Butternut Squash Tacos

My brother makes fun of me for making “fusion” dishes of things you don’t normally put together. But what could be better than butternut squash in the fall or my favorite Mexican meal? Well both of them together...duh! In this recipe, butternut squash replaces refried beans for a fall spin on tacos and it is so. freaking. good.

Prep Time: 5 min

Cook Time: 75 min

Total Time: 80 min

Yields: 4-6 servings

Ingredients

1 butternut squash

1 lb block of extra firm tofu

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 small onion (sliced)

1 large tomato (diced)

1 avocado (sliced)

1 cup spinach

½ cup vegan cheese

Optional: vegan sour cream

Spice Mix

1 ½ tsp cumin

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

½ tsp red pepper flakes

½ tsp paprika

½ tsp salt

½ tsp black pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375° F. Cut butternut squash in half long-wise. Scoop out seeds and the stringy parts inside the squash. Place squash face-up on a baking pan and glaze with some olive oil. Sprinkle a little salt and pepper on top if you’d like. Bake for 45-55 minutes or until the squash can be easily poked with a fork.

(Note: you can save the seeds and roast them at 200° F for a yummy, healthy snack.)

2. While squash is baking, drain tofu and pat with a paper towel to remove as much moisture as possible. Heat the rest of the olive oil in a medium pan. Place the tofu in the pan and chop into small pieces with a wooden spoon. Cover the tofu with about ¾ of the spice mix. Occasionally stir so that the tofu is evenly cooked and coated with spice. Cook until moisture has evaporated and tofu is slightly browned. Once done, set aside.

3. Once the squash is cooked, take out of the oven and allow to cool a bit. Once cool enough to touch, scoop the insides out of the skin and place into a large bowl. Try to keep the skin in tact as much as possible. Once all of the contents are in a separate bowl, mash with a potato masher and add the rest of the spice mix. Mix well.

4. Next, place the mashed squash back into the skin. Place the tofu on top of the squash. Then add the vegan cheese and some onion slices on top. Place back into the oven for 10-15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the onion is slightly roasted.

5. Finally, make your tacos! Place the cheesy squash and tofu mixture inside a taco or wrap. Then add your favorite toppings, such as spinach, tomatoes, onion and avocado. You may even want to add some vegan sour cream or guac!