Veggie Tacos — Saturday Table, Whole Family In

Halloween week. The twins went trick-or-treating Friday night with their friends. They are eleven and a half. They are at the age where Halloween is still cool but they need to negotiate the costume choice and the route and the after-party. Marco was a football player. Elena was a witch. They came home with two pillowcases full of candy and high on the night.

Sofia did not go out. She is fifteen. She has aged out of trick-or-treating but is too young for the high school parties. She read at home and gave out candy at the door. She is, as ever, fine with whatever the night provided.

Diego called Saturday. He had played his sixth college game. Two catches. He sounded okay. He was tired. The Big Ten teams in their conference were tough. He had been learning. He had been getting better. He had gained two more pounds.

Saturday I made green chile mac. The whole family had it. The kids ate from the pan. The road bends. Feed your people. The game is won at the table.

That Saturday after Halloween, with the pillowcases of candy still on the counter and Diego’s voice still in my ear from the phone, I needed something that felt like feeding people—really feeding them. Veggie tacos are what I come back to when the week has moved fast and the table needs to slow everyone down. They’re colorful and loud the way the kids are, and they come together in one pan the way this family does, eventually, at the end of every week.

Veggie Tacos

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 20 min | Total Time: 35 min | Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 12 small corn or flour tortillas
• 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 yellow bell pepper, diced
• 1 zucchini, diced
• 1 cup frozen corn, thawed
• 1 small red onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1/2 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup fresh salsa or pico de gallo
• 1 avocado, sliced
• Fresh cilantro, for garnish

Instructions

1. Heat the pan. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil until shimmering.
2. Cook the aromatics. Add the red onion and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
3. Add the vegetables. Add the bell peppers and zucchini. Cook for 5–6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and beginning to brown at the edges.
4. Season and add corn and beans. Stir in the cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Add the corn and black beans and stir to combine. Cook for another 3–4 minutes until everything is heated through.
5. Finish with lime. Squeeze the lime juice over the pan and stir. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Remove from heat.
6. Warm the tortillas. Char each tortilla directly over a gas burner for 20 seconds per side, or warm in a dry skillet over medium heat for 1 minute per side. Wrap in a clean towel to keep warm.
7. Assemble and serve. Spoon the veggie mixture onto tortillas and top with cheese, sour cream, salsa, avocado, and cilantro. Serve straight from the pan family-style.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 380 | Protein: 12g | Fat: 14g | Carbs: 52g | Fiber: 9g | Sodium: 520mg