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Vegetarian tacos are one of the most delicious ways to eat vegetables! Here’s how to make tacos and our 10 best tacos recipes.
Whether you’re looking to eat more vegetables or eat plant based on the regular, vegan and vegetarian tacos are one of the most delicious ways to do it! The tortilla is the perfect canvas for vegetable deliciousness. You can go straight up authentic with Mexican flavors, or branch into a fusion taco with flavors taking cues from Thai or Korean elements.
All of our 10 best vegetarian tacos below are not considered “authentic” or traditional tacos: they’re plays on the concept of delicious flavors and textures inside a tortilla. Keep reading for how to make tacos, and our 10 best vegetarian tacos recipes!
And now, our top vegetarian tacos recipes!
Make it vegan! All taco recipes below are vegan or can be customized to be vegan with the substitutes listed in the recipe, except for the Egg Tacos..
Meet our new favorite: these 15-minute vegetarian black bean tacos! They star 5 minute black beans, a quick taco filling idea that’s bursting with flavor in just a few minutes. Top it with all the best taco toppings: corn, avocado, pickled onions: and a sprinkling of feta cheese. If you have time, we love it with cilantro lime sauce: but taco sauce and sour cream does the trick too!
Also try: Quick Refried Bean Tacos
These crispy avocado tacos are destined to be your new favorite vegetarian tacos recipe! You’ve got avocado fries, breaded and baked in a hot oven until crispy. Then top that with spiced black beans, pico de gallo, and the refreshing crunch of romaine lettuce. Drizzle on a creamy lime and cilantro sauce, and it’s heaven on a plate. It tastes like restaurant tacos, but it’s easy to whip up in your kitchen.
Next up in our best vegetarian tacos: our Crispy Cauliflower Tacos! They star our crispy breaded cauliflower (baked, not fried), which are reminiscent of the texture of fish tacos. Add to that refried beans and silky Yum Yum Sauce and they’re all about one thing: big flavor! They are one of our fan favorite recipes because they’re so satisfying — even without the meat. Scroll down for the recipe.
Here's the very fastest vegetarian tacos: Epic 5 Minute Tacos! Can dinner really be made in 5 minutes? We'll let you find out for yourself. These tacos feature our chorizo-style eggs, which materialize into a meaty flavor and texture before your eyes. Top with salsa fresca, cilantro and hot sauce, and prepare to be amazed!
Here’s a quick and easy taco recipe perfect for weeknights: try these Mushroom Tacos! Portobello mushrooms have enormous savory flavor: throw them in a skillet with some punchy seasonings and they make plant-based magic. This recipe is for when you have just a few minutes to throw together a meal: combine those portobellos with creamy refried beans and the quickest slaw, and you’ve got dinner!
Here's a fun taco recipe that works in any season! Throw sweet potatoes and bell peppers onto a sheet pan for an irresistible taco filling. The best part: you can add the black beans right on the roasting pan. It comes out zingy and delicious: top with pico de gallo, cheese crumbles, and a dollop of sour cream.
Here’s one way to make it mega-delicious: this Vegan Tacos Recipe! There are lots of ways to make a vegan taco, but this one is our favorite. It’s filled with hearty, spiced walnut taco meat that tastes remarkably similar to the real thing. Add refried beans, your favorite classic toppings, and dollop with a creamy, spicy sauce.
Tofu is ideal for a vegetarian taco recipe! Its neutral flavor takes on whatever flavors you season it with: and these tofu crumbles are quite the kitchen trick. Add cumin, garlic powder, chili powder and smoked paprika, and the filling is bursting with flavor! You can whip up these easy tacos in just 20 minutes, making them ideal for weeknight meals.
Jackfruit is a plant based substitute for pulled pork. Fruit standing in for meat? Turns out this tropical fruit magically mimics pulled pork in a way we never dreamed. This meaty filling is flavored with adobo sauce (from a can of chipotle peppers), tomato paste, cocoa powder, cumin, and oregano. Throw it in a tortilla, add our best salsa and serve with refried black beans. Dinner is served!
These quinoa tacos are a bit outside the box but SO delicious! The quinoa filling is toasted and filled with taco spices and lime. Then combine it with a bell pepper slaw, spicy sour cream, salsa, and feta cheese, and you’ve got a new level of delicious. Oh and pickled red onions for color and crunch! For the recipe, see below.
Here’s a dinner idea for when you’re not sure what to cook: Chickpea Tacos! This chickpea recipe does heavy lifting with a short cook time and big flavors. Garbanzo beans might not strike you for tacos, but they make a flavorful filling coated in cumin, chili powder, and smoked paprika, punched up with a hit of zesty lime. Throw it all in a tortilla with guacamole and toppings, and this fast weeknight dinner is done in 20 minutes.
