Chipotle BBQ Butternut Squash Tacos
Chipotle BBQ Butternut Squash Tacos
These are the best Chipotle BBQ Butternut Squash Tacos that happen to be fully vegan with a simple homemade BBQ sauce and roasted veggies.
No matter the time of year, I love serving up tacos for an easy and laid-back weeknight dinner. They can be meat-based or filled with veggies, depending on what's in my fridge. And during the winter, I'm all about eating more seasonal squash like butternut, acorn and delicata. These BBQ butternut squash tacos are my go-to winter weeknight taco recipe. Plus, this Spicy Restaurant Style Salsa is a great side or topping for these tacos!
They're perfectly sweet, spicy and charred to perfection. And you can pile on your family's favorite toppings to complete the meal.
How to Make BBQ Butternut Squash Tacos
The components of these layered tacos are:
- Roasted butternut squash
- Chipotle BBQ Sauce
- Crispy Corn
- Vegan Garlic-Lime Sauce
- And of course, tortillas and toppings
I recommend starting with the roasted squash. While that cooks in the oven, you can whip together the BBQ sauce,. Then make the charred corn on the stove and the dairy-free garlic sauce. Finally, warm or char your tortillas and layer everything together!
Roasted Chipotle Butternut Squash
First things first, the savory and sweet roasted squash. To infuse your roasted butternut with plenty of flavor, toss it with a mixture of dried oregano, parsley basil, smoke paprika and garlic powder.
In the oven, the squash will caramelize a bit around the edges for an extra layer of sweetness.
Chipotle BBQ Sauce
The smoky, sweet, and spicy flavor in these tacos comes from the simple BBQ sauce. Here's what you need to make it:
- BBQ sauce. You can use your favorite store-bought version or make your own.
- Chipotle salsa. This adds smokiness you'll love.
- Chili powder and red pepper flakes for heat
- Garlic powder for an extra savory note.
Vegan Garlic Lime Taco Sauce
To drizzle on top of your tacos, make a simple dairy-free sauce with three ingredients (plus salt and pepper):
- Vegan mayo. Any brand will work! I like Sir Kensington's.
- Lime juice. Fresh is best!
- Garlic
Serving the Tacos
Don't leave out the charred corn kernels. They add sweetness and extra smoky flavor. You can use fresh or frozen corn depending on the season.
To serve your tacos, char your tortillas on the stove or warm them in the hot oven for a few minutes.
Then pile them high with roasted butternut squash, charred corn and poblano peppers (you can use a different kind of pepper if you like more or less heat), diced avocado, and a drizzle of garlic-lime sauce. Enjoy!
Other Topping Ideas
Tacos are one of those meals that are made for experimenting with toppings! Here are some other toppings to try on your smoky BBQ butternut tacos:
- Ranch Sauce
- Crumbled cheese, such as queso fresco or vegan feta
- Diced tomatoes
- Black beans for added protein
Make-Ahead Butternut Tacos
Yu can make all of the components of these tacos up to three days ahead of time. Store them in separate airtight containers in the fridge. When you're ready to serve, heat the tortillas and dice the avocado.
More Easy Vegan Taco Recipes
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Chipotle BBQ Butternut Squash Tacos
Ingredients
ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH:
- 4 cups cubed roasted butternut squash
CHIPOTLE BBQ SAUCE:
- 2 cups BBQ sauce, homemade or store-bought (Vegan-friendly)
- ½ cup organic chipotle salsa
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
TACOS:
- Corn Flour tortillas, charred
- 1 cup corn kernels
- poblano peppers, charred + chopped
- 1 tablespoon vegan butter, for cooking
- 1 hass avocado, peeled + cubed
DAIRY-FREE GARLIC LIME SAUCE:
- ½ cup vegan mayo
- ¼ cup lime juice
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon sea salt + black pepper
Instructions
TO MAKE CHIPOTLE BBQ SAUCE:
- In a bowl, mix together all ingredients until combined. Set aside.
TO ROAST THE BUTTERNUT SQUASH:
- Follow my How to Roast Butternut Squash recipe to make this!
- Towards the end, top butternut squash with chipotle bbq sauce and let broil for another 5-10 minutes or until the sauce has baked unto butternut squash. Remove from oven.
TO SAUTE CORN:
- In a medium skillet, add butter and let it melt over medium-high heat. Once melted, add corn kernels, salt, pepper, garlic powder, parsley, mixing together and cooking corn until it begins to greatly brown (almost char-like), stirring occasionally, about 5-6 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
CHAR OR WARM TORTILLAS:
- To lightly toast taco tortillas, preheat oven on 350 degrees Fahrenheit and place tortillas directly on rack. Turn off oven once heated and let tortillas warm for 2 minutes. Remove from oven. For char on a stovetop, pop one of the tortillas unto a gas burner until you begin to see a little smoke. Remove tortilla to rotate it onto opposite side until it’s lightly charred. Repeat until all tortillas are charred.
TO MAKE DAIRY-FREE GARLIC LIME SAUCE:
- In a bowl or measuring cup, mix together all sauce ingredients until creamy and smooth. Refrigerate until ready to use.
ASSEMBLE TACOS:
- To assemble tacos, add 3-4 Tbsps of Chipotle BBQ Butternut squash chunks atop a charred tortilla followed by: sautéed corn, cubed avocados, chopped charred poblano peppers and the DF garlic lime sauce. Repeat until desired amount of tacos are made.
- Bon Appetit!
Tips & Tricks
- STORAGE: Place any leftover ingredients in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
- MAKE AHEAD: All ingredients can be made and individually stored as meal prep (excluding tortillas) and assembled when ready to serve.
Nutrition
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