Quick and Easy Veggie Tacos

Make your Taco Tuesday plant-based with these quick and easy Vegetable Tacos. They are the perfect meatless taco recipe to add to your weekly rotation with tasty seasoned vegetables served in warm corn tortillas. Make them with any veggies you like. 

With warmer weather here, I can't wait to get out and grill. One of my favorite quick-and-easy grilled meals is veggie tacos using whatever veggies I happen to have at home. We also love these Mushroom Tacos on the grill.

Since I am obsessed with grilled corn, I almost always try to include it as one of the veggies and then just add a simple spice rub to everything, and dinner is done!

Topped with some queso fresco, avocado, cilantro, and your favorite salsa — it's a simple, delicious, and healthy meal you will love. Plus it is so easy to customize to your own veggie preferences. You can even add some meat if you like.

These Zucchini Tacos are another great meatless meal that can easily be made on the grill or try these roasted Sweet Potato Black Bean Tacos or Potato Green Chile Tacos.

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Portobello mushrooms: Any type of mushroom can be used for tacos. Larger mushrooms are easier to cook on the grill since they won't fall through the grates. Smaller mushrooms work great in a skillet or grill basket. Consider using cremini mushrooms, baby bella, or white mushrooms.
• Zucchini: Fresh zucchini, summer squash, or any summer squash is a great match for the mushrooms.
• Onions: Use red onions, sweet onions, or yellow onions. Swap in green onions for a milder flavor.
• Corn: Charring corn on the grill or in a skillet adds great texture and sweetness to the tacos. If you only have frozen or canned corn, char it in a skillet for the best flavor.
• Spices: This recipe uses a spice blend similar to taco seasoning with chile powder, cumin, paprika, oregano garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Swap in store-bought taco seasoning, blackening seasoning, or grill seasoning if you like.
• Tortillas: Any type of tortilla will work including warm corn tortillas, flour tortillas, cassava tortillas, low-carb tortillas, or lettuce wraps. 
• Toppings: Make sure to finish the tacos with fresh lime juice, cilantro, salsa, avocado, and cheese.

How to Make Veggie Tacos

These quick and easy tacos come together in less than 20 minutes. 

1. Grilled Vegetable Tacos

Start by prepping the spice mixture and all of the vegetables. Make sure to cut the zucchini, mushrooms, and onions into large pieces that won't fall through the grill grates. Or consider using a grill basket. 

Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Wrap the corn in foil and place it on the grill since it takes the longest to cook. While the corn cooks, brush the other vegetables with oil and coat them with the spice rub.

Once the corn has cooked for about ten minutes, place the other veggies on the grill. Cook for 3-5 minutes per side until cooked through. 

Remove everything from the grill. Let cool slightly and then chop into bite-sized pieces. Remove the corn from the cob. 

Warm the tortillas up on the grill for 30-60 seconds. Then add the grilled veggies and any toppings you like.

2. Skillet Vegetable Tacos

Start by prepping the vegetables, cutting the corn off of the cob, and cutting the other vegetables into bite-sized pieces. 

Heat some oil in a heavy skillet. Add the onion and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the corn and press into the skillet. Cook it for 3-4 minutes, letting it slightly char on the bottom. Give it a good stir. 

Add the zucchini and mushrooms. Cook for an additional 5-7 minutes, stirring as needed until the vegetables are tender, but not soggy. Add the spice mixture and stir. 

Serve the cooked veggies in warm tortillas with all your favorite toppings. 

Best Vegetables for Tacos

Truth be told, you can use almost any vegetable you like when making vegetable tacos. I have made them with everything from more traditional options like potatoes, mushrooms, and cauliflower to more creative versions with Butternut Squash and Black Beans or Zucchini and Cilantro Slaw. 

One of my favorite combinations are these grilled veggie tacos with portobello mushrooms, fresh zucchini, charred red onion, and corn.  They have all the right flavors with the meatiness and earthiness of the mushrooms, sweetness from the corn, and brightness from the zucchini. Easy and delicious. 

Here are some other vegetables to consider when making veggie tacos:

• Bell peppers
• Cauliflower
• Mushrooms
• Zucchini or summer squash
• Butternut squash
• Carrots
• Corn
• Onions
• Sweet potatoes
• Cabbage
• Radishes

Veggie Taco Topping Ideas

Let's be real, it's not a taco without some all-star toppings. Here are some ideas for topping these yummy tacos:

• Guacamole or sliced avocado
• Cilantro or if you aren't a cilantro fan, consider some fresh basil
• All the salsas - consider spicy red salsa, green salsa, chipotle salsa, or pico de gallo
• Trade in the grilled onions for pickled red onions
• Fresh radishes or jalapenos can also add some crunch and spice
• Reach for some cheese - it could be shredded cheese or opt for queso fresco or cotija cheese
• To cool the spice, add some sour cream, Mexican crema, or Greek yogurt. Mix some fresh lime juice and minced garlic into the cream for a delicious white sauce.

Side Dish Ideas

These veggie tacos do not naturally have a ton of protein, so I like to serve them with some black beans, pinto beans, or refried beans. You could even fold some beans right into the veggie mixture. 

Another great side is cauliflower rice, Mexican rice, or quinoa. Consider adding cilantro and lime juice for a twist on your favorite Mexican fast-food chain's rice.

More Flavor and Seasoning Ideas

For this particular dish, I seasoned the veggies with a simple seasoning of cumin, olive oil, chili powder, paprika, oregano, salt, and pepper. I chose this Tex-Mex/Southwestern flavoring because I am using these veggies on tacos. You could use a pre-made spice mix for tacos or fajitas.

Other seasoning ideas include:

• Italian seasoning tastes great with veggies. Consider using pita bread and adding sundried tomatoes and feta cheese
• Cajun seasoning is great for veggies and also goes great over black or pinto beans and rice.
• Sprinkle the veggies with a blackening seasoning if you love that taste and flavor.
• For an alternative to taco seasoning, try my fajita seasoning — also great for tacos!

Ideas for Using Leftover Vegetable Tacos

If you have leftover veggies or you purposely grill extra so that you have leftovers, there are many ways to take advantage of the tasty vegetables the next day.

• Make quesadillas with shredded cheese and veggies
• Make tostadas with oven baked tostada shells and refried benas
• Make a taco salad with greens, tomatoes, avocado, cheese, veggies, and canned beans
• Use them for breakfast to make breakfast burritos, breakfast quesadillas, or a veggie scramble
• Make grain bowls, burrito bowls, or taco bowls. 

How do I know if the veggies are cooked?

First of all, remember even a not-fully-cooked veggie won't hurt you. There is no ideal temperature that you need to cook the veggies to to avoid getting sick.

The best way to make sure your veggies are cooked through is to make sure to cook on both sides until a fork stuck in the thickest portion comes out cleanly and looks tender to the touch.