16 recipes for vegetarian tacos, because every day should be Taco Tuesday

Nowadays, vegetarians are no longer doomed to eating tacos comprised solely of beans and iceberg lettuce. Meatless tacos now feature mouthwatering and unexpected flavor combos, like brussels sprouts and portobello mushrooms, to name a few.

So we decided to round up the absolute best recipes for vegetarian tacos on the internet to determine which veggie tacos are worth making this Taco Tuesday. Or Taco Wednesday. Or Thursday, or — well, you get the idea.

1Grilled asparagus and shiitake tacos

Crispy asparagus and soft-grilled mushrooms are ingredients that are more commonly found in pasta, rather than tacos, but that’s what makes this recipe such a delicious alternative to the standard taco filling. Pair these soft tacos with beer, and you’ll have the perfect weeknight meal.

2Crispy zucchini tacos with cherry pepper crema

If there is a taco recipe that seemed like its ingredients could be plucked straight out of a summer vegetable garden, it’s this one. Get your hands on some zucchini squash, cherry peppers, red cabbage, and limes to make a healthy taco that won’t leave you with that bogged down, bloated feeling.

3Pinto bean fajita tacos with cilantro chile lime marinade

“Fajita tacos” is kind of an oxymoron, since tortillas are typically the vehicle for eating fajitas, but the blending of grilled peppers with onion and creamy pinto beans in a cilantro chile marinade makes it a delicious oxymoron, so we’ll overlook it.

4Chickpea street corn tacos with spicy avocado cream sauce

Chickpeas, aka garbanzo beans, are now rivaling pinto and black beans as a high-protein meat substitute in tacos. To create a party in your mouth, roast the chickpeas to a crispy texture and enjoy with seasoned corn, poblano peppers, cotija cheese, and an avocado cream sauce on a warm corn tortilla.

5Spicy potato soft tacos

Taco Bell may have a runaway hit with their $1 spicy vegetarian potato tacos on their value menu, but this homemade version with its spicy cilantro sriracha lime sauce is way better.

6Tofu “chorizo” tacos

Tofu is like the shape-shifter of the vegetarian world; you can cook it in so many ways. In this recipe, however, it becomes a “chorizo” substitute when sprinkled with spices, fried to the perfect shade of brown, and crumbled into a taco filling, served with bell pepper, crushed tomatoes, green onion and crumbled feta.

7Vegetarian breakfast tacos

As this breakfast taco recipe proves, anytime is a good time for a vegetarian taco! You could eat scrambled eggs, avocado slices, and white cheddar cheese by themselves or with a piece of dry toast, but why would you when you could sprinkle salsa on it and eat it on top of a soft tortilla?

8Loaded huevos rancheros tacos

You may not be able to easily eat this huevos rancheros taco with your hands, but if it’s runny, over-easy yolk you’re craving, then the mixture of lightly fried egg, crunchy veggies, and spicy tomato sauce will make it well-worth the investment in napkins.

9Beer-battered tofu tacos with mango salsa

We’ve heard of beer-battered French fries, but beer-battered tofu? This is a must-try vegetarian taco recipe, especially when topped with a sweet mango salsa inside a fluffy, flour tortilla. We can almost guarantee you’ve never tasted a taco like this.

10Jackfruit tacos with grilled pineapple

We’re not sure exactly when jackfruit became the new “it” food of the vegetarian world. But it was inevitable that this tropical fruit (which traditionally hails from Bangladesh and parts of India), would end up in a taco, since its flesh shreds like meat. Serve it alongside grilled pineapple for a fruity, fusion taco experience.

11Loaded guacamole tacos

Why should guacamole be relegated to a side when it could be the star of the taco itself? For guac addicts, this taco recipe calls for an extra large portion of avocados, plus black beans and corn really hits the spot.

12Vegetarian chili tacos

Hard taco shell-lovers, this one is for you. Take vegetarian chili and throw it inside a taco shell with shredded cheese and fresh coriander, and you will have created a vegetarian fusion fiesta!

13Crispy quinoa and mole sweet potato tacos

Superfoods like spinach, roasted sweet potatoes, and quinoa dominate this healthy yet scrumptious taco. So go ahead and eat it with a side of tortilla chips and bean dip, if you’d like. You’ll still have a balanced meal.

14Brussels sprouts tacos

Love ’em or hate ’em, brussel sprouts are showing up in all kinds of recipes these days, and now they are invading your tacos. Topped with salsa, cheese, and thin slivers of almonds, these roasted brussel sprouts tacos will have you hankering for a second helping (or third)!

15Drunken cauliflower tacos with quick pickled red onions

The only thing better than a cold beer with your tacos, is a cold beer inside your tacos! This recipe calls for chopped cauliflower simmered in beer, and the result is a “drunken” delight.

16Vegetarian tacos with fried portabello and loaded queso

LOTS of cheese, sour cream, and milk with a few jalapenos for a spicy kick make this fried portabello taco one of the best vegetarian tacos we’ve ever eaten.