Oven Fried Avocado Tacos are a healthy and delicious, vegetarian meal that are full of texture and flavor. Last weekend, our family visited San Antonio and Austin, Texas, and had some of the best tacos we’ve ever eaten at Torchy’s Tacos. The original Torchy’s Tacos is in Austin, but we enjoyed breakfast tacos at the newer restaurant in San Antonio on our way to Easter Sunday service.
After eating at Torchy’s Tacos in Texas, I’ve been obsessed with tacos, especially vegetarian tacos. One of my boys gave up meat for Lent and two of my boys are dating gals who are vegetarian, so I’ve been trying to come up with delicious vegetarian options.
This weekend, I made these Oven Fried Avocado Tacos based on Torchy Taco’s menu. I didn’t actually try these at Torchy’s but my version is delicious.
Taco fillings and accompaniments are endless, so it’s hard not to love a taco. Tacos also meet virtually any dietary requirement. If you’re gluten-free, you can use corn or cassava tortillas, or lettuce wraps. If you’re vegetarian, you can enjoy these Oven Fried Avocado Tacos. If you’re vegan, you can fill tacos with smashed avocado and refried beans. And, if you’re a meat lover, chicken carnitas are delicious.
If you’re as obsessed with tacos as I’ve been, try making your own corn tortillas. I made homemade corn tortillas for these Fried Avocado Tacos. It’s actually very easy to make corn tortillas. Just buy a pack of instant corn masa flour (you can find this in the ethnic aisle of the supermarket) and mix with enough water to make a stiff dough. The directions are right on the package. I used a tortilla press which speeds up the tortilla-making process considerably (although I found the tortillas a little too thick for my taste, so I rolled them a thinner).
To keep these tacos healthy, I oven fried the avocado, using a method I’ve used for oven fried chicken tenders. The coating method is the same as for chicken cutlets.
How To Make Oven Fried Avocado Tacos
Choose avocados that are firm and yield just slightly when pressed with your thumb. You don’t want an overripe avocado for this recipe. Cut a large avocado in half and remove the pit. Then cut each half into three wedges and peel the skin off.
Coat the avocado wedges in seasoned flour (I used salt, pepper and granulated garlic to season the flour), then dip in beaten egg, letting any excess drip off. Then coat with panko breadcrumbs on all sides. If you’re gluten-free, use cornstarch instead of flour and gluten-free breadcrumbs.
To achieve a crispy “fried” crust, line a baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray. Then lay the panko crusted avocado wedges on top of the prepared baking sheet, and spray the tops with cooking spray.
Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes until the panko crust is nice and browned.
Then, the fun starts.
Toppings for Oven Fried Avocado Tacos
Taco toppings are just as important as the filling, and are what will make your tacos stand out.
- Pico de Gallo
- Roasted Tomatillo Salsa
- Poblano ranch sauce
- Shredded lettuce
- Shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- Refried beans
- Hot sauce
To make a cheater’s version of poblano ranch sauce, simply broil a poblano pepper until charred on all sides. Place in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap and let sit 15-20 minutes. Remove skin and seeds. Blend with ranch dressing until smooth. This will work in a pinch, although homemade poblano ranch sauce is definitely better.
Oven Fried Avocado Tacos
Ingredients
- 1 large avocado
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 large egg beaten with a fork
- 1 cup panko
- 6 corn tortillas
- cooking spray
Optional Toppings
- romaine lettuce shredded
- refried beans
- shredded cheddar cheese
- pico de gallo
- roasted tomatillo salsa
- poblano ranch sauce
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
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Cut avocado in half; remove pit.
Cut each half into three wedges. Peel skin off each segment.
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Mix together flour, salt, pepper and garlic powder on a plate.
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Beat egg in a shallow bowl.
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Place panko on a plate.
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Lightly dredge avocado wedges in flour mixture. Then coat with egg, shaking off any excess. Coat with panko crumbs on all sides.
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Line baking sheet with foil. Spray with cooking spray. Lay panko-crusted avocado wedges on prepared baking sheet. Spray top of avocado wedges with cooking spray.
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Bake for 15 minutes until crispy and browned.
Serving Avocado Tacos
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Heat tortillas on stovetop or microwave. This can be done in a dry skillet on the stove. To reheat in microwave, wrap in paper towels and sprinkle with a little water. Heat for one minute.
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Spread poblano ranch sauce or refried beans on tortilla. Place one fried avocado wedge on top. Top with cheese, pico de gallo and tomatillo sauce, if desired.
These are some best tacos I have ever seen! Love those oven baked avocado wedges.
Thanks Angie – you’d love the crunch of the avocado 🙂