Print

Crispy Butternut Squash & Poblano Tacos Recipe

Print Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

4.3 from 6 reviews

These crispy baked butternut squash and poblano tacos feature a delightful blend of textures and flavors, highlighted by a creamy, tangy poblano sauce. Perfectly crispy butternut squash cubes coated in a spiced panko and hemp seed crust are paired with roasted vegetables and fresh toppings to create a vibrant, satisfying main dish that’s easy to make and vegan-friendly.

Ingredients

For the Tacos

  • 8 tortillas, store bought or homemade
  • 3 cups shredded green cabbage
  • 2 poblano peppers, divided
  • 2 halved shallots, divided
  • 1 avocado, diced
  • ½ cup cilantro leaves
  • Lime slices, for serving
  • Sliced serrano peppers, optional

Crispy Butternut Squash

  • ½ large butternut squash, peeled, seeded, cut into 24 1-inch cubes
  • 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
  • ¼ cup unsweetened almond milk, more as needed
  • ¾ cup panko bread crumbs
  • ¼ cup hemp seeds (or more panko)
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • Heaping ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

Creamy Poblano Sauce

  • ½ of 1 roasted poblano pepper
  • ½ of 1 roasted shallot
  • 1 whole skin-on garlic clove (for roasting)
  • ½ cup Sir Kensington’s Avocado Oil Mayonnaise
  • ¼ cup cilantro leaves and stems
  • 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. Preheat and Prepare Roasted Veggies: Preheat your oven to 425°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. On one baking sheet, place the whole poblano peppers, halved shallots, and the skin-on garlic clove. Roast for 20 minutes or until the shallots are nicely browned and poblanos are charred.
  2. Prepare Flaxseed Mixture: In a small bowl, mix the ground flaxseed with unsweetened almond milk and set aside to thicken for 5 minutes. This will act as a vegan binder for the squash coating; if the mixture becomes too thick during handling, thin it slightly with more almond milk.
  3. Coat Butternut Squash Cubes: In a medium bowl, combine the panko bread crumbs, hemp seeds, chili powder, onion powder, and sea salt. Dip each butternut squash cube first into the flaxseed mixture, then into the panko-spice mixture, ensuring an even coating. Arrange the coated cubes on the second baking sheet and drizzle them with olive oil for extra crispness.
  4. Bake Butternut Squash: Bake the coated squash cubes in the oven for 35 to 40 minutes until they turn golden brown and crispy on the outside.
  5. Make Creamy Poblano Sauce: Using a food processor, blend half of the roasted poblano pepper, half of the roasted shallot, the peeled roasted garlic clove, avocado oil mayonnaise, cilantro leaves and stems, fresh lime juice, sea salt, and black pepper until smooth but with some green flecks remaining. Chill the sauce until ready to use.
  6. Prepare Remaining Vegetables: Slice the remaining roasted poblanos and shallots and set them aside. In a medium bowl, toss the shredded green cabbage with a generous scoop of the poblano sauce until evenly coated.
  7. Assemble Tacos: Fill each tortilla with the dressed cabbage, sliced poblanos and shallots, crispy butternut squash cubes, diced avocado, fresh cilantro leaves, a scoop of the poblano aioli sauce, and sliced serrano peppers if using. Serve tacos with lime slices and remaining poblano sauce on the side.

Notes

  • For a vegan version, ensure to use vegan mayonnaise or substitute with a cashew-based cream.
  • Adjust the spice level by adding more or fewer serrano peppers or chili powder according to preference.
  • The ground flaxseed mixture acts as an egg substitute to help the panko coating adhere to the squash cubes.
  • To make tortillas from scratch, consider using corn or flour tortillas depending on your dietary preferences.
  • Use hemp seeds as a nutty addition in the coating or replace them entirely with extra panko breadcrumbs if hemp seeds are unavailable.
  • Leftover poblano sauce keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and enhances other dishes too.

Find it online: https://recipesbyliza.com/crispy-butternut-squash-and-poblano-tacos-recipe/