Learn to make butternut squash tacos, a winning combo for dinner tonight! Made with savory butternut squash, ground beef, fresh herbs, and a tahini lime dressing wrapped into a crispy lettuce leaf, your family is sure to enjoy this winning dinner combination!
Butternut squash is a staple vegetable in our home. Even though it is classified as a winter vegetable, we eat it year round. It is actually no surprise that this veggie was my son’s first food to try as a puree; it’s safe to say he loves it just as much as we do!
The first time I made this butternut squash taco combination, my mom was staying with us. She read it off our dinner menu, and I could read the hesitation and confusion on her face. “What in the world are butternut squash tacos?” I think she thought I was somehow going to wrap a taco up inside of a butternut squash. That would be interesting, but nope, Mom, I’m not that creative!
WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO PEEL A BUTTERNUT SQUASH?
Honestly, this is the worst part of the recipe! I much prefer to chop the squash in half, throw it in my Instant Pot for 20 minutes then mash it up. However, for this recipe they need to be cut into small cubes so peeling and chopping is required. To peel the squash, you can first soften it by poking a few holes into it and placing it into the microwave for about 2 minutes.
We don’t use a microwave, so I usually just grab my sharpest peeler and get to peeling. Once peeled, chop it in half (between the larger and smaller part of the squash). The smaller part has no seeds so can just be chopped into cubes. The larger part needs to be cut in half again and the seeds scooped out. These are wonderful when toasted and sprinkled on salads or even on top of these tacos, so don’t trash them!
WATch the tutorial
WHY USE LETTUCE instead of tortillas?
I love Mexican food, therefore tortillas are right up my ally! However, most tortillas are made with so many processed ingredients and extra additives, I avoid them most of the time. I do love Siete tortillas, but they are not sold in stores near me and I usually don’t go to the trouble to order them online.
I have plans to make homemade sourdough tortillas very soon and will definitely be trying out this taco combination on them. So for now, lettuce wraps, or even collard wraps, are my top choices for Taco Tuesday’s! The crunch of the lettuce is irresistible and with lower calories, you can eat even more tacos!
Ingredients needed to make Butternut Squash Tacos
1 Butternut squash, cubed
1 Tbsp Avocado or olive oil
1 tsp Himalayan Pink Salt
1 tsp Pepper
1 Package of Ground Beef (ground turkey works great too!)
Cumin
Chili Powder
Lettuce leaves, or tortillas
Dressing:
1 Tbsp Tahini
1 Lime, juiced
Chili Powder
Cumin
Salt & Pepper
TOPPINGS:
Cilantro
Avocado
Diced Bell Pepper
Lime Juice
HOW TO MAKE BUTTERNUT SQUASH TACOS
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees and spread out cubed squash. Drizzle with the avocado oil, salt, and pepper. Bake approximately 30 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- Season ground beef with cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper and brown in a skillet.
- To make the tahini lime dressing, whisk the tahini, lime juice, and seasonings in a small bowl. You can add more lime juice to make it your desired thickness.
- Wash lettuce leaves and assemble tacos!
- Enjoy this flavorful combination!
Butternut Squash Lettuce Tacos
Equipment
- Skillet
- Baking Sheet
Ingredients
- 1 Butternut Squash , peeled and cubed
- 1 TBSP Avocado Oil or Olive Oil
- 1 tsp Himalayan Pink Salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- Lettuce Leaves or Tortillas
- 1 TBSP Tahini
- 1 Lime , juiced
- Chili Powder
- Cumin
- Salt & Pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees and cover a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.
- Evenly spread cubed butternut squash on the baking sheet.
- Drizzle the squash with avocado oil, salt, and pepper. Bake approximately 30 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- Season ground beef with cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper and brown in a skillet.
- To make the tahini lime dressing, whisk the tahini, lime juice, and seasonings in a small bowl. You can add more lime juice to make it your desired thickness.
- Wash lettuce leaves and assemble tacos!
- Enjoy this flavorful combination!
other recipes you may love from our homestead
Butternut Squash Sweet Potato Soup
Perfectly Salted Instant Pot Popcorn
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