These butternut squash and shrimp tacos are a perfect fall or winter dinner idea. The comfort food vibe of the squash combined with the shrimp, beans and avocado crema is sure to be your new favorite Taco Tuesday recipe!

---

Who doesn’t love a taco? I love that tacos can be whatever you want them to be, from the original ground beef, cheese, and salsa in a hard shell to a unique baked taco creation, the possibilities are endless. This baked taco recipe uses butternut squash, black beans, shrimp, and a blend of spices for a unique flavor pairing that will leave you wanting to eat the whole tray!

In this recipe, I use the precut butternut squash from Trader Joe’s but you can use any precut or whole butternut squash – I just like saving time, so I buy precut. 

In my opinion, toppings make the tacos extra special. This recipe includes an avocado and lime crema dipping sauce that sets the flavor board over the edge. And as an added bonus, I use Greek yogurt to lighten it up a bit!

Below I will take you through how to make a baked taco and avocado lime crema recipe that is sure to be a crowd pleaser at your next Taco Tuesday dinner.

Ingredients in these Butternut Squash & Shrimp Baked Tacos with Avocado Lime Crema

Butternut Squash: Precut or a whole butternut squash. We’re going to use 20 oz for this recipe (or the entire package from Trader Joe’s if that’s what you bought).

Black Beans: One 15 oz can of black beans to be added to the skillet at the end.

Shrimp: We’re going to use 16 ounces of frozen shrimp, cut into smaller chunks.

Cheese: Shredded cheese will be the glue that holds our baked tacos together once we throw them in the oven. Feel free to use whatever cheese you want here; I like a thinly shredded Mexican blend.

Flour Tortillas: Whole wheat or white flour tortillas work best for this recipe. 20s small taco-sized tortillas, not burrito-sized! 

Avocado: One avocado for the dipping sauce.

Greek Yogurt: We will use 1/3 cup of yogurt mixed with the avocado to create the dip.

Lime Juice: One half of a fresh lime squeezed or 2 tbsp.

Green Onions and Tomatoes: Optional ingredients for topping!

Kitchen Tools Needed for this Recipe

• Baking tray
• Large skillet
• Parchment paper
• Cutting board and knife
• Small bowl for the sauce

How to Make the Butternut Squash & Shrimp Baked Tacos with Avocado Lime Crema

Step One: Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cut your butternut squash into ½ inch pieces and place into a skillet with 1 tbsp of olive oil. Let cook for 15-20 minutes, adding water as needed to help steam the squash to soften. Once softened, remove from the skillet, and set aside.

Step Two: Defrost your shrimp by placing it in a bowl of hot water. Cut your shrimp into thirds and place in the skillet. Once shrimp are cooked through add back in the butternut squash. 

Step Three: Rinse and drain the black beans, add the full can of beans into the skillet with the squash and shrimp. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and let simmer for 1-2 minutes. 

Step Four: Add in your spices: 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp chili powder, 1/2 tsp cayenne, 1 tsp garlic, 1 tsp coriander. Stir until coated. Add in 1 tbsp of lime juice and let simmer for another 1-2 minutes.

Step Five: Remove from heat and assemble your tacos.

Step Six: On a parchment paper lined baking sheet, place one tortilla down, add a large sprinkle of shredded cheese to the bottom half of the tortilla. Scoop 1/3 cup of your squash mixture on top of the cheese, sprinkle with some more cheese and fold the taco over. Press lightly down so it stays closed. Sprinkle a little more cheese on top. Continue this for all 20 of the tortillas. 

Step Seven: Place the tacos in the oven and cook for 7-8 minutes or until the cheese melts and the tortillas start to brown slightly. 

Step Eight: While the tacos are baking, prepare the avocado lime crema. Combine the yogurt, mashed avocado, and 1 tbsp of lime juice together in a small bowl. Add a dash of garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Whisk with fork until combined. Should be a dip-like consistency, not super drizzly.