Switch up your next taco night with these crispy black bean tacos. These vegetarian tacos have a delicious black bean filling which gets topped with cheddar cheese, folded into a corn tortilla, and baked to crispy perfection. They are a simple and tasty everyday meal.
These tacos, topped with guacamole, are super tasty and filling on their own, but if you want a bit more substantial meal, I'd serve them with a simple green salad and some Cilantro Lime Rice.
This post may contain sales affiliate links. Please see my full Disclosure Policy for details.
When it comes to weeknights, quick and easy meals are essential, and these crispy tacos are just the thing to make your next Taco Tuesday extra tasty! These tacos are essentially a cross between a taco and a quesadilla. They can be easily customized by adding your favorite topping or a few extra add-ins.
Contents:
Ingredient Notes
The full list of ingredients and quantities can be found in the recipe card below.
- Black beans: Canned beans work great for this recipe. Just drain and rinse before you add them to the pan.
- Corn tortillas: Taco-size tortillas are what you want. You can substitute flour tortillas if you like but they won't get quite a crisp in the oven.
- Cheese: I generally use sharp cheddar but you could also use pepper jack or a blend of the two. I highly recommend grating your own cheese.
- Lime: Fresh lime really brightens up the flavor of this dish.
- Guacamole: You can buy pre-made or make your own from your favorite recipe. Can you also substitute mashed avocado.
How to make this recipe
I love this dish because it's really simple and is ready in just about 30 minutes, making it an ideal everyday meal!
- Make the black bean filling. You'll start by sauteing the onions and garlic. Then you add the black beans and salsa, along with the spices. You let everything cook until it's warm, then you mash the mixture lightly with a potato masher. Finish the filling by adding a squeeze of lime juice, which helps brighten the dish.
- Steam the tortillas. This step is super easy and makes a big difference when it comes to minimizing cracks in the tortillas. You simply wrap them in a damp paper towel and microwave them for about 30 seconds. This makes them more pliable, which helps to prevent cracking, however, even with this step, you may get some cracking which is just fine.
- 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 them in oil. From there, you'll spread the black bean mixture over half of each tortilla, sprinkle shredded cheese on top, and fold the tortillas in half.
- Bake. Higher heat is what gets these tacos crisp. The oiled tortillas will crisp up nicely and just need to be flipped once after about 10 minutes in the oven. Give them a couple of minutes to cool off when they are done baking and then you are ready to serve!
Variations & Toppings
There are lots of options when it comes to slight variations and toppings for these tacos. Some of my favorite taco toppings are:
- Avocado – You really can't go wrong with avocado and if you are in a hurry a bit of mashed avocado seasoned with salt and a touch of lime juice is a great substitute for guacamole.
- Chopped cilantro – Chopped fresh cilantro is always a great addition to any Mexican dish.
- Mexican cheese - Instead of cheddar or pepper jack you can add some queso fresco to these tacos, either before you bake them or sprinkled on top after they come out of the oven.
- Sauteed onions and peppers - If you want an extra serving of veggies you can saute some onions and peppers and add them on top of the black beans before you bake the tacos.
- Seasoned greek yogurt - You can add some Homemade Taco Seasoning to Greek yogurt for a super simple sauce.
Tool Highlight
Half sheet pan – These pans are perfect for baking just about anything as the raised sides keep messes from spilling out of the pan. They are great for cookies too!
More taco recipes
If you are looking for taco Tuesday ideas check out these reader favorites:
- Korean Beef Tacos. These Korean Beef Tacos are great for busy weekdays and give you a slightly different take on dinner for your next taco Tuesday.
- Grilled Fish Tacos. These grilled fish tacos are topped with avocado and a tangy cilantro lime sauce for a healthy everyday meal! The cilantro lime sauce would also be great on the crispy black bean tacos!
- Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas. These Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas are easy and healthy - and since they are cooked on a sheet pan, clean up is a breeze!
Crispy Black Bean Tacos
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup diced onion
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 (15 ounce) can black beans
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried cilantro
- ½ teaspoon garlic salt
- ⅓ cup mild salsa
- ½ of a lime
- 6 corn tortillas
- ⅔ cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
- ½ cup guacamole
Instructions
- Heat the oven. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Make the filling. Add the olive oil to a large skillet and heat over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute. Add the spices, beans and salsa. Stir to combine and cook for 10 mintues. Remove from heat and mash slightly with a potato masher.
- Steam the tortillas. Stack the tortillas and roll them loosely. Place them on a damp paper towel and wrap the paper towel around the tortillas. Place them in the mircowave and cook for 30 seconds on high heat.
- Assemble the tacos. Brush or lightly spray a baking sheet with olive or avocado oil. Lay the tortillas on the baking sheet. Spread the black bean mixture over half of each tortilla and then top with grated cheese. Carefully fold the tortillas in half. You may have to flip them over to keep them closed. Lightly spray or brush the side facing up with oil.
- Bake the tacos. Transfer the sheet pan to the oven and bake the tacos for 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and use a spatula to carefully flip the tacos. Return the pan to the oven and bake for an additional 4-6 minutes, until the tortillas are golden brown. Remove the pan from the oven and allow the tacos to cool for a few minutes.
- Serve. The tacos are best warm. Top with with some guacamole or smashed avocado and any other toppings of your choice. Enjoy!
Leave a Reply