Mexican Inspired Vegan Tacos

Preperation time
30 m
Skills level

Serving size
4
Country of origin

Preparation time: 30 m
Cooking time: 20 m
Servings: 4

Ingredients

  • 8 hard corn tacos or 8 soft flour tortillas (or a combination of the two)
  • 1 (15.5 ounce) can black beans with sea salt
  • 3 small yams, peeled and diced into cubes (about 3 cups
  • 2 teaspoons of mild taco seasonings
  • 2 ears of corn or ¾ cup frozen corn
  • A good quality extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 limes
  • one bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
  • one head red cabbage, chopped
  • 1/2 medium yellow onion, diced
  • Seasonings: coriander and Sea salt to taste
  • Toppings: Pepita salsa, Sriracha hot chili sauce, sliced or mashed avocado
  • non-stick frying pan
Recipe Type:
Course:

These are so tasty! I love the Mexican vibe of these colorful tacos. They are almost too pretty to eat!

Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Peel the yams and cut off one end. Lay the flat side down and slice into thick slices. Then cut each slice into long pieces like a French fry, then into tiny cubes. I found this was the best way to create cubes. And using a smaller potato makes cutting much easier on your hand.

Place the cubes in a bowl with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and toss. Spread evenly on to a baking sheet. Heat for 20 minutes or until tender and not browned.  Take the potatoes out of the oven at about 15 minutes and add a good amount of sea salt and mix with a spoon. Then lower the oven to 350 degrees and bake an additional 5 minutes or longer until tender.

Next, cut the kernels off the ears of corn using a bowl with high sides so kernels fall into the bowl and not onto your floor. Add corn to a non-stick frying pan and drizzle some olive oil and a sprinkle of ground sea salt. Heat until browned 3-4 minutes, and put in a metal bowl to retain the heat. Can go longer if you like them charred.

Wipe out the frying pan, add more olive oil and add in ½ of the diced onion and let these cook about 3-4 minutes until translucent. In the meantime, open and drain the beans and give them a quick rinse. Add the black beans to the pan and add a few sprinkles of sea salt and 1 teaspoon of taco seasoning. You can do mild or medium heat taco seasoning. Mash using a potato masher.

Add 2 ½ cups of sweet potato (reserve some of the potato for garnish) to the pan with the black beans. Mash them in the pan and add in a second teaspoon of taco seasoning and mix with a spoon. Then mash until all the potatoes are mixed in with the black beans. Add in a few good dashes of coriander and sea salt – this is really flavors them!

Last, add in the corn and mix and a squeeze of one lime. Chop up the cilantro and add about one large handful to the pan and mix all the ingredients well and take off the heat.

Place the hard corn tacos on a baking sheet and in the oven to heat for a few minutes. If you use the flour tortilla, place a baking sheet, spread olive oil on both sides and heat two minutes a side. We use a combination of tacos and tortillas. I like tortillas and kids and my husband love the hard tacos. Alternatively, you can use both by filling the hard taco then smearing some avocado on the flour tortilla and placing one inside the other for a double taco delight! If you prefer to char the tortillas do over the stove top, flipping with tongs. Be extra careful!

Garnish with sweet potato chunks, chopped cabbage, and cilantro. I like to add Pepita salsa for a kick as well as a squeeze of more lime.