Crispy baked vegetarian (or vegan) taquitos are an easy & healthy dinner made with flour tortillas and topped with an avocado cream sauce.
Taco Tuesdays just got a healthy makeover ;).
These crispy baked vegetarian taquitos are made with a flavorful taco meat substitute made with lentils, cauliflower and mushrooms all sauteed with Mexican seasonings.
After getting filled and rolled, the flour tortillas are brushed with a garlic-infused olive oil and baked in the oven until slightly golden and crispy.
They get served with an easy chipotle-avocado cream sauce and a sprinkle of fresh cilantro. Ohhh yes!
These can easily be made into baked vegan taquitos by leaving out the Greek yogurt and substituting with extra avocado (see recipe notes).
I love creating delicious vegetarian recipes because as much as I love short ribs and juicy burgers, I also love fresh vegetables.
Just because I'm not a vegetarian doesn't mean I don't love me a good vegetarian dish now and then ;).
These little veggie filled taquitos are quite filling and packed with fiber and protein.
The chipotle cream sauce adds a zip of awesomeness and the cheese, well, everything's better with cheese!
Ingredients in baked vegetarian taquitos:
- Flour tortillas
- Cauliflower
- Lentils
- Mushrooms
- Taco Seasoning (homemade or store bought)
- Diced Tomatoes with green chilies
- Shredded cheese (optional; skip for vegan version)
- Olive Oil
- Garlic
What you need for the chipotle avocado cream sauce:
- Avocado
- Chipotle in adobo sauce
- Lime
- Greek Yogurt
- Garlic Powder
- Cilantro
How to make easy baked vegetarian taquitos:
- Preheat oven to 385 degrees. Make your "meat filling" by sauteing vegetables in a large saute pan with taco seasoning until softened. Stir in diced tomatoes and set aside.
- Meanwhile, infuse olive oil with garlic by heating it in a small sauce pan just until you see bubbles. Remove from heat, cover and set aside.
- Brush bottom of your baking dish with the infused olive oil.
- Fill each flour tortilla with about ½ cup of the filling. Top with shredded cheese if desired. Roll tightly, tucking in the sides and lay in the baking dish, seam side down. Brush the tops of the taquitos with the infused oil.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes until tops are lightly golden and the tortillas are crispy.
- While baking prepare cream sauce by blending all ingredients in a food processor or blender until smooth.
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Tips for making healthy crispy taquitos:
- Be sure to chop your cauliflower and mushrooms as small as possible. This creates the perfect "meat texture".
- Microwaving the flour tortillas before rolling them helps make them more pliable and easier to work with.
- You can substitute beans for any of the vegetable ingredients if you prefer.
For more Vegetarian Dinners Try:
- Butternut Squash & Parmesan Farro Risotto
- Pumpkin Coconut Curry Soup with Chickpeas
- Pesto Quinoa with Balsamic Grilled Peaches
Crispy Baked Vegetarian Taquitos
Crispy baked vegetarian (or vegan) taquitos are an easy & healthy dinner made with flour tortillas and topped with an avocado cream sauce.
Ingredients
Vegetarian Taquitos
- ½ cup dried lentils
- 1 cup water
- ⅓ cup + 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, minced or grated
- 1 head cauliflower, cut into florets and chopped small
- 8 oz mushrooms, chopped very small
- 1 package low sodium taco seasoning, see recipe notes for homemade blend
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 10 ounce can can diced tomatoes in green chilies
- pinch salt
- 1 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese , omit for vegan version
- 10 soft flour tortillas, whole grain if preferred
Chipotle Cream Sauce
- 1 chipotle pepper, in adobe sauce
- ½ cup greek yogurt, see recipe notes for vegan version
- 1 avocado
- juice from ½ lime
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- pinch salt
- 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, plus more for serving
Instructions
Vegetarian Taquitos
- Bring water to a boil in a medium sized saucepan. Add lentils, turn to low, cover and simmer 10-15 minutes until lentils are tender. Drain and set aside.
- While lentils are cooking, add ⅓ cup of olive oil to small saucepan. Add garlic and cook on low until garlic infuses, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 385 degrees.
- Heat remaining 3 tbsp of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add cauliflower, mushrooms, lentils, taco seasoning and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally until softened and slightly browned (about 15 minutes).
- Stir in diced tomatoes and cook another 2 minutes. Season with salt if needed.
- Brush bottom of a large baking dish with garlic infused olive oil.
- Wrap flour tortillas in a damp paper towel or clean kitchen towel and microwave for 40 seconds to soften. Lay a tortilla down and add about ½ cup of filling, then top with about 2 tbsp of shredded cheese (if using). Roll tightly, tucking in the edges and place seam side down in baking dish. Repeat with remaining tortillas or until filling is gone.
- Brush tops of taquitos generously with garlic infused olive oil and bake 20-25 minutes until lightly golden and toasted.
Chipotle Cream Sauce
- While the taquitos are baking, in food processor (or blender), combine all ingredients and pulse until smooth and creamy. Set aside.
- Serve taquitos with a dollop of the cream sauce and a sprinkle of chopped cilantro.
Notes
*For a vegan version omit the shredded cheese. Replace the Greek yogurt with an extra avocado.
*For an easy homemade Taco Seasoning recipe, click here!
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 5 Serving Size: 2 taquitosAmount Per Serving: Calories: 679Total Fat: 31.37gSaturated Fat: 7.61gUnsaturated Fat: 21.83gCholesterol: 22mgSodium: 656mgCarbohydrates: 78.38gFiber: 10.8gSugar: 8.37gProtein: 25.49g
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