These Black Bean Wonton Taco Cups make the perfect small-bite vegetarian party appetizer! This super simple version of a seven-layer dip will impress your party guests.
Even if it's not football season that doesn’t mean you can't still have Sunday Funday parties. While I’m not as big of a fan, there is always hockey or basketball to watch on Sunday. Even if it is just as an excuse to hang out with friends and enjoy good food. These vegetarian wonton taco cups are a great small bite appetizer that works for just about any type of party or casual gathering.
And as an added bonus they are ready in just over 30 minutes and most of that time goes to cooking up the seasoned black beans.
When you’re hosting a party you end up with a lot of work to do, from cooking to getting else everything ready, so you want to have a couple of really quick and easy appetizers on your menu. This saves you time, will help reduce stress, and lets you focus on a few “signature” items that you really love to make!
How to make taco cups
This vegetarian appetizer is basically a mini version of the Seven Layer Dip that you often see at parties. I love that dip but it tends to be heavy, and a little messy, so I made a few updates and put it all into these little “taco” cups for a one-bite appetizer.
The taco cups are actually made with wonton wrappers, which are another one of my favorite ingredients. Wonton wrapper appetizers are really easy to make and are great when you want to add a little extra crunch to something without making it really heavy. They can be baked or fried, though I prefer baking, and because they are thin, they cook really quickly which makes them a great option when you are short on time.
Bake the wonton wrappers: You'll start by lightly brushing both sides of the wrappers with oil and then pressing them into the cups of the mini muffin pan.
Make the seasoned black beans: Start by sautéing the onions and garlic. Then add the spices and cook until fragrant. Next, add the black beans and salsa. Simmer until heated and bubbly around the edge of the pan.
Make the cilantro-lime sauce: This is one of my favorite sauces for Mexican-inspired dishes. It's a simple mix of greek yogurt, cilantro, lime, green onion, jalapeno, salt and a touch of sugar.
Ingredient Notes
- Wonton wrappers: These are typically found in the produce section of most grocery stores.
- Black beans: Canned black beans work well for this recipe. Rinse and drain the beans before adding them to the pan.
- Onion + garlic: You can chop the onions ahead of time. I often do this during my weekly meal prep. Freshly minced garlic is your best option for this recipe.
- Greek yogurt: Plain low-fat or non-fat Greek yogurt is the recommendation for this recipe.
- Lime zest: Use a fine grater or zester to ensure freshness
- Green onion + cilantro: Green onions can be chopped ahead of time during weekly meal prep, however fresh cilantro is best chopped immediately before using.
- Guacamole: Use your favorite recipe or buy a pre-made version at your local grocery store
- Pico de gallo: I normally use pre-made pico de gallo as I typically have some in my refrigerator. If you want to make your own check out this Salsa from The Chunky Chef
- Spices: ground cumin, dried oregano + ground chipotle
- Pantry staples: olive oil, sugar, sea salt
What goes with black bean taco cups
These taco cups are a great choice for any game day party or casual gathering. Some other ideas to pair with them include:
- Instant Pot Queso Dip
- Baked Avocado Wontons (a great way to use up the rest of the wonton wrappers!)
- Baked Chicken Flautas
- Grapefruit Margaritas
tools you may want for this recipe
Mini Muffin Pan - I love making mini versions of muffins, including egg muffins, so this pan comes in handy. It also works really well for all kinds of mini appetizers, like these wonton tacos cups, and is also great for a variety of mini desserts.
Black Bean Wonton Taco Cups
Ingredients
For the wonton cups:
- 24 wonton wrappers
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- ½ cup guacamole
- ½ cup pico de gallo
For the beans:
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- ¼ cup chopped yellow onion
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 15- ounce can of black beans, drained and rinsed
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- pinch of ground chipotle pepper
For the cilantro-lime sauce:
- ½ cup plain greek yogurt
- pinch of sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon lime zest
- 1 tablespoon minced green onion
- ¼ cup cilantro leaves, chopped
- ¼ teaspoon finely minced jalapenño
Instructions
For the wonton cups:
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Brush both sides of each wonton wrapper with avocado and press into mini muffin pans. Bake for 6 minutes then remove from pan and let cool.
For the beans:
- While the wontons are cooking, add olive oil to a small saucepan and heat over medium-high heat. Add onions and sauté for 1 minute; add garlic and sauteé for an additional 30 seconds. Add the cumin, oregano and chipotle, cook for about a minute, until fragrant.
- Add the beans and salsa. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat and cook for 15 minutes. Keep warm.
For the cilantro lime sauce:
- While the beans are cooking mix yogurt, salt, sugar, lime zest, onion, cilantro and jalapeño in a small bowl.
- Refrigerate until ready to use.
To assemble the taco cups:
- Fill each cup with a scoop of black beans, top with guacamole, pico and some cilantro lime sauce.
- Repeat until all 24 cups are full. Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
This post was originally published in January 2016. It was updated in January 2021 with some additional information. No changes were made to the original recipe.
Liz @ I Heart Vegetables says
What a fun idea! So perfect for a party, although I'm sure my husband would be content to eat them for dinner 😉
Marye says
These look amazing! I love this idea!
Kristina says
yep - a quick and easy addition to game day - love these!
heather @french press says
such a cute idea! dip right in a cup is perfect for parties
Kathy Hester says
Those are ridiculously cute! I have to make them this weekend.
Kirsten / Comfortably Domestic says
Black bean tacos are a huge favorite of mine. These little taco cups are perfection!
Tony | Simple Awesome Cooking says
I'm thinking about doing these with eggs and sausage as little breakfast won tons, with Mimosas, for an upcoming brunch party.... Great foundation to work from.
FoodieGirlChicago says
I love the idea of turning them into mini breakfast wontons!