Crispy Black Bean Tacos

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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.

📖 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!

♻️ 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