Meatless Friday: Spicy Zucchini and Black Bean Tacos

Mexicans can make a taco out of anything. Tacos are very near and dear to our hearts and they have nothing to do with ground beef, taco seasoning, and a crispy shell. I will say, there are some weird tacos out there, like these ant larvae and egg tacos. I don’t think we are going to get to that level of weird here, but I definitely need more taco recipes.

These spicy zucchini and black bean tacos are delicious, protein packed, and very easy to make. Simply sauté onion and garlic, then add the zucchini and the black beans. They are topped with a chile de arbol almond sauce, which gives this dish a decadent and creamy touch. Serve on warm corn tortillas. Enjoy!

For step-by-step pictures on how to make this recipe visit Dora’s Table.

Spicy Zucchini & Black Bean Tacos

Yield: 4 servings

Time: 25 min.

Ingredients:

1 tbsp.	Vegetable oil (optional)
½ ea.	White Onion, thinly sliced
3 ea.	Garlic, cloves, minced
2 ea.	Mexican zucchini, large, diced
1 can (14.5 oz.)	Black beans, drained

Chile de Arbol Sauce:

2 – 4 ea.	Chile de Arbol
1 cup	Almonds, raw
½ ea.	Onion, white, large
3 ea.	Garlic, cloves, unpeeled
1 ½ cups	Vegetable Stock, Warm
2 tsp.	White or champagne vinegar

Preparation:

Heat vegetable oil to medium heat in a large sauté pan. Add onion and sweat for 2-3 minutes or until the onion is tender and translucent.
Add the garlic cloves and cook for 1 minute.
Add the zucchini and cook until tender, about 3-4 minutes. Add the black beans and mix well. Let cook for 1 minute more. Season with salt and pepper.
To make the sauce: heat a griddle, comal, or cast iron pan to medium-high heat. Toast chiles on each side until lightly toasted, about 30 seconds on each side. Remove from pan and set aside.
Add the almonds to the pan and toast until golden, about 2 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside.
Toast the onion, and the garlic until slightly charred, about 4 minutes on each side.
Place the almonds, onion, garlic, and chiles in the blender. Add the warm vegetable stock and 2 tsp. of vinegar. Process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Sauce should be thick and creamy.

Chef’s Notes:

Chile de Arbol Sauce recipe adapted from Gran Cocina Latina

You can find all our Meatless Friday featured recipes here.