Crispy Black Bean Tacos (Vegetarian, Easily Vegan) (2024)

4.9 from 44 reviews

Read More Reviews

1

Cook the aromatics. Sauté onions until soft and golden-brown, then stir in garlic, chipotle pepper, spices, and tomato paste and cook until the mixture is super fragrant. Why? ⇢ Canned black beans are packed with protein, but a little bland all on their own. Adding a few aromatics and spices is key!

2

Build the black bean filling. Add black beans to the skillet, then add the vegetable stock – the liquid helps create a soft taco filling consistency. Lightly mash the black beans with a wooden spoon to bind everything together, then let the mixture simmer and absorb all of the flavors. Taco Tip! ⇢ After a few minutes, squeeze fresh lime juice over the black bean mixture to brighten up all the flavors.

3

Steam the tortillas. Wrap corn tortillas in a damp paper towel and microwave for about 30 seconds. Why? ⇢The wet paper towels create steam and add moisture back into the tortillas, which makes them more pliable and prevents cracking or breaking.

4

Assemble the tacos. Lightly coat a large rimmed baking sheet with oil. Place the warm tortillas on the sheet, flipping them a few times to coat in oil. From there, build the black bean tacos: spread the black bean mixture over half of each tortilla, sprinkle cheese on top (or vegan cheese if you prefer!), and fold the tortillas into a taco, with the filling and cheese nestled inside.

5

Bake! When you transfer the sheet pan to a hot oven, the oiled tortillas turn golden brown, puff up, and get nice and crispy. Halfway through baking, carefully flip the tacos so both sides toast evenly! Taco Tip! ⇢ Give the tacos a few minutes to cool once they come out of the oven – this helps the black bean mixture set and also adds a final bit of crispiness.

Tacos meet quesadillas in these Crispy Black Bean Tacos! Tuck a hearty and flavorful black bean taco filling in warm corn tortillas with a handful of pepper jack, then pop them on a sheet pan to bake until they’re crispy, golden-brown, and oozing with gooey melted cheese.

A weeknight-friendly dinner made with pantry staples, ready in 45 minutes max. Naturally vegetarian, easily vegan and dairy-free!

Ingredients

Scale

• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 mediumyellow onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
• optional: 1chipotle pepper (from a can, packed in adobo sauce), finely chopped OR 1 tablespoonadobo saucefor less spice
• 2 tablespoonstomato paste
• 1 ½ teaspoonschili powder
• 1 ½ teaspoonsground cumin
• 1 ½ teaspoonssmokedpaprika
• two 14-ounce cans black beans, drained and rinsed
• ½ cup vegetable broth orstock
• 1 lime, juiced
• 8–10 corn tortillas
• 6 ounces Pepper Jackor melty cheese of choice, freshly shredded
• kosher saltand ground black pepper, to season
• for serving, as desired:shredded lettuce, mashed avocadoorguacamole,sour cream or cashew crema,pickled red onions, choppedcilantro,salsaof choice,lime wedges, etc.

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

1. Prep:Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F, ensuring a rack is positioned in the center of the oven. Gather and prep all ingredients according to Ingredients List, above – once you begin cooking, these black bean tacos come together very quickly so it’s helpful to get any chopping and measuring done ahead of time.
2. Sauté the onion:Add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil to a medium skillet over medium heat. Once hot and shimmering, add the onion. Season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent and fragrant, 3-4 minutes.
3. Toast aromatics: Stir in the garlic and chipotle. Cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add in the chili powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika, and tomato paste. Stir, coating the onion. Cook 1-2 minutes longer, until very fragrant.
4. Make the black bean taco filling:Add the black beans to the skillet, stirring to combine with the aromatics. Cook, stirring occasionally, until warm, 1-2 minutes. Add the vegetable stock, increasing heat to bring the mixture to a simmer. Use a spatula or wooden spoon to mash the black beans slightly, binding everything together. If needed, cook 1-2 minutes longer to thicken slightly. Squeeze the lime juice over the black bean mixture. Taste and season with additional kosher salt and ground black pepper as desired. Remove from the heat and set aside for taco assembly.
5. Warm the tortillas:Meanwhile, as the black bean filling cooks, prep the tortillas. Wrap the corn tortillas in a damp paper towel. Microwave 30 seconds to steam the tortillas, making them pliable enough for taco assembly. Remove from the microwave and set aside.
6. Assemble the black bean tacos: Brush the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil across the surface of a large rimmed baking sheet. Place the warmed tortillas on the baking sheet, flipping them one or two times to get a nice light coating of oil on both sides. Spread the black been mixture over half of each tortilla, then sprinkle the cheese over top. Fold the tortillas, creating a taco around the black bean and cheese filling. I like to carefully flip the tacos at this point, so the cheese side is facing down.
7. Bake the black bean tacos:Transfer the sheet pan to the oven and bake the tacos 8-10 minutes. Remove from the oven. Working quickly and carefully, use a spatula to flip the tacos. Return to the oven and bake 8-10 minutes longer, until golden and crisp. Remove from the oven and allow to cool 2-3 minutes – the tacos will get even crispier as they cool.
8. Serve:Serve the crispy black bean tacos warm, finishing with toppings of choice – cashew crema, chopped cilantro, lime juice, salsa, or any other toppings your taco-lovin’ heart desires. Enjoy!

• Storage and reheating: These crispy black bean tacos are best served fresh out of the oven, though leftovers will keep, stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, for up to 3 days. For crispiest results, reheat for 5-10 minutes in a 250 degree F oven or on the stovetop (quesadilla-style) until warmed through.
• Corn tortillas: To help ensure your crispy chicken tacos do not crack as they bake, look for corn tortillas that are a little thinner and do not appear dry or crumbly. I’ve had good success using the Mission Corn Tortillas labeled “super soft” – yellow or white corn is fine, use whatever you love!
• 10-Minute Meal Prep:These black bean tacos come together really quickly once you get to cooking! To make this an even faster weeknight dinner, eliminate all active prep time by prepping a few ingredients in advance:
  • Dice 1 small yellow onion. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days (<5 minutes active prep).
  • Grate 8 ounces cheese.Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days (<5 minutes active prep).
  • Prep taco toppings.Prep a batch ofcashew crema, a batch ofquick pickled red onions, or whatever taco night fixings you love most! (Active prep time varies.)