Pumpkin Tacos with Beans and Greens
If you read many of my posts then you know I LOVE Mexican food. If I could live off of any single type of cuisine for the rest of my life - it would undoubtedly be Mexican. As a result, many foods that probably shouldn't be made into tacos become tacos in our household. These pumpkin tacos a perfect example of that. They have nothing typically Mexican about them in flavor - they just happen to be tacos filled with delicious greens, white beans, and chevre! Oh, and pumpkin! (that's kind of the point, isn't it?)Are you drooling, yet?
Corn vs. Flour Tortillas
For most things, the debate over using corn or flour tortillas comes down to personal preference. Flour tortillas are what many people have grown accustomed to - they are slightly sweet and often feel like they will hold up to a filling that is bulkier and wetter. Their mild flavor doesn't distract from the delicious goodies placed inside, and they come a very large range of sizes - which is good if you are making a burrito the size of a small baby (or a large one for that matter).
For this recipe I recommend using corn tortillas. The slightly nutty corn flavor perfectly accents the autumnal vibe these pumpkin tacos have going on, plus the slightly chewier texture rounds out the crunchiness of the greens and pumpkin. Also, if this is something you are interested in, corn tortillas do tend to pack fewer calories, carbs, and fat per tortilla than their flour counterparts.
"Could I substitute for flour tortillas?", you ask. Absolutely! The choice of which type of tortilla you use has more to do with which flavor and texture you prefer, and what you are doing with them more than anything. Traditionally, both types are made with lard, so make sure to check the ingredients on whichever you choose to make sure you are getting high quality tortillas, not ones that have a lot of other ingredients (like high-fructose corn syrup) added to them for the most authentic tortilla experience.
Skills & Techniques
Before you begin making your delicious pumpkin tacos, make sure to read up on:
- How To Cook A Pumpkin : This will give you tips on how to maintain a crunchy bite to your pumpkin
- How To Sauté and Deglaze : Learn what kind of oil you might need as well as the best way to deglaze
Leftovers?
This is a great meal to serve to a crowd because it is so simple to double (or triple...). Especially with the pumpkin. If you end up with leftovers, store your taco filling in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. I recommend keeping the goat cheese separate if you can, just to make sure it doesn't get icky and you can use it later for other things if you like.
To reheat your pumpkin tacos, I recommend:
- Preheat your oven to 300°F
- Place your filling in an oven-safe container and bake for 20-30 minutes, or until filling is hot. (Cook times will vary based on how much you have left.)
- Remove from oven and serve.
Reheating it in the oven keeps you from using too much oil, and helps keep the pumpkin from overcooking. For best results, spread everything out in a single layer so as much steam can evaporate as possible.
Pumpkin Tacos
These pumpkin tacos are vegetarian, gluten-free (if you do the corn tortillas), and take less than one hour to make! It's perfect for a busy day when you still want to eat real food, but don't have a lot of time. If you buy the bagged greens from the store - even more of your prep time is eliminated. When it's time to make them, I recommend spreading the goat cheese on the tortilla before loading it with the filling - it helps it melt better
Pumpkin Tacos
Ingredients
Filling
- 2 tablespoon olive oil, , plus more as needed
- ½ pie pumpkin, , diced
- 1 onion, , sliced
- 1 can of great northern beans/cannelini beans
- 4 cups greens of choice, (I recommend kale, chard, or collards)
- Salt & Pepper , To Taste
Serving
- 12 corn tortillas, (or more if needed)
- 5 oz chevre goat cheese
Instructions
Filling
- In a heavy bottomed pan, heat 2 tablespoons of oil on medium. Add in pumpkin and sauté until it begins to soften, about 7 Minutes.
- Add in the onion and continue sautéing until onions are translucent. About 2 Minutes.
- Pour in the entire can of beans, using the liquid to deglaze the pan. If needed, use a spoon to scrape up any caramelized pumpkin from the bottom of the pan.
- Add in your greens and sauté until beans are hot and greens are wilted enough to still be crunchy, but cooked - about 3 Minutes. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper.
Serve
- Put about a ½ ounce of goat cheese at the bottom of each corn tortilla and top with ⅛ cup of filling. Serve hot.
I absolutely adore these fall tacos. Such a creative twist, and what wonderful, healthy flavors. I can never get enough chevre (really, would have a hard time not snacking those lovely little crumbles photographed on your board while cooking! 🙂 ), and it must be perfect paired with the pumpkin. Beautiful recipe!
This sounds healthy and delicious! We've had a few weeks of indulgence and need to get back to cleaner eating habits. I think this would be a good way to start! Do you think I could sub out sweet potatoes for the pumpkin?
I feel you on the indulgence, Lisa. We just spent last week traveling for our anniversary and ate out WAY too much. I absolutely think you can sub sweet potatoes, it should change much in how the recipe functions. I'm sure it will be delicious that way! 🙂