These vegetarian tacos feature our delicious smoky lentils and rice, which cook up together into a meaty, savory mix. Top with a rainbow of veggies, salsa, and crunchy romaine, and you’re in business!
*Got an Instant Pot? Try Instant Pot Lentil Tacos.
Another great quick vegetarian tacos recipe: these Refried Bean Tacos! The filling is as simple as opening a few cans of refried beans, always a staple in our pantry. And the toppings are endlessly customizable based on what you have on hand. You can whip these up in just 15 minutes, making them even faster than fast food.
Try these Plant Based Street Tacos! This vegan taco topping is a go-to: it’s so easy and delicious. What’s a street taco vs a standard taco? It’s all in the size. A street taco is made to hold in your hand and eat on the go, so it’s smaller than a regular taco. It’s also a seriously fast dinner you can make in a flash.
When it comes to a special breakfast…this one might be our favorite. Try this epic Breakfast Tacos recipe! These tacos are solidly Tex Mex, stuffed to the brim with breakfast potatoes, cheesy eggs, cilantro and pickled onions. It’s the perfect fast and easy breakfast idea to jump start your morning.
How to make vegetarian tacos taste amazing
Everyone makes tacos differently, but there are a few elements that are key to how to make a delicious taco:
- Use a well-seasoned “main” element: Tacos aren’t just about meat. For vegetarian tacos, there are lots of proteins to feature: beans, lentils, cauliflower or mushrooms, tofu, etc. It’s key that the main element is seasoned to perfection.
- Accessorize with contrasting colors, flavors and textures: Tacos are all about contrast. Use other elements to contrast the main element: crunchy vegetables like a cabbage and pepper slaw, and a salsa or a creamy sauce like a chipotle drizzle.
- Don’t fill too full: One taco faux pas is that they’re filled too much. Use just enough of the ingredients so that you can taste each of them, and also it doesn’t overflow.
- Char your tortillas! Charring your tortillas warms them and adds a delicious charred flavor. You can do this if you have a gas range. Place a tortilla on the grates above an open gas flame on medium heat for a few seconds per side, flipping with tongs, until they are slightly blackened and warm. (If you don’t have a gas stove, here are a few other ways to warm your tortillas.)
Vegetarian Black Bean Tacos (& More Recipes!)
This black bean tacos recipe takes just 15 minutes! It’s a fast and easy dinner idea that’s easy to customize and pleases everyone.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 8 tacos 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mexican Inspired
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
For the black beans*
- 2 15-ounce can black beans
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter (or substitute more olive oil for vegan)
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- 1 scant teaspoon kosher salt
For the tacos
- 1 can corn
- Romaine lettuce, chopped
- Feta cheese crumbles or shredded cheese
- Taco sauce (purchased or homemade) or salsa
- Cilantro leaves, torn
- Sliced red onions or Pickled Red Onions
- Avocado, chopped
- Sour cream, 5 Minute Cilantro Lime Sauce or Cilantro Sauce (vegan), optional**
- 8 small tortillas, flour or corn
Instructions
- Make the black beans: Drain the beans, but don’t rinse them. Mince the garlic. In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds until fragrant but not yet browned. Add the beans (drained but not rinsed), cumin, kosher salt, and several grinds of black pepper. Cook 3 to 4 minutes until warmed through and the liquid cooks down and thickens. Taste and add additional salt if desired.
- Assemble the toppings: Review the toppings above and prep them as desired.
- Warm the tortillas: Warm and char the tortillas by placing them on an open gas flame on medium for a few seconds per side, flipping with tongs, until they are slightly blackened and warm. (See How to Warm Tortillas.)
- Serve: Place the black beans in the tortillas, then top with toppings and enjoy.
Notes
*Variation: Add Roasted sweet potatoes to make Sweet potato black bean tacos.
**If you have 5 minutes, it’s well worth it to make the Cilantro Lime Sauce! Or make the vegan Creamy Cilantro Sauce in advance.
Looking for more vegetarian tacos?
If none of the tacos above strike your fancy, here are a few more vegan and vegetarian tacos we love:
- Spiced Chickpea Tacos with Avocado Cream
- Black Bean Tacos with Radish Salsa
- Chickpea & Veggie Tacos
- Grilled Veggie Healthy Tacos
- Corn Tortilla Recipe
Last updated: January 2021
Any recipes for sweet potato tacos?
Not yet, but it’s on our list!