Black bean tacos just got a whole lot more interesting with this quick-stewed, smokey skillet recipe! The tomato-y black bean filling comes together all in one skillet with spicy, earthy, smokey spices in just about 30 minutes. While the filling cooks up, mix and mash together the super easy and delicious mango guacamole. The slightly sweet flavour with punches of zest makes for a guac that’s not only delicious on its own, but really boosts the overall flavour of the black bean tacos. This recipe works fabulously as a healthy and easy meal perfect for Taco Tuesdays and any night of the week! | Gluten Free + Vegan
Looking for a simple and healthy meatless meal that even the ardent meat eaters in your life will enjoy? Check out these delicious and satisfying vegetarian tacos! They’re easy to make, made mostly in one pan and are packed full of fibre and protein making for a veggie taco that’s as filling as it is flavourful!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Altogether this recipe is made up of fairly simple pantry staples that you likely already have on hand (except for possibly the mango). As always I’ll make sure to include easy substitutions and variations that you can work with based on what you’ve got.
- Two cans of black beans: I almost always use canned beans in my recipes for the sake of convince. It’s also almost impossible the find dried beans in my local supermarkets that don’t list gluten cross contamination warnings on the labels. If you prefer, you can use beans that you have cooked yourself. Simply replace the cans for 3 cups of cooked black beans.
- Chopped or diced tomatoes: Fire-roasted canned tomatoes would also work well here!
- One small onion: You can use white, brown, yellow or red onion. Whatever you have on hand works! Dice it up and cook about 5-7 minutes to soften and sweeten through light caramelisation.
- Garlic: Add the garlic to the diced onion and cook a minute or two until fragrant. Fresh garlic is always best an unmatched in flavour, but can absolutely use 1 teaspoon garlic powder instead if you prefer.
- Tomato paste: Tomato paste adds a subtle umami flavour to this dish. Make sure to add it along with the garlic to cook 1-2 minutes giving it a chance to ‘brown’. This initial cooking stage give the tomato paste time to deepen and unlock more of its hearty flavour. For a spicy kick you can sub out the tomato paste for chipotle paste.
- Vegetable stock: If you don’t need completely vegan or vegetarian bean tacos you can use chicken stock in place of the vegetable broth. Using stock is simply another way to infuse this dish with as much flavour as possible. That being said, you can use water in place of stock here. Just keep in mind that you’ll need to increase the amount of salt added later to make up for it.
- Ground Cumin, Turmeric, Smoked Paprika, Chili Flakes & Salt: Not necessarily all the most tradition spices that you usually find in black bean tacos, but they do make for a smokey, earthy and slightly spice dish that is next level. Feel free to play around with your own preferred taco seasoning if you wish!
- Fresh Lime Juice: A squeeze of lime and acidity goes a long way in boosting the flavour of this recipe. If you can help it, don’t skip this!
Quick Summary: How to Make Black Bean Tacos
- Cook the onion in a little bit of olive oil. Heat oil then add onion and cook about 5-7 minutes over a medium heat to sweat and soften the onions.
- Add the garlic & tomato paste. Cook only 1-2 minutes so that they have a chance to deepen and develop.
- Add the dry spices. Toast about 1 minute to bring out the flavours.
- Add the liquids and beans. Mix everything together and bring to a boil over a medium-high heat. Let simmer and cook about 15-20 minutes until the sauce reduces down into a thick sauce.
Leftovers & Storage Tips
- In the Fridge: Leftover black bean mixture should keep well in the fridge for about 5-7 days if stored in an airtight container.
- In the Freezer: Allow the filling to cool down completely, then package it up and store in a freezer-safe container or bag. You can keep leftovers for about 2 months kept in the freezer this way. When you’re ready to enjoy, you can let the beans thaw overnight in the fridge or defrost more quickly in the microwave.
- Reheat: Place the black bean mixture in a large skillet, add 2-3 tablespoons of vegetable stock or water and warm over a medium heat until totally warmed through. Adding a little extra moisture to the pan along with the beans simply ensures that you don’t end up drying out the mixture too much in the reheating process.
