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Mole-Spiced Chickpea and Grilled Zucchini Tacos

Mole-spiced chickpea and grilled zucchini tacos with charred zucchini and crispy chickpeas, layered on warm corn tortillas. Finished with avocado crema and bright pickled red onion for a vibrant, vegetarian taco night.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Mexican-American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Mole Spice Blend
  • 1 tbsp ancho chili powder
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 0.5 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.25 tsp cocoa powder
  • 0.25 salt Use to taste; include in the blend.
  • 0.25 black pepper Use to taste; include in the blend.
Chickpeas
  • 2 can (15 oz) chickpeas Drain and dry well before pan-frying.
  • 1.5 tbsp olive oil Use 1.5 tbsp for pan-frying chickpeas with half the mole blend.
Grilled Zucchini
  • 3 zucchini Slice into planks for grilling and cut into bite-sized pieces after charing.
  • 1.5 tbsp olive oil Use the remaining olive oil to coat zucchini before grilling.
  • 1 tbsp mole spice blend Use half for chickpeas and the remaining for zucchini (made from the blend above).
Tacos
  • 8 corn tortillas Warm before assembling.
Avocado Crema
  • 2 avocados Ripe avocados for a smooth crema.
  • 0.25 cup Greek yogurt
  • 1 lime Juice the lime.
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 0.25 salt Add to taste in the crema.
For Serving
  • 1 pickled red onion
  • 0.25 fresh cilantro
  • 1 cotija cheese
  • 1 lime wedges

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet
  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 grill

Method
 

Make the mole spice blend
  1. In a bowl, mix ancho chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, cinnamon, cocoa powder, salt, and black pepper until evenly combined.
  2. Keep the blend dry and ready so you can use it for both chickpeas and zucchini.
Crisp the mole-spiced chickpeas
  1. Heat a cast iron skillet over high heat, then add 1.5 tablespoons olive oil and the drained, dried chickpeas.
  2. Sprinkle in half the mole spice blend and pan-fry for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chickpeas are crispy and darkly spiced.
  3. Remove the chickpeas to a plate and keep them warm while you grill the zucchini.
Char and grill the zucchini
  1. In a mixing bowl, toss zucchini planks with the remaining 1.5 tablespoons olive oil and the remaining mole spice blend.
  2. Grill zucchini on medium-high heat for 3–4 minutes per side until charred, then transfer to a cutting surface.
  3. Cut the grilled zucchini into bite-sized pieces so they stack neatly in the tacos.
Blend avocado crema
  1. Add avocados, Greek yogurt, lime juice, garlic, and salt to a blender, then blend until smooth and pourable.
  2. Taste and adjust salt if needed, then set aside.
Assemble and serve
  1. Warm corn tortillas until flexible and hot, then place them on a plate.
  2. Spread avocado crema on each tortilla, then layer on grilled zucchini pieces and crispy mole-spiced chickpeas.
  3. Top with pickled red onion, fresh cilantro, and cotija cheese, then serve immediately with lime wedges.

Notes

Pro tip: drying the chickpeas well before pan-frying helps them crisp instead of steam. Store leftover components separately in the fridge up to 3 days (crema 2 days); rewarm tortillas and chickpeas to keep texture. Freezing isn’t recommended for the crema, but you can freeze chickpeas after crisping (up to 2 months) and re-crisp them in a hot pan. For a dairy-light option, swap Greek yogurt with a plain dairy-free yogurt and use cotija as an optional topping (or omit for nut-free vegetarian).