include Vegetarian Bean Tacos and Crispy Tofu Tacos. Enjoy!

VEGGIE TACOS WITH AVOCADO TOMATILLO SALSA

This is from Love and Lemons and can be viewed online at https://www.loveandlemons.com/vegetable-tacos-avocado-tomatillo-salsa/.

Prep time: 10 mins; Cook time: 30 mins; Total time: 40 mins; Serves: 2 – 3.

Ingredients

1 small Japanese eggplant, chopped into 1-inch pieces

1 cup chopped summer squash (yellow, pattypan, or zucchini)

1 red bell pepper, deseeded and sliced into 1-inch pieces

1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced

drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil

6 corn or flour tortillas

1 cup cooked black beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 avocado, diced

handful of cilantro

1 serrano pepper, sliced (optional)

crumbled cotija cheese (optional)

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Avocado Tomatillo Sauce:

1/3 cup store-bought or homemade tomatillo salsa

1/4 cup pepitas

1/2 avocado

handful of spinach

2 tbsp olive oil

squeezes of lime, to taste

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

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 your 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, cotija (if using), and a generous scoop of the avocado tomatillo sauce. Serve with extra sauce on the side.

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

Notes

Vegan: skip the cotija cheese

Gluten free: use corn tortillasIt's time for another Taco Tuesday. Yay! Today's vegetarian tacos include Chipotle Quinoa Sweet Potato Tacos and Vegetarian Mushroom Tacos. Enjoy!

VEGGIE BEAN TACOS

This recipe, by the Taste of Home editorial team at Taste of Home, is originally from Tonya Burkhard of Davis, Illinois. For this yumminess, Tonya wrote, "In the summer when fresh corn and just-picked tomatoes are in season, authentic Mexican dishes like this leave you always wanting that next bite. My personal preference is to serve them with a slice of lime to squeeze over the avocado."

Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 20 minutes; Yield 6 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/veggie-bean-tacos/.

Ingredients

2 cups fresh corn

2 tablespoons canola oil, divided

4 medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped

3 small zucchini, chopped

1 large red onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup black beans, rinsed and drained

1 teaspoon minced fresh oregano or 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

12 corn tortillas (6 inches), warmed

3/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1/4 cup salsa verde

1 medium ripe avocado, peeled and thinly sliced

Reduced-fat sour cream, optional

Directions

In a large skillet, saute corn in 1 tablespoon oil until lightly browned. Remove and keep warm. In the same skillet, saute tomatoes, zucchini and onion in remaining oil until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in the beans, oregano, salt, pepper and corn; heat through.

Divide filling among tortillas. Top with cheese, salsa, avocado and, if desired, sour cream.

VEGETARIAN BEAN TACOS

This recipe, by Kim Behby at Taste of Home, is originally from Amanda Petrucelli, Plymouth, Indiana. This recipe begins, "You don't need to be a vegetarian to eat vegetarian tacos! Loaded with beans, spices and sauteed onions, these hearty tacos are a quick and easy meal the whole family will enjoy."

Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 10 minutes; Yield: 4 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/vegetarian-bean-tacos/#RecipeCard.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 medium onion, chopped

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon chili powder

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 can (16 ounces) vegetarian refried beans

1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained

1 can (14-1/2 ounces) no-salt-added diced tomatoes, drained

4 whole wheat tortillas (8 inches), warmed

Optional toppings: Shredded lettuce, shredded cheddar cheese, cubed avocado, sour cream and salsa

Directions

In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and jalapeno; cook and stir until tender. Add garlic and seasonings; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in beans and tomatoes; heat through.

Serve bean mixture in tortillas with toppings as desired.

WHITE BEAN AND POTATO TACOS (GLUTEN FREE AND VEGAN)

A while back, I stumbled across Oh My Veggies. They have all sorts of yummy veggie recipes, including a bunch of taco links.

This taco recipe, which was among the taco links on Oh My Veggies, is from Beard & Bonnet. Beard & Bonnet’s Meg van der Kruik is “the writer, mother, photographer, designer, cook and creative spirit behind Beard & Bonnet.”

This can be viewed online at http://beardandbonnet.com/white-bean-and-potato-tacos-gluten-free-and-vegan/.

