Spiced Butternut Squash and Black Bean Tacos with Lime-Cumin Crema
I am having the strangest food obsession right now…
Tortillas. Seriously. I don’t know what my deal is. It’s specifically mini whole wheat flour tortillas that I get from my Fred Meyer, and I can’t stop eating them. I’ve been stuffing them with scrambled eggs, hummus, almond butter and jam… I’ve even been eating them plain. Something about the chewy texture is just so satisfying. It’s bizarre.
But now I’m using them in a more traditional sense—to make tacos. And I mean…. Not to brag or anything, but guys, my taco game is on point.
I love everything about these tacos, and I ate them for both lunch AND dinner yesterday, lol.
The black beans are basically identical to my favorite black beans recipe, ever—those in my Fast and Easy Black Beans and Rice recipe. They take like 10 minutes to make, and the flavor is unmatched. The squash is coated in paprika, cumin, and adobo chile for an amazing smoky and spicy flavor that counters its own inherent sweetness beautifully.
The Lime-Cumin drizzle and fresh cilantro add a wonderful brightness, and the creamy avocado pulls everything together. Do I sound super corny if I say it’s a symphony of flavors? Sorry not sorry *insert eyes glancing to the side emoji here*.
Man, I have got to figure out how to add emojis in my posts. Well, either that, or I need to stop using them so often in text messages that my brain now processes individual emojis as emotion words and context clues in my mind (Really wanted to insert the monkey covering mouth emoji there…See how bad this is?).
PrintSpiced Butternut Squash and Black Bean Tacos with Lime-Cumin Crema
Yield: about 4 servings
Ingredients:
For the beans:
- 1/2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium sweet onion, chopped
- salt and pepper
- 1 dried bay leaf
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 15 oz can black beans, NOT drained
- 2 tbsp water
- 1/2 to 1 tsp hot sauce (I like Cholula or Tapatio)
For the squash:
- 1 and 1/2 lbs butternut squash, chopped small
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp hot paprika
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce, minced (about 1 tbsp)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- salt and pepper
For the crema:
- 1/2 cup crema mexicana (or sub creme fraiche)
- juice of half a lime
- pinch of salt
- 1/4 tsp ground cumin
To assemble:
- whole wheat flour tortillas
- avocado, sliced
- cilantro
Directions:
For the beans:
- In a large saute pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add in the onion and a pinch of salt, and sauté for about 5 minutes, until tender.
- Add in the bay leaves, garlic, oregano, and cumin, and cook for 1-2 minutes, until fragrant. Pour in the entire can of black beans (including the liquid), the water, the hot sauce, and another pinch of salt, and simmer on low heat for 5-10 minutes. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.
For the squash:
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- In a large bowl, toss together the squash, spices, chipotle pepper, and olive oil. Turn onto baking sheet, and bake for 25 minutes.
For the crema:
- In a small bowl, stir together the crema, lime juice, and cumin. Season to taste with salt.
To assemble:
- Warm the tortillas in the oven or microwave. Spoon some beans into the center, followed by the squash. Add in a couple of slices of avocado, a drizzle of the crema, and some fresh cilantro.
Strangely, I know what you mean about tortillas having a really satisfying texture – although it can be hard to find those perfect tortillas! These tacos look super tasty. I usually just resort to roasting squash (and sweet potatoes too) with olive oil, but I love the combination of flavors you used. I’m looking forward to trying these!
Rachael replied: — March 3rd, 2016 @ 12:30 pm
I’m so glad you get my tortilla addiction! And yes, I agree, not all tortillas are created equal!