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If you’re in the mood for crispy black bean tacos drizzled with an avocado cream sauce, you’ve stumbled across the right recipe!
Meat-based tacos are overrated. It’s time you switch to the dark side.

Table of Contents
📖 About
We’re about to make your life a whole lot easier with these simple black bean tacos. Seriously, they only require 7 ingredients that you probably already have.
We’re going to level with you. Since moving to Mexico, we’ve been enjoying “taco Tuesday” on the daily. Finally making our own corn tortillas has given us expert-level taco status.
We want to give a special thanks to Glen Bell (the founder of taco bell) for making crispy tacos popular. Initially starting in Southern California, they’ve now nestled their way into households all across the globe.
Although not authentically Mexican, you cannot go wrong with a crispy taco. They’re one of our favorite foods because of how quick and easy everything comes together.
Plus, it’s always good to try new things.
Serving
Black bean tacos taste great on their own, but they’re also really easy to add things to. An avocado cream sauce just feels right, but we’ve also enjoyed these tacos with spicy chili aioli on top (we’re still deciding which one we like better).
If you prefer more tang, add a little salsa verde into the mix. Need some heat? Give salsa roja a whirl. Are you a cheese person? Crumble from vegan queso fresco into the mix!
We want everyone to be able to enjoy this meal, so we kept it vegan & gluten-free. Plus, you can easily make these black bean tacos oil-free.

🍲 Key ingredients
For a complete ingredient list and step-by-step guide, scroll down to our recipe card.
Black beans
Taste: black beans are soft, creamy, and have a mild bean flavor. They are best enjoyed when cooked from dry.
Health: black beans are one of the best sources of plant-based protein (15 grams per cup). That same cup also has 15 grams of fiber, which helps keep you full for longer.
Corn tortillas
Taste: when freshly made, corn tortillas are irresistibly soft, tender, and slightly sweet. If you’re on team flour, it’s most likely because you haven’t had a homemade corn tortilla before.
Health: only containing 2 ingredients, corn tortillas are vegan, gluten, and oil-free. Masa also contains a higher amount of fiber than wheat.

Cumin
Taste: this spice carries a warm, earthy flavor along with both sweet and bitter notes (talk about complex). We use ground cumin in this recipe to meld all the ingredients together.
Health: cumin is very beneficial to the digestive system. Some effects have even been proven in clinical studies! Those give cumin had more protection from colon cancer.
Paprika
Taste: sweet and relatively mild compared to its relatives in the spicy chili family. Paprika carries fruity notes and lifts the flavors in this dish without overpowering it. Plus, the color is pretty unreal!
Fun fact: paprika comes in flavors such as sweet, hot, or smoked and in different colors like red, orange, and yellow.

🔪 Instructions
If you have questions about this vegan black bean taco recipe, don’t forget to check out our FAQ section at the bottom of this post.
Step 1: sauté the onion, garlic, and spices in a little olive oil to soften them up. Then, add your cooked black beans to a large mixing bowl and roughly mash them (you don’t have to go crazy).

Step 2: combine the beans and onion mixture together, then grab out your corn tortillas! Cook each of your tortillas in a single layer for a few seconds (the amount of tortillas you can cook at a time will depend on your pan).

Step 3: add enough bean mixture to cover one half of each tortilla. If you’re using grated cheese, now would be the time to add it. Using a spatula, fold each tortilla in half and press down to shape the tacos.

Step 4: cook the tacos for a few minutes on each side until golden brown and crispy. Continue this process until all the tacos are done, making sure to top up the oil as your pan dries out.
Step 5: serve your black bean tacos immediately with a side of vegan avocado cream sauce!
🌡️ Storage
Fridge: if you’re planning for leftovers, the bean mixture will keep in the fridge for up to 4-5 days. Try to avoid storing the whole taco in your fridge since the tortillas will become less crisp the longer they sit.
Freezer: freeze the bean mixture for up to 3 months if you’re not going to eat the tacos within a week. If you’re making corn tortillas, refer to our post on how to store homemade tortillas.
Reheat: ensure you thaw the bean mixture overnight in your fridge, then follow the same cooking instructions.

