Cast Iron Charred Asparagus Tacos Recipe

Get ready to elevate your taco game with the irresistible flavors of asparagus charred in a cast iron. This recipe combines the vibrant freshness of asparagus and corn with the smoky goodness of charred cooking along with roasted poblanos to give you a delicious option for taco Tuesday. Wellness coach and recipe developer Miriam Hahn brings us this recipe and says, "We love all types of taco variations in my house, and usually incorporate whatever the season has to offer in terms of produce. I've used a mixture of fresh lime juice with cotija cheese in the taco filling to elevate the flavors even more." 

These fresh veggie tacos pair nicely with some homemade refried beans and chili lime tortilla chips. Hahn informs us that the filling can be made ahead of time and just warmed up for a busy weeknight dinner. Read on to learn how to char up some flavorful tacos!

To make this recipe, we'll, of course, need some asparagus. While you are in the produce department, you can also grab some poblano peppers, corn, limes, cilantro, avocado, and tomatoes, which aren't required but can add to your toppings. "I love using fresh corn here, but if you are looking for a shortcut, you can buy frozen fire-roasted corn instead," Hahn shares. Then, we'll need some oil, Tajín, salt, soft taco tortillas, and some cotija cheese. "If you would like to make this meal vegan, you can easily substitute dairy-free feta cheese for the cotija," Hahn explains.

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Once it's heated up, place the poblano peppers on a baking sheet and pop it in the oven. Cook them for 15 minutes. "We are going for blackened skin here, so flip them over at the halfway point to char both sides," Hahn explains. When they're done, let them cool for about 10 minutes, then peel and remove the stem and seeds. Cut them into thin slices and set aside.

To prep the asparagus and corn, chop off the tough ends of the asparagus and discard. If you have bought corn that's still in the husks, remove those now. Pull out your cast iron skillet, add a tablespoon of oil, and turn the heat to medium-high. Add the asparagus and cook on medium-high heat for 15 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from the pan and add the remaining oil and the corn. Sprinkle with Tajín and cook on medium-high for 15 minutes, turning the mixture frequently in the pan.

"My favorite thing about using a cast iron skillet is how it retains the heat better than a standard skillet, which makes it great for searing or charring foods," Hahn shares. "It's perfect for charring the asparagus for these tacos because it blackens the outside and keeps the inside crunchy and fresh."

Now we can combine our ingredients and stuff our soft taco shells. Pull out a large bowl and stand up a corn cob at the base of the bowl. Using a serrated knife, slice all of the corn kernels off of the cob into the bowl. Chop the charred asparagus into small pieces and add them to the bowl along with the sliced poblano strips, the rest of the Tajín, cotija cheese, and lime juice. Warm up your taco shells of choice and stuff with the mixture, topped off with avocado and the optional tomatoes.