Easiest Ever Black Bean Tacos
Happy street food Saturday! Looking back on the recipes I've created so far, I'm actually shocked there are no tacos yet. What have I been doing?! (Missing out on the street food cheap shots, apparently).
The best thing about tacos is that they're healthy(ish), filling, and so. Easy. To make. This vegetarian version is my favorite weeknight taco recipe because it comes together in less than 15 minutes and with minimal mess. Plus, there are absolutely zero pre-made taco seasonings or salsas involved, so you can feel good about serving these to your family sans obsessive label-checking.
To make these black bean tacos, all you have to do is 1) simmer a black bean salsa filling with tomatoes, jalapenos, and spices, 2) warm the corn tortillas in a skillet, and 3) layer the black bean filling with red onion, greens, and feta. Finish with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and you're done. No queso fresco or other tricky-to-find ingredients required (although if you can find queso fresco, feel free to sub it in for the feta!)
Did you make this recipe? Be sure to tag us on instagram @theprotopantry and use the #protopantry hashtag. Happy cooking!
Everything on protopantry.com is made using our 50-ingredient minimalist pantry list. We have recipes from all over the world and for most dietary needs—explore here.
Easiest Ever Black Bean Tacos Recipe
Every day is taco Tuesday with these 15-minute black bean tacos.
Makes: 4 servings
Prep time:
Cook time:
- 2 15.5-ounce cans black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
- 3 tablespoons pickled jalapenos, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon garlic
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
- 8 corn tortillas
- 1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
- 4 large handfuls spinach or salad greens, chopped
- 1/2 cup feta cheese
- Fresh lemon wedges for serving
- In a large sauce pan over medium-high heat, add the beans, tomatoes, jalapenos, garlic, salt, pepper, chili powder, and cumin. If you drained your tomatoes very well, add a small splash of liquid from the jalapeno jar.
- Bring the salsa to a simmer then reduce the heat to medium. Cook stirring occasionally for six-ten minutes, and gently mash the beans a bit with a spoon. You're not creating bean paste, but you do want your taco filling to have some cohesion. If the mixture bubbles or splatters too aggressively, reduce the heat a bit further.
- While the beans simmer, place the corn tortillas in a large skillet over medium-high heat to gently warm in batches. Each tortilla will only need about 30 seconds of heat per side. Watch the tortillas closely so they don't burn.
- When the filling and tortillas are finished cooking, fill the tortillas with black bean salsa filling, red onion, greens, and feta. Squeeze some fresh lemon juice over the top, and season with salt if desired (the feta will be fairly salty already, so go easy at first).
Notes and Nutrition Information
You can prepare the black bean filling up to three days ahead of time and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Of course, tacos have no rules, so feel free to use your favorite cheeses and greens. To make these black bean tacos vegan, substitute the feta for the vegan lemon aioli in this maple roasted carrots recipe, or the creamy jalapeno dressing in this buddha bowl recipe.
If you enjoy sour cream on your tacos, try the homemade creme fraiche in this buffalo chicken nachos recipe.
If you like crunchy tacos or tostadas, fry up your tortillas in a large skillet with about a third of an inch of hot oil. Be very careful and use long tongs to dip the tortillas in and out of the oil.
Add a touch of complexity to these tacos by quick-pickling your red onions (directions in this bibimbap recipe; just leave out the carrots!).
One fourth of the recipe as written contains approximately 345 calories, 8 grams of fat, 57 grams of carbohydrates, 16 grams of protein, 14 grams of fiber, 10 grams of sugar, and 325 milligrams of sodium.
