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These Crispy Black Bean Tacos are a quick and easy family dinner idea that you can easily whip up with pantry ingredients and just over 30 minute.! Simple ingredients that deliver big flavor the entire family will love. This meat free filling will satisfy all of your taco cravings!

Plate filled with crispy black bean tacos served with a bowl of sour cream, cilantro and lime.


 

All about these black bean tacos…

Meet your new favorite weeknight family taco idea! Although Classic Ground Beef Tacos will always be a Tex Mex favorite, these Black Bean tacos have plenty to offer! Plus the fried taco texture is reminiscent of the popular Birria Tacos.

  • Quick and Easy: this meal needs very little prep time and depending on the size of the skillet you use, you may be able to fry up several tacos at a time, making this a great weeknight dinner option!
  • Affordable: thanks to being meat free and using mainly pantry ingredients the total cost for making this meal for a family of four will be below $10.
  • Flavorful & Healthy: even without meat, we are not skimping on nutrition or flavor with this recipe! The black beans add a great source of nutrition and the crushed tomatoes and seasonings are the perfect blend of Tex Mex flavors that are sure to satisfy the most intense taco cravings.

Ingredients Needed:

Ingredients needed to make black bean tacos laid out on the counter.

Notes on Some Ingredients:

  • Black Beans: a great option, you can use dried or canned for this recipe depending on what you have on hand, dried beans will need to be cooked prior to starting the recipe below. If you don’t have black beans, pinto beans are another great option for this recipe.
  • Corn Tortillas: these are preferred over flour tortillas due to frying the tortillas and wanting to get a nice crispy texture.
  • Cheese: use your favorite type of cheese, or whatever you have on hand. Monterey Jack is a great Tex Mex option.
  • Crushed Tomatoes: these canned tomatoes have a wonderful texture. If you are using fresh tomatoes simply chop them up, cook them down and mash them into the beans.
  • Oil: Avocado oil is a great option thanks to the high smoke point.
  • Seasonings: Chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, oregano and salt are used. Feel free to adjust according to your taste preferences.
  • Hot Sauce: not pictured but adds a wonderful taste and a bit of heat to the tacos when you fry them up and I highly recommend!

How to Make (step-by-step):

Black beans being mixed with crushed tomatoes and seasonings to create a taco filling. Before and after cooking and mashing.
  • Step 1: Prepare the bean mixture by adding the beans, tomatoes and seasonings to a medium size pot and cook over medium heat.
  • Step 2: Mash some of the beans and the tomato mixture together to create a nice thick taco filling.
  • Step 3: Fry the tortillas with a serving of the taco filling and the cheese in avocado oil (or oil of preference) until tortillas are nice and crispy and the cheese is melted.
Frying corn tortillas with black bean taco filling and shredded cheese.
Up close view showing crispy tortillas and gooey cheese inside of vegetarian black bean tacos.

Expert Tips:

  • Serve Fresh: due to frying the tortillas these tacos are best served fresh. As they sit the tortilla will soften.
  • Toppings: these tacos are fairly simple in only having bean taco filling and cheese inside. But you can definitely dress them up with some extra toppings! Have some sour cream, hot sauce, salsa, Pico de Gallo, or guacamole on the side for dipping.
  • Frying: this definitely is what makes these tacos the best! They are fried up just like the Birria Tacos, if you want to add bit more flavor add a chili oil to the oil in the skillet to fry up the tacos, this will infuse more flavoring into the tortillas themselves.

FAQ’s:

Can this recipe be made with dried beans?

Yes of course! If you have dried beans on hand, this is a great recipe to make to shop your own pantry. If you are prepping ahead soak the beans overnight and then cook them the next day until softened. Otherwise you can do a quick soak, bringing the beans to a boil, covering, removing from the heat and letting sit for an hour and then rinse, replace the water and cook until softened.

Can I use a different type of bean?

Absolutely. Pinto beans are another great option for this taco idea.

What to serve with these tacos?

These tacos are actually filling on their own! But if you are wanting a side, this Mexican Corn Dip is a great option, or Esquites. Plus a Classic Margarita, or Frozen Margarita are always a fun option!

Crispy black bean tacos served with sour cream and hot sauce on top.

More Bean Recipes:

Crispy Black Bean Tacos

5 from 10 votes
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Total: 35 minutes
Servings: 4
Author: Serene
Quick and easy these affordable Black Bean Tacos are nutritious and full of flavor! Sure to satisfy the most intense taco cravings!
Plate filled with crispy black bean tacos served with a bowl of sour cream, cilantro and lime.

Ingredients  

  • 2 (15 ounce cans) black beans drained and rinsed
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon Mexican oregano dried
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon chili powder
  • 7 ounces crushed tomatoes
  • ¼ cup avocado oil
  • 2 cups Monterey Jack cheese shredded
  • hot sauce as desired
  • 10 white corn tortillas

Instructions 

  • In a medium size saucepan add the black beans, spices and crushed tomatoes. Cook over medium low heat stirring until heated through.
  • Mash some of the beans by pressing against the side of the pot with your spoon. This will make a thick mixture.
  • Heat avocado oil in a medium to large size skillet, use just enough oil to cover the entire bottom of the skillet.
  • Lay a corn tortilla in the skillet and spread approximately 2-3 tablespoons of bean mixture on half of the tortilla, top with shredded cheese and a shake or two of hot sauce if desired.
  • Fold the tortilla in half using fork or spatula.
  • Continue to fry until the bottom of the tortilla is crisp and golden. Then flip and fry the other side until crisp and golden.
  • Remove taco to plate lined with paper towel. 
  • Serve with favorite toppings: sour cream, guacamole, or pico de gallo

Video

Equipment

Notes

  • Black Beans: a great option, you can use dried or canned for this recipe depending on what you have on hand, dried beans will need to be cooked prior to starting the recipe below. If you don’t have black beans, pinto beans are another great option for this recipe.
  • Corn Tortillas: these are preferred over flour tortillas due to frying the tortillas and wanting to get a nice crispy texture.
  • Crushed Tomatoes: these canned tomatoes have a wonderful texture. If you are using fresh tomatoes simply chop them up, cook them down and mash them into the beans.
  • Oil: Avocado oil is a great option thanks to the high smoke point.
  • Storage: the bean taco filling can be stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. 
  • It is recommended to serve the tacos fresh after frying to retain the crispy texture of the tortilla. 

Nutrition

Calories: 494kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 50mg | Sodium: 694mg | Potassium: 335mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 623IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 498mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Like this? Leave a comment below!

Photography done by the talented @KJandCompany.co


Welcome to my kitchen!

Welcome to the House of Yumm!! My name is Serene. I’m the food photographer, recipe developer, and official taste tester around these parts.

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3 Comments

  1. These were 100% delicious. I loved them and I’m not even much a bean lover. I can’t wait to make them again.

  2. great, I’m in love black beans and this is a nice new way to serve them, at least for me, so thank you