Topping and Serving Suggestions
I like serving these vegetarian black bean tacos in a gluten free, soft corn tortillas. That being said – hard taco shells or flour tortillas are also a great option!
If gluten free tortillas are tough to find where you live you can always make your own homemade corn tortillas from scratch! You don’t need a tortilla press to make them (though it would make the job easier). You might also be interested in checking out my 3-Ingredient Grain Free Tortillas made with chickpea flour and coconut milk.
Don’t feel limited to enjoying this recipe only in taco form. The filling works great as a burrito filling – perfect if you’re looking for a more portable, on-the-go meal you can pack up for lunches or travelling.
You can also serve this as taco bowl with extra veggies and sides like with my Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice, Mexican Red Rice or Southwest Avocado & Quinoa Corn Salad. Load up a large bowl and fill it with all the Taco Tuesday goodness you can find!
As for garnishes, go ahead and use favourite toppings! Feta or cotija cheese add a nice salty, tang. You also can’t go wrong with shredded Mexican or cheddar cheese. Add a dollop of sour cream, maybe some fresh cilantro and an extra side of lime wedges for good measure! While this recipe does include a guacamole, more sauce won’t hurt! Add some pico de gallo, splash on some hot sauce or go all out with your favourite salsa. I for one am never one to turn down an opportunity to make this roasted chipotle salsa!
However you have it – happy cooking and happy eating!
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Vegetarian Black Bean Tacos & Mango Guacamole
Black bean tacos just got a whole lot more interesting with this quick-stewed, smokey skillet recipe! The tomato-y black bean filling comes together all in one skillet with spicy, earthy, smokey spices in just about 30 minutes. While the filling cooks up, mix and mash together the super easy and delicious mango guacamole. The slightly sweet flavour with punches of zest makes for a guac that's not only delicious on its own, but really boosts the overall flavour of the black bean tacos. This recipe works fabulously as a healthy and easy meal great any night of the week! | Gluten Free + Vegan
Ingredients
Tacos
- 2 tablespoons | 30 ml olive oil
- 1 medim red onion, diced
- 1 tablespoon | about 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3/4 cup vegetable stock
- 1 14 oz can chopped or diced tomatoes
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 3/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1/4 teaspoon chili flakes
- 2 14 oz cans black beans, drained & rinsed
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 12-16 gluten free corn tortillas (6-8 inches)
Mango Guacamole
- 3 large ripe hass avocado
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 1/2 cup fresh mango, diced
- 1/4 cup red onion, diced
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, loosely packed and stems removed
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2, diced with seeds removed, optional
- 1/2-1 teaspoon sea salt , or to taste
Instructions
- Warm the olive oil in a large skillet over a medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook 5-7 minutes.
- Add the garlic and tomato paste. Cook another 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning.
- Add the cumin, smoked paprika, turmeric and chili flakes. Stir and cook 1 extra minute. If your skillet is looking dry at this point add another tablespoon of olive oil.
- Add the vegetable stock, tomatoes and black beans. Mix until well combined. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Let cook simmer 15-20 minutes to let the sauce thicken and reduce down. Make sure to stir every so often. While the beans are cooking prep the guacamole.
Guacamole
- Add the avocado flesh to a small mixing bowl and coat in lime juice. Use a fork or a potato masher to mash up the avocado into a desired consistency (I like leaving behind a few larger chunks but this part is up to you.)
- Mix in the remaining ingredients until combined. Taste and season with additional salt and lime juice as you see fit.
Assembly
- When you're ready to enjoy, fill each tortilla with about 3-4 tablespoons of filling and a dollop of guacamole. Top with your favourite taco toppings and enjoy!
Notes
- Leftover filling will keep 5-7 days stored in an airtight container in the fridge.
- Check out my homemade guacamole recipe for tips on how to store keep your guacamole as fresh as possible. https://www.asaucykitchen.com/homemade-guacamole-recipe/
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