This post may contain affiliate links.
You’re going to love these easy vegetarian crispy black bean tacos with a smoky and spicy flavor. They’re baked in the oven and ready in 20 minutes.
Table of Contents
Why Make This Crispy Black Bean Taco Recipe
- Satisfying and Filling. These vegetarian tacos jam-packed with flavor and they have a nice smoky flavor to them, making them addictive.
- So Quick! They come together so easily! You are guaranteed to have dinner ready and on the table in about 20 minutes. They’re also great for meal prep as well because you can reheat them in an air fryer or in the oven in just minutes.
- Customize Them the Way You’d Like! Add some ground beef for more protein, swap the cheese, throw in the veggies, or leave them fresh and nourishing as is. The possibilities are endless.
What’s not to love about crunchy tacos? Try the top-notch flavor of my Crispy Chicken Tacos or Crispy Beef Tacos next!
Ingredients Needed
- Black Beans. Canned black beans work perfectly for crispy baked black bean tacos. They are quick and easy to heat up and make the base of the taco.
- Tomato. I use beef steak tomatoes in the beans because they add a lot of volume and moisture to the beans while some tomato paste adds more depth of flavor.
- Liquid Smoke. This is a wonderful condiment to upgrade flavors for savory dishes, adding a bit of smokiness. I always keep a bottle of liquid smoke on hand for recipes like this one. Feel free to leave it out for a less smoky essence to your tacos.
- Seasonings. We’re using a handful of pantry staple spices to add flavor. You will need some salt, cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, and oregano.
- Chipotle Peppers in Adobo. These are in a can and usually found in the international aisle. These are a bit spicy, so be sure to check the spice before adding the full amount. In addition to adding spiciness, they have an essence of smokiness so they intensify the smoky flavors of the beans. You can also use chipotle powder for a similar result that’s a bit less spicy.
- Sour Cream. Mixed into the bean mixture for some creaminess. You can also use cream cheese for a similar flavor and texture.
- Tortillas. Taco size corn tortillas are my preference for crispy bean tacos, but you can certainly use flour if you prefer.
All the other ingredients and measurements you will need are in the recipe card below.
Recipe Variations
- Swap the Beans. Use pinto beans or white beans instead.
- Add More Protein. Mix in any type of cooked ground meat, including beef, turkey, chicken, or venison, into the beans. Just add it in with all the other ingredients while making the bean mixture.
- Add Some Veggies. Mix in additional veggies with the garlic and onion if you prefer. Chopped mushrooms, chopped peppers or zucchini, or corn make wonderful additions.
How to Make Crispy Black Bean Tacos
Step One. Gather the ingredients, chop the tomatoes, garlic, and onions into small pieces. Preheat the oven to 375º F and begin heating a skillet over medium heat.
Step Two. Add the oil to the pan followed by the onions. Sauté the onions for about 3 minutes.
Step Three. Add the tomato paste, chipotle adobo, black beans, tomatoes, garlic, seasoning, and liquid smoke to the skillet. Let the mixture cook down a bit. It should look similar to refried beans a bit. Squeeze the fresh lime in it. Save the rest of the lime for serving.
Step Four. Wrap about 12-14 tortillas in a damp paper towel, microwave them for 30 seconds. Working quickly, spritz the tortillas with oil spray, add about 1/4 cup or less of bean mixture to the tortilla, generously add some shredded cheese inside, and seal or press closed. Continue the process until the cooking sheet is full.
Step Five. Bake the crispy tacos in the oven for about 10-14 minutes or until the cheese melts and crisps on the edges of the tacos. The edges of the tacos will also be lightly browned.
Step Six. Cool slightly and then add sour cream, sliced jalapeños, cilantro and any other topping of choice! Enjoy.
Recipe Tips
- Don’t overload the tacos. They will fall apart if try to stuff in too much filling. For these tacos, less is best.
- Fresh warm tortillas. Use fresh tortillas that are slightly warmed so you can fold the tacos without the tortillas breaking and cracking.
- Keep them closed. Use the bean mix as the “glue” to hold the tacos closed. If they won’t stay sealed, you can also sprinkle cheese on the edges for extra help in keeping the tacos sealed while baking.
- Store. Store leftover tacos in an airtight container for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to three months. Be sure to store the toppings separately in the fridge. Reheat in an air fryer, microwave or in a skillet on low. Note that the microwave will not make the tacos crisp up again. If they’re frozen, thaw out before reheating.
- Make Extra Black Bean Filling. Or keep any extras used to make quesadillas, a plate of nachos, or even enjoy cold on a veggie wrap.
