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Easy Black Bean Tacos Recipe for a Flavorful 25-Minute Dinner

Easy Black Bean Tacos

These easy black bean tacos combine warmly spiced beans, soft tortillas, creamy avocado, fresh salsa, cilantro, and lime for a satisfying vegetarian dinner. The recipe makes 8 tacos for 4 servings in about 25 minutes.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Taco Filling
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 medium onion medium yellow onion, finely diced
  • 2 cloves garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika or regular paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
  • 2 15-ounce cans black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1/4 to 1/2 cup water or vegetable broth
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
For Serving
  • 8 tortillas small corn or flour tortillas
  • 1 avocado avocado, sliced or diced
  • 1/2 cup salsa or pico de gallo
  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
  • As needed lime wedges
Optional Toppings
  • Optional shredded cheese, sour cream, pickled onions, shredded cabbage, or hot sauce

Method
 

Step-by-Step
  1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the finely diced onion and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.
  2. Add the minced garlic, cumin, chili powder, paprika, and kosher salt. Stir for about 30 seconds, just until the garlic and spices become fragrant.
  3. Add the drained and rinsed black beans along with 1/4 cup water or vegetable broth. Stir and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, adding more liquid if the mixture looks dry.
  4. Lightly mash about one-quarter to one-third of the beans with the back of a spoon. Keep most of the beans whole so the filling stays textured rather than becoming a smooth purée.
  5. Stir in the fresh lime juice and taste the filling. Add more salt if needed, then keep the skillet warm while preparing the tortillas.
  6. Warm the tortillas in a dry skillet, in the microwave, or directly over a low gas flame. Fill each tortilla with the black bean mixture and finish with avocado, salsa or pico de gallo, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime.

Notes

Rinse and drain canned black beans to prevent a watery or overly salty filling. Mash only part of the beans for a cohesive texture with plenty of whole beans. Warm tortillas before filling so corn tortillas are flexible and less likely to crack.