Grilled Pumpkin Tacos
Fresh pumpkin, grilled to caramelized perfection, tacos and all of your favorite taco toppings
Equipment
- 1 aluminum barbecue tin (can use any pan you like for use on the grill)
Ingredients
Grilled Fresh Pumpkin
- 1 whole sugar pie pumpkin (peeled, seeds removed and cut into bite-size chunks)
- 1 tsp. Lemon Pepper Paradise (or your favorite lemon pepper)
- 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
Taco Fixings
- 2 cups grilled pumpkin pieces (see ingredients above)
- 12 flour or corn taco tortillas
- 1 cup grated mixed Mexican cheese
- 12 cherry tomatoes (sliced or diced)
- 6 radishes (thinly sliced)
- 2 avocados (thinly sliced or cut into small pieces)
- 1 cup finely shredded green cabbage
- 1/2 cup pepitas, toasted (toss in olive oil and sea salt and saute until slightly browned)
- 1/3 cup cilantro, minced or sliced
- 6 wedges fresh lime
Instructions
Grilling the Pumpkins
- Preheat grill to medium high heat. Spray an aluminum tin or your favorite barbecue tin with cooking spray. Set aside.
- Clean your pumpkin and dry thoroughly. Cut the top of the pumpkin, including the stem, off the very top.
- Cut the pumpkin in half vertically. Using a grapefruit spoon, scoop out the seeds and stringy pulp. Discard the strings and save the seeds if you want to roast them later for a snack.
- Peel the outer layer of skin with a potato peeler.
- Cut the pumpkin meat into bite-sized pieces. Toss with olive oil and lemon pepper and place into the prepared pan.
- Place the pan in the middle of the grill and roast until beginning to brown. Using a metal spatula, turn the pieces of pumpkin to brown the other sides. This process will take about 15 minutes all together, depending upon the heat of your grill.
- Alternatively, you can roast the pumpkin in the oven at a high temp of 425℉ to 450℉ to achieve the same effect of browning and slightly caramelizing the pumpkin bites.
Assembling the Tacos
- Heat your tortillas on the grill or in a skillet until warm and beginning to crisp up, if you like them crispy.
- Layer all of the ingredients beginning with the shredded cabbage, followed by grilled pumpkin, tomatoes, radishes, avocado, cilantro, cheese, pumpkin seeds (pepitas) and a squeeze of lime.
Notes
To toast the pepitas: toss the seeds in a little bit of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. You can toast them in the oven or toaster oven at 350 F for about 5 minutes, or saute them in a frying pan until slightly browned.