Recipe: Vegan Eggplant Tacos

Photo by Asia Bradlee

Taco Tuesday is here, everybody, and that means it’s time to assemble your supplies. This week, we’re not making your standard beef, lettuce, and cheese tacos. This vegan taco recipe uses eggplant instead of meat, and beans for a dose of plant-based protein.

Eggplant, currently available in abundance at local farmers’ markets, is a good substitute for meat because of its hearty texture. Combined with a homemade taco seasoning, spicy arugula, and black beans, it’s the perfect Taco Tuesday meal.

Use whichever type of tortillas you like: whole wheat, flour, corn, or hard shell. You could also go crazy and turn this recipe into a burrito, if your heart desires.

Ingredients
Serves 2

1 small eggplant
1 red bell pepper
1 white onion
1/2 cup olive oil
1 1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp oregano
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp paprika
Salt
Pepper
1 can black beans
Arugula
Tortillas of your choice

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Slice the eggplant into small chunks, and dice the red pepper and white onion. To make the taco seasoning, combine the cumin, red pepper flakes, chili powder, oregano, onion powder, and paprika in a small bowl. Mix well.

In a separate bowl, combine the diced vegetables, homemade seasoning, and olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir well, until all of the vegetables are coated with the olive oil and seasoning.

Pour the vegetables onto a baking sheet covered in aluminum foil or parchment paper. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the eggplant is soft.

Empty the can of black beans into a strainer and rinse thoroughly. Heat your tortillas in a pan for about five minutes if you prefer to eat them warm, or use them at room temperature. Ladle the vegetables and black beans into the tortillas, and top with as much arugula as you’d like. Serve warm.