💭 Pro tips
Time to share our tips and tricks we learned while perfecting this recipe for you:
- Using a cast-iron pan gives the tacos a perfect char and taste.
- Don’t overfill your taco to avoid spillage on the pan.
- Cook your beans from scratch to ensure they’re optimally creamy.
- Use freshly made corn tortillas for the best results.
- Add different vegetables inside to further customize the tacos.
- Serve these with a chunky pico de gallo to add extra zest.
🍴 Tasting notes
These black bean tacos are too good for you to miss out on. They’re:
- Crispy
- Simple
- Comforting
- Creamy
- Cheap
If you try this vegan taco recipe, please rate it and leave us a comment below! Want to stay up-to-date with new recipes? Subscribe to our newsletter or connect with Broke Bank Vegan on social media. Happy eating!

Crispy Black Bean Tacos
Equipment
- Chef knife
- Large skillet
- Spatula
Ingredients
Filling
- 3 tbsp olive oil, divided ($0.33)
- ½ medium white onion, diced ($0.14)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced ($0.12)
- 1 tsp cumin ($0.02)
- ½ tsp paprika ($0.02)
- Salt & pepper to taste ($0.02)
- 2 cups cooked black beans ($0.32)
- ½ – 1 cup Grated vegan cheese optional
Tortillas
- 8 corn tortillas ($0.16)
For dipping optional
Instructions
Filling
- Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low. Add in the onion and sauté for 3-4 minutes until turning translucent. Add in the minced garlic and cook for another 1-2 minutes.
- Season with cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper to taste, then remove from heat. Add the cooked black beans to a large mixing bowl and roughly mash them. Stir in the onion mixture and combine well.
Tacos
- Once the filling is mixed together, add about ½ – 1 more tbsp of oil into the skillet and turn it to medium heat. Add 1-2 corn tortillas in a single layer and cook on the first side for about 10 seconds (the amount of tortillas you can cook at a time will depend on your pan).
- Then, scoop about 3-4 tbsp of bean mixture onto one half of each tortilla. You can also add some grated vegan cheese on top if you want. Using a spatula, fold the tortillas in half and press down to shape the tacos. Cook on each side until golden brown, about 1-3 minutes.
- Continue cooking the tacos following this process until all the bean mixture is gone. Make sure to top up the oil as your pan dries out.
- Serve these black bean tacos warm with a side of vegan avocado cream sauce or Mexican crema. Happy eating!
Video

Notes
- This recipe tastes best with freshly cooked black beans and homemade corn tortillas, but canned beans and store-bought tortillas also work (and save time)!
- Optional ingredients are not reflected in the price or calories of our recipes.
- Nutritional information is a rough estimate.
- Recipe cost calculations are based on ingredients local to us and may vary from recipe-to-recipe.
- All prices are in USD.
Nutrition
♻️ Similar recipes
For more recipes made with black beans, check out our:
- Mexican black bean soup for a quick meal that’s high in fiber and protein.
- Sweet potato and bean enchiladas if you need a recipe to please the whole house.
- Southwest sweet potato black bean salad for an explosion of vibrant flavors and colors.
- Vegan sopes for a delicious and authentic Mexican antojito.
💬 FAQ
Yes! These bake nicely in the oven at 375 degrees F for 7-8 minutes per side. Just make sure to check on them frequently as every oven is slightly different.
You can definitely use flour tortillas. We prefer the taste of corn tortillas in this recipe, but you do you!
You definitely do not need a cast iron skillet for this recipe. Although we prefer the flavor cast-iron provides, these tacos can be made in any frying pan or oven.
Yummy
Thank you for the comment!
I just had the tacos and avocado sauce for lunch and it exceeding my expectations. Simple ingredients but lots of flavor. Will definitely make this again.
We’re so glad to hear you loved this recipe, Tori! Thanks for the review!
Riquísimos Yammy
Great!