Roasted Delicata Squash Tacos
September 20, 2026 · Recipe by Love and Lemons
Roasted delicata, kale, and mushrooms in warm tortillas with a pumpkin cashew cream — Jeanine Donofrio’s vegan fall tacos from Love and Lemons.
This is Jeanine Donofrio’s roasted delicata taco from Love and Lemons. The squash stays in its skin — no peeling — and the filling is kale, onion, and optional shiitakes. For a faster sauce, skip the cashew cream and use Tomatillo Salsa Verde. For summer squash instead of delicata, see Summer Squash Tacos with Kale Slaw.
CSA tips: Delicata is the easy winter squash — cut it in half, scoop the seeds, and roast the slices. Leave the kale stems in; they soften in the pan. Shiitakes are listed as optional but worth it if they’re in the box. No pumpkin sauce? Pumpkin puree plus chili powder is the shortcut in the original. Beet greens can stand in for kale.
Adapted from Jeanine Donofrio at Love and Lemons.
Pumpkin Cashew Cream
Soaked cashews blended with lime, pumpkin, and a little chili. Chill while the squash roasts. Recipe by Jeanine Donofrio at Love and Lemons.
Ingredients
- 1½ cups raw unsalted cashews, soaked 3–4 hours (or overnight), drained and rinsed
- ½ cup water, plus more as needed
- Juice of 1 lime
- ⅓ cup ancho pumpkin sauce (or pumpkin puree + ½ teaspoon chili powder)
- Pinch of garlic powder
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
- Blend the cashews, water, lime juice, pumpkin sauce (or puree and chili powder), garlic powder, and a pinch of salt and pepper until smooth.
- Add a splash more water if needed. Taste and adjust. Chill until serving.
Roasted Delicata Squash Tacos
Roasted delicata with sautéed onion, shiitakes, and kale, served in warm whole-wheat tortillas with pumpkin cashew cream. Recipe by Jeanine Donofrio at Love and Lemons.
Ingredients
- 4 to 6 whole-wheat tortillas, warmed
- 2 small delicata squash
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- ½ small yellow onion, sliced
- 1 cup shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced (optional)
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 3 to 4 kale leaves, stems included, thinly sliced
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
- Optional toppings: avocado, pomegranate seeds, cilantro
- 1 recipe Pumpkin Cashew Cream
Method
- Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment.
- Halve the squash lengthwise, scoop out the seeds, and slice into ½-inch pieces. Toss with a drizzle of olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast until tender and golden, about 30 minutes.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook the onion with salt and pepper until soft and browned, 5–8 minutes.
- Add the mushrooms and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in the apple cider vinegar, lower the heat, and cook until the mushrooms are very soft.
- Stir in the kale until it wilts, about 1 minute. Season to taste.
- Fill the tortillas with the onion–mushroom–kale mixture and roasted squash. Add toppings. Serve with cashew cream and lime wedges.
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