Serves 4; Prep Time: 20 min

Ingredients

2 cups cooked white beans, I used Navy beans, or 1 can of cannelini beans, washed and drained

4-5 small potatoes, unpeeled, scrubbed, and cut into tiny cubes (or 1 large russet potato)

1/2 cup cilantro, minced

Juice and zest of 1 lime

Olive oil for frying

salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste

To assemble

6-8 white corn tortillas, blistered on both sides in a cast iron skillet

pickled jalapenos & radishes

cherry tomatoes, halved; I used Sungold cherry tomatoes from my CSA

lime wedges for serving

Instructions

Pour about 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the potatoes and a large pinch of salt, toss to coat and cover with a tight fitting lid. The potatoes will take about 5-8 minutes to cook through. Be sure to periodically lift the lid, scrape the pan, and toss the potatoes to ensure that all sides are crisp and golden.

While the potatoes are cooking toss the precooked, warmed, white beans with the chopped cilantro, lime zest, and juice. Mix well to combine and set aside.

When the potatoes are finished cooking set up an assembly line at your table with the tortillas, potatoes, white beans, and toppings. Allow your family to each build there own to suit their tastes.

CRISPY POTATO TACOS

This is from Hetty Lui McKinnon in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this, Hetty wrote, "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."

Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 1 hour; Total Time: 1-1/4 hours; Yield: 4 servings

This was featured in "4 Easy Dishes That Embrace Everyday Vegeatables," and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1024397-crispy-potato-tacos. While you're at it, if you haven't already signed up for The New York Times cooking enewsletter, I highly recommend doing so. Great recipes, guides, and more.

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.

CRISPY TOFU TACOS

This is from Alexa Weibel in The New York Time cooking enewsletter. For this yumminess, Alexa wrote, "There are plenty of crispy tofu recipes, but few truly deliver on the promise, since tofu has a tendency to steam because of its high moisture content. But time can do the trick in the oven, creating brittle edges and a chewy texture with little effort. Squeeze out as much excess liquid as you can from your block of tofu, grate it coarsely, season it fearlessly, then roast it until sizzling. The key step is to drizzle the tofu with a combination of olive oil and tomato paste toward the end of cooking, which crisps the edges and lends a deep umami flavor, so much so that this tofu could almost be mistaken for seasoned ground beef. A swipe of avocado mayo, loosened with lime juice and electrified with zest, adds richness and tang, and quite literally holds the tacos together. Choose your mayonnaise and tortillas wisely and the whole dish is vegan."

Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 1 hour; Total Time: 1-1/4 hours; Yield: 8 to 10 tacos

To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1026900-crispy-tofu-tacos. While you're at it, sign up for The New York Time cooking enewsletter, if you haven't already. Great recipes, guides, and more.

Ingredients

2 (14- to 16-ounce) blocks firm tofu

1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

2 tablespoons soy sauce, divided

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne (the lower end is mild; the higher end tingly but not spicy)

Salt and black pepper

1/4 cup tomato paste

2 ripe avocados

2 tablespoons mayonnaise (vegan, if desired)

1/2 teaspoon finely grated lime zest and 3 tablespoons juice

8 flour or 10 corn tortillas, warmed

Minced red onion, thinly sliced radishes and chopped cilantro, for serving

Preparation

Heat the oven to 400 degrees.

Prepare your tofu: Drain it, squeezing out any excess moisture over the sink (your tofu may break into chunks). Coarsely grate the drained tofu onto two large (11-by-17-inch), foil-lined sheet pans. (The tofu will crumble chaotically, and that is fine!) Drizzle the tofu in each pan with 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1 tablespoon soy sauce. In a small bowl, mix the cumin, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper; sprinkle half the seasonings over each pan and toss to coat. Spread the mixture in an even layer.

Roast the tofu, stirring halfway through and rotating the pans, until the tofu sizzles, darkens and crisps, 30 to 35 minutes.

In a small bowl, mix together the tomato paste with the remaining 3 tablespoons oil. Drizzle the mixture over the tofu, adding half to each pan, then toss to combine, spread into an even layer and roast again until the tofu audibly crackles and develops a slight crunch, 10 to 15 minutes.

While the tofu roasts, prepare the avocado cream: In a small food processor (or blender), blend the avocados, mayo, lime zest and juice until creamy; season generously with salt.

Swipe the warmed tortillas with the avocado cream, then top with tofu mixture, red onion, radishes and cilantro. Serve immediately.