This post may include affiliate links; see our disclosure policy.
This delicious black bean tacos recipe takes just 15 minutes, a fast and easy dinner idea that pleases everyone! Customize your toppings for loads of variations. Works for gluten-free, vegan, dairy-free, and vegetarian diets.
On the lookout for those elusive recipes that are healthy, easy and delicious? Our new favorite is these easy black bean tacos! We created this recipe to be totally customizable based on your diet and available time. It stars our 5 minutes 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 bright green cilantro lime sauce or avocado sauce!
Tips for black bean tacos
These black bean tacos are easy to make and work with whatever toppings you’d like! The secret behind them is the easy black bean filling. Here are a few tips for how to make these fast black bean tacos:
- Mince garlic, then cook 30 seconds in butter and olive oil. The combination of two cooking fats makes for the very best flavor. But you can substitute all olive oil if you’d like!
- Add drained but not rinsed black beans and cook 3 to 4 minutes. Here’s the key: a little bit of the can liquid will remain on the beans, making a thick sauce for the tacos.
- Note: all black bean brands are different. Some canned black beans are more tender than others. We like this best with a black bean brand that’s very tender vs a more al dente type of bean. You’ll have to experiment to find your favorite!
Customizing the taco toppings
Once you’ve got the black bean filling, it’s time for toppings! We’ve listed our favorite toppings in the recipe below. You can customize based on your preferences and diet. But it is important to keep this in mind:
- Crunchy veggies are required. Because black beans are soft in texture, you’ll need a crunchy contrast. Here we used chopped romaine and corn.
- You’ll need a good sauce. A good sauce is the key to a tasty taco! Using a combination of purchased taco sauce or salsa and sour cream is the fastest option. If you have a few minutes, make Cilantro Lime Sauce or Avocado Sauce.
- Cheese is nice, but optional. We like adding a sprinkle of feta crumbles or queso fresco: you can also use shredded cheese.
- Add other veggies, like roasted sweet potato. We love it with avocado and the bright tang of pickled red onions, made in advance. A few sliced jalapeno peppers are nice. If you think in advance, add these roasted sweet potatoes for an even tastier taco!
A few taco sauces
There are lots of other sauce options for these tacos! Here are a few more great options listed in terms of timing and diet preferences:
- Taco sauce or salsa: It’s easy to use purchased, but you can also make homemade taco sauce or salsa.
- Cilantro sauce: We love 5 minute Cilantro Lime Sauce, Cilantro Crema, or Avocado Sauce. For vegan, use this Cilantro Sauce made with soaked cashews.
- Chipotle sauce: This Chipotle Sauce is easy and dairy free.
- Fish taco sauce: It’s not just for fish tacos! Try this creamy, spicy Fish Taco Sauce.
More easy taco recipes? Try our Refried Bean Tacos, Mushroom Tacos, Vegan Street Tacos, or Egg Tacos! Or go Tex Mex with the Taco Salad, Vegan Taco Salad or Taco Soup.
Tip: warm the tortillas
A pro tip for black bean tacos: warm your tortillas! There’s nothing worse than a taco with a tough, cold tortilla. Here’s how to warm tortillas like a pro:
- Place them over the flame of a gas burner (preferred!). The best way? Place each tortilla directly on a gas burner for a few seconds per side. It lightly chars the edges and warms the tortillas. Then throw them into a tortilla warmer!
- Or, warm them in the oven. If you don’t have a gas burner, you can warm them in the oven. Go to How to Warm Tortillas.
Dietary notes
This black bean tacos recipe is vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free, and gluten-free. It’s easy to adapt these black bean tacos for various diets! Here’s what to do:
- For gluten free, use corn tortillas. There are also lots of gluten free tortilla options these days, like cassava, sweet potato, and more. Check your local grocery!
- For vegan, use vegan toppings. Use all olive oil for the black beans and omit the cheese topping. Use a vegan sauce like Cilantro Sauce or Chipotle Sauce.
Black Bean Tacos (15 Minute Meal!)
This delicious black bean tacos recipe takes just 15 minutes, a fast and easy dinner idea that pleases everyone! Customize your toppings for loads of variations. Works for gluten-free, vegan, dairy-free, and vegetarian diets.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 8 tacos (4 servings) 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
- Taco sauce (purchased or homemade) or salsa
- 1 can corn
- Romaine lettuce, chopped
- Feta cheese crumbles or shredded cheese
- Cilantro leaves, torn
- Sliced red onions or Pickled Red Onions
- Avocado, chopped
- Sliced jalapeno peppers or pickled jalapenos (optional)
- 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.
More with black beans
Love beans? Here are some of our top black bean recipes:
- Mix up a rice bowl or black bean chili
- Try a pot of black bean soup
- Try 5 minute black bean and corn salad or whiz up black bean hummus
- Try our fan favorite Cuban black beans
- Go classic with black beans and rice
I wish I’d ignored the instructions and rinsed the beans; maybe I wouldn’t be in such intestinal distress right now 😮
This was so easy and just delicious! The perfect hot, summer night meal. I used the box of black beans from 365 Whole Foods brand and they were very soft.
These are so good! We made it with the cilantro lime sauce and they made great tacos! We also tried the feta cheese and we were surprised at how good the feta was on tacos!
So glad you enjoyed them!
I would really appreciate it if you could recommend some brands of canned black beans that are more tender. Pretty please! Am looking forward to trying this recipe! Thanks for your help!
Hi! My personal favorite is the boxed beans from Whole Foods (store brand 365 Organic beans). Otherwise, I usually buy whatever organic option is available at the store I’m at.