Easy vegetarian crispy black bean tacos with a smoky spicy flavor. Baked in the oven and ready in 20 minutes.
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Why Make Crispy Black Bean Tacos
These vegetarian tacos are filling! They are jam packed with flavor and they have a nice smoky flavor to them making them addictive.
They come together so quickly, have dinner ready and on the table in about 20 minutes. A great meal prep as well, you can reheat them in an air fryer or in the oven.
Customize them the way you'd like! If you want to add some ground beef for more protein they will be great, or leave them fresh and nourishing as is. You can also try my Crispy Chicken Tacos - these are top notch flavor!
Ingredients Needed
Black Beans. Canned black beans work perfectly for this recipe. They are quick are easy to cook up. This is the base of the taco.
Tomato. I use beef steak tomatoes for this recipe, they add a lot of volume and moisture for the beans.
Liquid Smoke. This is a wonderful condiment to upgrade flavors for savory dishes. I always have it on hand for recipes like this!
Seasonings. Salt, cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, oregano.
Chipotle Peppers in Adobo. These are in a can, found in the international aisle. These can be spicy, so be sure to check the spice before adding the full amount.
Sour Cream. This is added to the bean mix. You can also use cream cheese. It adds a little tangy creaminess to the mix.
All other ingredients and measurements can be found in the recipe card below.
Recipe Variations
Black Beans. Use pinto beans in place if needed.
Protein. Any cooked ground meat would mix well in with with beans. Just add in with all the other ingredients while making the bean mixture.
Chipotle Peppers In Adobo. You can sub chipotle powder if needed. Note, they won't be as spicy.
Liquid Smoke. This can be omitted if needed.
Tortillas. Use taco size corn or flour tortillas.
Steps To Make This Recipe
Step One. 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.
Step Two. 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.
Step Three. 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.
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 shredded cheese and seal/press closed. Continue the process until the cooking sheet is full.
Step Five. 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.
Step Six. Let them cool a bit, add sour cream, sliced jalapeños, cilantro and any other topping of choice! Enjoy.
Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat in an air fryer, microwave or in a skillet on low.
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.
Yes, add more protein to this recipe by adding cooked ground meat, beef, turkey or venison would work well.
Chopped mushrooms, chopped peppers or zucchini or corn would be wonderfully added in here.
Recipe Tips
Don't overload the tacos. They will fall apart if they are overloaded.
Use fresh tortillas to get the best folded tacos without breaking and cracking.
Try to use the bean mix as the "glue" to hold the tacos closed. You can also sprinkle cheese on the edges to help seal the tacos while baking.
Make these tacos extra spicy and delicious with my Chili Onion Crunch on top!
Crispy Black Bean Taco Pairings
These tacos pair great with my Roasted Poblano Corn Salad, Black Bean and Corn Salad, or my Roasted Red Pepper Kale Salad.
Other 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 *see notes
- 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
- 1½ tsp chili powder
- 1½ chipotle peppers in adobo about 1 Tbsp
- 1½ Tbsp liquid smoke *see notes
- ½ cup cheese, shredded any cheese of choice
- 10-12 corn tortillas *see notes
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.
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