Black Bean Tacos are made with pantry staples and topped with creamy cilantro sauce, avocado, and cabbage. A delicious vegetarian (and easily vegan) option.
Use extra black beans in Mango Black Bean Salsa, Black Bean Bowls, or Quinoa Black Bean Salad.
Black Bean Tacos
I have two sisters who are vegetarian, so whenever I know they’re visiting, it’s the perfect excuse for me to get creative with meatless meals.
These black bean tacos came about when I had extra black beans and they were coming to town. And let me tell you, even as a meat lover who thinks tacos need meat to be complete, these black bean tacos did not disappoint.
They are amazing and we’re a huge hit with the vegetarians and meat eaters alike. My favorite part? The cilantro sauce—it’s creamy, delicious, and takes them to the next level.
Ingredients In Black Bean Tacos
- Cilantro Sauce: Adjust honey and jalapeño to your taste for sweetness and heat.
- Black Beans: Mash the beans slightly for a thick, flavorful base.
- Cabbage: Toss with the sauce ahead of time to let the flavors meld.
- Tortillas: Char them over a stovetop flame for added flavor.
- Queso Cotija: Crumble the cheese just before serving for a fresher flavor.
- Lime Wedges: Squeeze lime right before eating to brighten up the flavors.
Quick Tip
If you have leftover cooked black beans, you can use them in this recipe. One 15-ounce can equals about 2 cups (16 ounces) of cooked-from-scratch beans.
How To Make Black Bean Tacos
- Make Sauce: Taste and adjust seasoning and honey as needed.
- Cook Beans: Mash more for a creamy texture or less for a chunkier bean mix.
- Prepare Cabbage: Let it chill for at least 10 mins for the flavors to meld.
- Warm the Tortillas: Char tortillas over a stovetop flame or heat in a skillet.
- Assemble Tacos: Top with cilantro, jalapeños, and a squeeze of lime for extra freshness.
Variations
Switch Things Up
- No canned black beans? Use 3 cups of cooked black beans instead.
- Low carb? Use low-carb tortillas or serve over cauliflower rice.
- Make it a bowl meal: Serve black beans over cilantro-lime rice. Add avocado, cabbage, and sauce.
- Try a different sauce: Use the sauce from these Shrimp Tacos or Cilantro Lime Dressing.
- Add spice: Drizzle hot sauce or add jalapeños to the tacos.
- Make them vegan: Skip the cheese and use maple syrup instead of honey. Check out these tips.
Storage
Leftovers?
Keep black bean tacos leftovers apart in sealed containers in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Warm up beans and cabbage on the stove or in the microwave before serving.
More Vegetarian Recipes
- Vegetable Curry with sweet potato and cauliflower
- Meatless Shepherd’s Pie topped with mashed potatoes
- Lentil Soup loaded with veggies
- Vegetarian Chili popular recipe
- Meatless Enchiladas with black beans and corn
Black Bean Tacos
Black Bean Tacos are a delicious way to use pantry staples, topped with creamy citrus-cilantro sauce, avocado, and saucy cabbage. Add lime and cheese for the best vegetarian (or vegan) tacos!
Equipment
- Small blender
- Large pot
Ingredients
Citrusy Cilantro Avocado Sauce
Black Beans
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 cup diced yellow onion 1/2 of 1 onion
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic 2 cloves
- 1-1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ground chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 2 (14.5-ounce) cans black beans
- 1/3 cup vegetable broth or stock or chicken broth/stock if not vegetarian; water can also be used
Tacos
- 1/2 head green cabbage 3 cups finely shredded
- 10 to 12 small corn tortillas or flour tortillas
- Queso cotija cheese for serving
- Lime wedges for serving
- Additional jalapeños optional
- Additional cilantro optional
Instructions
- Sauce: Add 1/2 cup ripe avocado and cilantro (it’s fine to include stems; this will take most of a bunch) to a small blender. Zest and juice lime and orange to get 1 teaspoon lime zest, and 2 tablespoons lime juice, 1 teaspoon orange zest, and 4 tablespoons orange juice. Add to blender along with minced garlic, honey, jalapeño, and water. Season to taste with salt and pepper; I add 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Blend until smooth. Taste and adjust any flavors to personal preference. Place in fridge to chill while preparing everything else.
- Beans: Drain and rinse beans. Heat the 2 tablespoons oil in a large pot over medium-low heat. Add diced onion and minced garlic. Stir until softened, about 4–5 minutes. Add in ground cumin, chili powder, paprika, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds to one minute. Add in 1 and 1/2 cups beans along with broth, stock, or water. Stir, then gently mash beans with the back of a wooden spoon (or potato masher). Continue to cook over medium-low heat, stirring often, until mixture reaches a simmer and thickens. Mash beans again, then add in remaining beans. Stir to combine. Reduce heat to low and cover. Stir occasionally while finishing everything else. Taste and adjust salt to personal preference; I usually add another 1/4 teaspoon here, but remember the cheese (if used) is salty as well.
- Cabbage: Add cabbage to a large bowl and drizzle about half the sauce over it. Toss with tongs to combine and place in fridge.
- Tortillas: See note 1 for preparing tortillas. I typically char them over a gas flame on my stovetop, but any method works.
- Assemble: Place a large scoop of cabbage down the center of the tortillas and a few spoonfuls of beans on top. Thinly slice the other half of the avocado and add it to the tacos. Add a generous drizzle of sauce and any other desired toppings, such as cheese, additional cilantro, and/or jalapeños. If you aren’t adding cheese, you may want an extra sprinkle of salt. Squeeze some fresh lime wedges over the tacos and enjoy immediately.
Recipe Notes
Note 1: Warming Tortillas
On the grill:
- Preheat grill to medium-high (about 400–450℉). Generously oil grill by drenching a rolled-up paper towel in vegetable oil and, holding it with tongs, rubbing it over grill grates.
- Spray both sides of tortillas with cooking spray, lightly sprinkle with salt, and place on grates for 30–45 seconds. Flip and leave on for another 30–45 seconds. Remove and immediately fold into a taco shape and set aside to slightly cool.
- Spray tortillas (both sides) with olive oil cooking spray, then place directly over the gas flames for a few seconds. Use tongs to flip until tortillas are lightly charred.
- Remove and immediately fold into a taco shape and set aside to slightly cool.
- Pan: Spray tortillas (both sides) with olive oil cooking spray, then place in a dry pan over medium-high heat. Use tongs to flip until tortillas are lightly browned, about 20–30 seconds per side. Remove and immediately fold into a taco shape and set aside to slightly cool.
- Microwave: Put up to five tortillas on a microwavable plate and cover them with a damp paper towel. Microwave in 30-second bursts until they are warmed through, then remove and immediately fold into a taco shape and fill.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 489kcal | Carbohydrates: 87.7g | Protein: 19.1g | Fat: 9.6g | Sodium: 956.2mg | Fiber: 23.9g | Sugar: 19.3g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Please learn how to write a recipe. The salt and pepper not being mentions in the ingredients list then randomly mentioned threw me off. and do actual steps. Do sections then steps, instead of just a clump of text.
Add salt and pepper to taste; I’m just sharing what I recommend 🙂 Sorry the recipes aren’t how you’d write them, I’m working my best to continually improve. Thanks for the feedback; I appreciate it! Happy New Year!
Delicious and meat-free! The sauce and flavor was amazing.
I love everything about this! SO much flavor!! YUM!
This recipe is great for meatless Mondays or Taco Tuesday. It’s so flavorful and good!