Serving Ideas
Pile on the toppings, including sour cream, avocado, cilantro jalapeño, and a squeeze of lime. These are my favorite, but feel free to add on any of your favorite taco toppings.
Add a taco dipping sauce on the side. These may include a spicy ranch, hot honey, spicy cheese sauce, and more!
If you love spicy foods, drizzle some of my Chili Onion Crunch or fresh tomato salsa on top for extra goodness.
These crunchy tacos pair great with my Poblano Corn Salad, Black Bean and Corn Salad, or my Roasted Red Pepper Kale Salad. You can also enjoy them with a side of your favorite Mexican rice.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, these are a bit spicy from the chipotle peppers and adobo sauce. You can use 1/2 tsp chipotle powder in place if needed and if you are serving kids or anyone sensitive to spice, leave out the chipotles completely and serve up hot sauce on the table.
Yes, of course! Just be sure to cook in batches so you don’t overcrowd the tacos. Cook at 350° F for 6-8 minutes. Flip them over halfway through cooking so both sides crisp up.
Sure! You can fill and bake them so all you need to do is reheat them. If you prefer them freshly cooked, make the bean mixture in advance and store it in the fridge for up to 4 days. When you’re ready to eat them, add the beans to the tortillas along with the cheese, fold and bake them. You may need to cook a few minutes longer since the beans are cold.
More Taco Recipes to Try
If you loved this recipe let me know! Also, follow me on Instagram & Pinterest for even more fun recipes to make you feel good from the inside out. Thanks for being here.
Crispy Black Bean Tacos
Equipment
- large skillet
- sharp knives
- baking sheet
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- ⅓ cup red onions, chopped , white or yellow onion will work well.
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 14 oz cans black beans
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1 cup tomatoes, chopped
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 ½ tsp chili powder
- 1 ½ chipotle peppers in adobo , about 1 Tbsp, chipotle peppers in adobo are spicy, add more for extra spice or less to make it milder
- 1 ½ Tbsp liquid smoke, optional, This adds a nice smoky flavor to the beans.
- ½ cup cheese, shredded, any cheese of choice
- 10-12 corn tortillas , flour or corn will work great. Use small taco sized tortillas.
Toppings (Optional)
- 4 Tbsp sour cream
- sliced avocado
- 4 Tbsp cilantro, chopped
- 1 jalapeño, sliced
- 1 lime, sliced
Instructions
- Gather the ingredients, chop the tomatoes, garlic, and onions. Heat a large skillet on medium heat. Add oil and chopped onions to the skillet. Preheat the oven to 375º.
- Sauté the onions for about 3 minutes. Next, add all the black bean mix ingredients: tomato paste, chipotle adobo, black beans, tomatoes, garlic, seasoning, liquid smoke.
- Let the mixture cook down a bit and cook together. It should look similar to refried beans a bit. Squeeze the fresh lime in it. Save the rest of the lime for serving.
- Wrap about 12-14 tortillas in a damp paper towel, microwave them for 30 seconds. Working quickly, spritz the tortillas with oil spray, add about 1/4 cup or less of bean mixture to the tortilla, generously add shredded cheese and seal/press closed. Continue the process until the cooking sheet is full.
- Place in the oven for about 10-14 minutes or until the cheese is melted and crisped on the edges of the tacos and the tacos are lightly browned.
- Let them cool a bit, add sour cream, sliced jalapeños, avocado, cilantro and any other topping of choice! Enjoy.
Notes
- Don’t overload the tacos. They will fall apart if try to stuff in too much filling. For these tacos, less is best.
- Fresh warm tortillas. Use fresh tortillas that are slightly warmed so you can fold the tacos without the tortillas breaking and cracking.
- Keep them closed. Use the bean mix as the “glue” to hold the tacos closed. If they won’t stay sealed, you can also sprinkle cheese on the edges for extra help in keeping the tacos sealed while baking.
- Store: Store leftover tacos in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Be sure to store the toppings separately. Reheat in an air fryer, microwave or in a skillet on low. Note that the microwave will not make the tacos crisp up again.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Looking forward to trying this! Assuming the beans get drained and the chipotle pepper gets chopped. Is that right?
Hi Carmen! Yes, you are exactly correct thanks for catching that. I will adjust the instructions so they’re a little more clear.
Let me just say these were DELISH! I will be making again, I can’t get over the fact that they are meat free.
These were incredibly tasty. I am already thinking what else I can put these beans on. My tortillas were not crisping and I was losing hope but, trust the process! Will make again.
I am so happy to hear this! Thank you for the feedback.