Grilled Zucchini Tacos

I know, I know… a zucchini recipe in September? Shouldn’t I be, like, sipping on pumpkin spice lattes, baking apple pies and tweeting about how much I JUST LOVE FALL? Maybe. But when it’s 90 degrees in the middle of September, fall is the farthest thing from my mind. So for now, I’ll be over here stuffing my face with these Grilled Zucchini Tacos. Feel free to join.

These Grilled Zucchini Tacos were inspired by my standing order at a local restaurant chain, El Vaquero. While I’m not usually one for chain restaurants, this one’s an exception (mainly because they’ve got a pretty bangin’ happy hour from 4-8pm which includes jumbo margaritas). Plus they had a location right around the corner from our old apartment, soo you do the math…

Needless to say, El Vaquero quickly became one of our go-to spots for a quick, affordable dinner out on those nights that we don’t feel like cooking (or those days when a regular sized margarita just won’t cut it…).

Luckily, their food is surprisingly good, considering how large of a menu they have (I’ve found that with a lot of chain restaurants, quantity often trumps quality). Although, to be fair, I should say that their Zucchini Tacos are surprisingly good. I really can’t attest to much else on their menu because I just can’t seem to quit these tacos.

My version actually turned out to be a little a lot different than its predecessor since I made them on a whim using ingredients that I had on hand at the time. To be honest, really the only common factor between the two is that they both contain zucchini. Someday, I do plan to actually try to recreate their zucchini tacos (which feature broccoli slaw and feta cheese), but in the meantime I’m more than happy eating these. Besides, now I have an excuse to go back to El Vaquero for more margaritas tacos…

These Grilled Zucchini Tacos via @ByteSized_RD are perfect for vegetarians and carnivores alike! http://wp.me/p7Dm26-4p

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Grilled Zucchini Tacos

2016-07-24 12:41:12

Serves 4

Grilled Zucchini Tacos bursting with flavorful black beans and fresh summer vegetables... perfect for vegetarians and carnivores alike!

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Prep Time

10 min

Cook Time

15 min

Total Time

25 min

Prep Time

10 min

Cook Time

15 min

Total Time

25 min

Ingredients

1. 1 medium zucchini
2. 1 medium yellow squash
3. 1 cup red onion, diced
4. 1 bell pepper, diced (I used half red, half green)
5. 2 ears sweet corn
6. 1 (15 oz) can no-salt-added black beans, rinsed and drained
7. 1 Tbsp taco seasoning (store-bought or homemade)*
8. 3/4 cup water
9. 1 medium avocado, sliced
10. olive oil
11. 6" corn tortillas

Optional toppings

1. lettuce, tomato, cilantro, cheese, salsa, Greek yogurt (great substitute for sour cream!), or anything else you like on your tacos!

Instructions

1. Preheat grill to medium-high heat.
2. Slice zucchini and yellow squash into 1/4" rounds (alternatively, you slice the squash lengthwise into 1/4" thick strips). Coat both sides lightly with olive oil and place on grill pan (depending on the size of your squash, you may be able to place directly on the grill, but make sure the squash is large enough that it doesn't fall through the grates).
3. Remove corn from husks and coat liberally with olive oil.
4. Place prepared veggies on grill and cook until squash is tender and corn is lightly charred, flipping squash halfway through and turning corn occasionally to prevent burning. Depending on your grill, this will likely take a total of 10-15 minutes.
5. While veggies are cooking, heat 2 tsp olive oil in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and pepper and sauté, stirring frequently, until veggies have softened (about 5 minutes). Add black beans, taco seasoning, and water to the saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until most of the liquid has been absorbed, stirring occasionally.
6. Once squash and corn are lightly charred, remove from grill and set aside to rest several minutes. While veggies are cooling, chop any additional toppings you would like. Once corn is cool enough to handle, carefully remove corn kernels from the cob using a sharp knife.
7. Place tortillas on grill for about 1 minute (or microwave on low for 20-30 seconds) to slightly soften.
8. Top each tortilla with grilled veggies, seasoned black beans, and desired toppings.

Notes

1. * If using store-bought tacos seasoning, be sure to read the label to ensure that it does not have added "fillers", such as MSG (all you need are the spices!)

By Kara Golis, RDN

Byte Sized Nutrition https://bytesizednutrition.com/