Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Roasted Vegetables
- 400 g summer squash (zucchini and yellow squash), trimmed and sliced into 1cm rounds
- 300 g cherry tomatoes, halved
- 80 g red onion, peeled and thinly sliced into half-moons
- 30 ml olive oil
- 2 g ground cumin
- 2 g smoked paprika
- 3 g fine sea salt
- 1 g black pepper
Beans and Assembly
- 240 g canned black beans, drained and rinsed
- 120 g soft goat cheese, crumbled
- 8 corn tortillas, warmed
- 15 g fresh cilantro, leaves picked, tender stems reserved
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 331 kcal
- Protein
- 14 g
- Carbohydrates
- 38 g
- Fat
- 15 g
- Fiber
- 10 g
- Sugar
- 7 g
- Sodium
- 548 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 6 g
- Potassium
- 610 mg
- Calcium
- 126 mg
- Iron
- 3.2 mg
- Magnesium
- 78 mg
- Phosphorus
- 320 mg
- Zinc
- 1.5 mg
- Vitamin C
- 24 mg
- Water
- 206 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 220°C (425°F). Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
Trim the ends of the summer squash and slice into 1cm (about ½-inch) rounds.
Halve the cherry tomatoes through their equators and transfer to the mixing bowl.
Peel the red onion and thinly slice it into half-moons.
Add the sliced squash and onion to the tomatoes on the sheet pan. Drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Toss gently to coat, then spread the vegetables in a single, even layer.
Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring once at the halfway point, until the squash is tender when pierced with a fork and the tomato edges are deeply caramelized.
While the vegetables roast, combine the drained black beans with 30ml of water in a small saucepan. Warm over medium-low heat for 4 to 5 minutes until heated through, seasoning lightly with a small pinch of salt.
Heat a dry skillet or comal over medium-high heat. Warm each tortilla for 30 to 45 seconds per side until pliable with light char marks, then stack and cover with a clean kitchen towel to keep warm.
Spoon a layer of beans down the center of each warmed tortilla, then top with the roasted vegetable mixture. Crumble goat cheese evenly over the top.
Scatter fresh cilantro leaves over the tacos and serve immediately with lime wedges for squeezing over each portion.
Chef's Notes
- Choose small to medium summer squash with unblemished skin; they have fewer seeds and a sweeter, more concentrated flavor when roasted.
- Crumbled queso fresco or mild feta can stand in for goat cheese if you prefer a saltier or more neutral profile.
- For deeper color and a smoky edge, switch to the broiler for the final 2 minutes of roasting, watching closely to avoid burning.
- Doubling up the tortillas creates a sturdier vessel for heavier fillings and helps prevent tearing; warm two together as a pair.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store the roasted vegetable filling and warmed beans separately from the tortillas in airtight containers; assemble just before serving.
Freezer: 2 months — Freeze only the roasted vegetable and bean filling. Tortillas and goat cheese do not freeze well.
Reheating: Reheat filling in a skillet over medium heat with a splash of water, stirring for 4 to 5 minutes until warmed through.
Troubleshooting
Squash turns to mush
Cause: Overcooked or vegetables crowded on the pan, causing steaming instead of roasting
Fix: Cannot fully restore texture once overcooked; serve as a soft, saucy filling or layer into a taco salad instead
Prevention: Cut squash to a uniform thickness and arrange vegetables in a single layer with space between pieces
Tortillas crack or split when folded
Cause: Tortillas are old and stale, or were warmed too aggressively
Fix: Hold tortillas over simmering water for 10 seconds to soften, then warm briefly on the skillet
Prevention: Use fresh tortillas and warm them gently while covered with a towel to retain steam
Tacos become watery and soggy at the table
Cause: Tomatoes released excess moisture that was not evaporated, or hot filling was added to tortillas too far in advance
Fix: Drain roasted vegetables briefly on a paper-towel-lined plate, then reassemble
Prevention: Roast until tomato edges caramelize and assemble tacos immediately before serving
Cultural Context
Tacos are a foundational format of Mexican cuisine with roots in indigenous Mesoamerican cooking, where corn tortillas long served as an edible vessel for local ingredients before Spanish contact. This vegetarian variation honors the traditional pairing of corn, beans, and seasonal produce, while roasted summer vegetables and goat cheese reflect contemporary Mexican-inspired home cooking that adapts ancestral techniques to modern pantries.
