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There’s no need to peel the squash for these vegetarian tacos – just scrub it clean! You can even save the seeds and roast them for a tasty snack later.
I was walking through the produce aisle with my son last week, and he was asking what the different kinds of squash were. When I saw kabocha, I told him I had never cooked with it before, so I decided to pick one up to use for week 11 of 12 Weeks of Winter Squash.
And then, taco inspiration struck...
...and it was absolutely delicious!
The kabocha was nice and creamy, and the blend of spices worked out perfectly. I really liked slathering on the roasted poblano crema, which added a nice mild smoky flavor.
We topped them with shredded cabbage, a little hot sauce (we like Cholula), and a squeeze of lime juice. I've never been so satisfied with a meat-free taco!
I may or may not have eaten four of these beauties right off the bat. I will most definitely be making these again!
Looking for more ways to celebrate Taco Tuesday? Check out some of our favorite recipes:
- Roasted Sweet Potato and Black Bean Tacos with Cilantro Chimichurri
- Slow Cooker Chipotle Pork Tacos with Avocado + Chipotle Cremas
- Spiced Chickpea Tacos with Cilantro-Peach Relish
- Our Favorite Chicken Fajitas
- Tofu & Black Bean Taco Boats with Jicama Mango Salsa
- Mandarin Chipotle Pork Tacos
- Taco Salad with Homemade Chipotle Ranch Dressing
- Margarita Bars
- Mango, Jicama + Black Bean Salsa
- Our Favorite Steak Fajitas
- Tequila-Lime Shrimp Tacos
- Power-Packed Tacos
- Taco Salad
- Slow Cooker Shredded Green Chile Chicken
- Shredded Chicken Tacos
- Tuna Tostada with Avocado Dressing + Chipotle Sour Cream
Doing some online shopping? Check out my Amazon Shop page for recommendations!
Recipe for Roasted Kabocha and Eggplant Tacos with Poblano Crema
If you try out this recipe, please come back and give it a star rating and comment below. It helps other people find my recipes, and I’d love to know what you think of it!
Print📖 Recipe
Roasted Kabocha and Eggplant Tacos with Poblano Crema
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 1x
- Category: Tacos
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: Mexican
Description
There’s no need to peel the squash for these vegetarian tacos – just scrub it clean! You can even save the seeds and roast them for a tasty snack later.
Ingredients
For Poblano Crema:
- 1 poblano pepper
- 1 cup sour cream (can substitute vegan, if desired)
- ⅓ cup cilantro, chopped
- 1 lime, zested
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- Kosher salt to taste
For taco filling:
- 1 kabocha squash, cut into large dice (about 5 cups total)
- 1 large eggplant, cut into large dice (about 5 cups total)
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 ½ tablespoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
For serving:
- Corn tortillas, warmed
- Shredded cabbage or cole slaw mix
- Lime wedges
- Hot sauce (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat broiler to high heat. Place poblano pepper on a broiler pan and cook, turning occasionally, until black and blistered all over. Remove from oven and place the pepper in a glass bowl. Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap and set aside until cool.
- Reduce oven to 400°F. Place squash, eggplant and garlic in a large bowl. Drizzle oil on top and sprinkle on the oregano, paprika, cumin, salt and pepper. Toss well to combine and pour onto a large, rimmed baking sheet.
- Roast for 15 minutes, stir, and roast for another 10 minutes, or until all of the veggies are tender.
- While the veggies are roasting, make the crema. Remove the poblano from the bowl. Peel off the blistered skin and discard. Remove the stem and seeds and roughly chop the flesh. Place flesh into the bowl of a food processor along with sour cream, cilantro, lime zest and juice and a pinch of salt. Purée until smooth.
- To assemble the tacos, spread a little of the crema on warmed tortillas. Top with kabocha and eggplant mixture, some shredded cabbage, a drizzle of hot sauce and a squeeze of lime juice. Enjoy!
Joanne (eats well with others)
Uhhh YUM. THere is a super high probability that we will be having these for dinner next week!
Ashley
Hope you enjoy them! I was supper happy with how well they turned out!
Dino Covelli
There is a high probability that you will enjoy them- it's good stuff!
BigFlavorsFromATinyKitchen
Yes - you need these in your belly STAT, Joanne 😉
Lori H
It's great to see you developing your own recipes. Nice work!
BigFlavorsFromATinyKitchen
Thanks! I'm definitely trying to do it much more often - it's a lot of fun!
spabettie
I love kabocha, and the poblano crema sounds great too! light and springy, perfect for the warmer weather we have been having here in Portland - thank you!
BigFlavorsFromATinyKitchen
This was my first time cooking with kabocha, and it was great! Hope you enjoy 🙂
jackie
This looks delicious!
Susan Pridmore
These tacos are perfect for me. I love everything about them and want them for dinner some night this week. I might have to substitute and squash with something since we're not seeing a lot of winter squash still in the markets, but I'm so looking forward to making this 🙂
BigFlavorsFromATinyKitchen
I hope you enjoy them! They were a fun and unique meal for us 🙂