Unexpectedly good vegan flavors that also help save food from being wasted!

Written by Jorge Fitz | 5 min read

Who said you need meat to make a delicious taco? Below are three ideas for vegan tacos with something in common: they all rely on the useful strategy of eating every last green stem and every withering vegetable in the crisper drawer.

I remember as a kid enjoying tacos filled with rice or beans (or both), that I would then smother with salsa. I have the best memories of their flavors and textures! Today, I like to think a taco can be anything yummy wrapped in a tortilla, which, by the way, can be made of corn or wheat flour.

I love veggies and enjoy them most when they’re crunchy and nutritious, and I like adding them to everything for their texture and for extra flavor. So, when the Tahona Society requested some recipes for vegan tacos, I jumped in!

I hope you make these recipes and enjoy their flavors—even more so knowing that you saved perfectly good food from going to waste.

Just remember: always add salsa or chile to your tacos, amigos!

Click here to find recipes for delicious fresh salsa: Easy, Delicious and Spicy: 5 Homemade Taco Sauce Recipes

Colorful Garden Taco

Makes 1 taco

“This taco’s aromas of roasted peppers (red or any and all colors) are reminiscent of Mexican barbecues. You can make this taco in a pan, grill or broiler. If you’re using any of the latter two methods, don’t slice the ingredients until after cooking. You may also want to skip adding any oil to them while cooking, which will allow for a nice charring.”

Ingredients

⅓ teaspoon extra virgin olive oil, plus some to finish

⅓ big bell pepper, sliced

1 spring onion, sliced into rounds all the way to the green part, used to garnish

3 halves sun-dried tomatoes

fresh cilantro leaves, to garnish

1 corn tortilla

lime wedges, to garnish

salsa, to garnish

salt and pepper, to taste

How to make

Drizzle a bit of olive oil in a heated pan, add the spring onion and cook for about a minute, then add the bell pepper slices and sauté until slightly tender. Remove from the pan before they change color! Warm a tortilla using the same pan and then add the sautéed veggies. Then add a few slices of sun-dried tomato. Add flaky sea salt and a small pinch of pepper. Garnish with cilantro leaves and lime wedges. If you wish, you can add a few drops of olive oil to the finished taco, then some lime juice and the hot salsa of your preference.

Sautéed Mushrooms and Bean Salad Taco

Makes 1 taco

“I love to keep cooked beans in the fridge. I add them to greens and have a nutritious salad, or to any soup to instantly make it more hearty and colorful. Today I tossed them together and added olive oil, sea salt and vinegar to garnish this delicious taco. Use any greens that may be withering away in your crisper drawer as garnish!”

Ingredients

a handful of fresh mushrooms (cremini, shiitake, oyster, white or any seasonal mushroom works!)

1 spring onion, sliced (reserve the green part for garnish)

1 small garlic clove, chopped

⅓ small serrano pepper (optional)

2 teaspoons bean salad (assorted cooked beans and chickpeas, olive oil, minced garlic, vinegar and salt)

a handful of greens from your crisper drawer (I used leftover arugula), to garnish

the green part from your spring onion, sliced, to garnish

salsa, to garnish

lime wedges, to garnish

salt and pepper, to taste

How to make

Drizzle a bit of olive oil in a heated pan. Add the onion and garlic and sauté for about a minute. Add the mushrooms and the serrano pepper and toss for about two minutes, then sprinkle some sea salt and a few drops of lime. Continue to cook for another minute or until you start smelling the mushrooms’ beautiful umami-rich aroma. Warm a tortilla in a pan, arrange your cooked ingredients in the taco, garnish with arugula and the onion greens, add a few drops of lime and the salsa of your choosing.

Fridge-emptying Hummus Taco

Makes 1 taco

“Make this taco with any leftover vegetables you may have in the fridge. Slice them small and give them a quick sautéing. Today I used spring onion greens, broccoli florets, its stems and leaves, and a bit of serrano pepper for a punch.”

Ingredients

a handful of chopped greens

a handful of whole green beans—I used mangetout beans (snow beans) today, but you can use steamed green beans or shelled edamames)

2 tablespoons hummus

roasted nuts, like cashews, peanuts or pistachios

lime wedges, to garnish

salt and pepper, to taste

salsa, to garnish

How to make

Drizzle a bit of olive oil in a pan, add your chopped greens and cook over medium heat. Toss to cover in the oil and then stop, allowing them to continue cooking and caramelize—getting a slight browning on the edges.

Remove from the pan and set aside. Add a few more drops of olive oil to the pan and sauté your green beans until they’re starting to brown, stopping before they lose their crunch.

Warm a tortilla in the same pan. Spread a generous amount of hummus on the tortilla, add your caramelized greens, then the green beans and the roasted nuts. Sprinkle it with flaky salt and black pepper to taste. Add a few drops of lime and garnish with the salsa of your choosing.