Spicy black bean tacos recipe (vegan)

Name: Spicy black bean tacos
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 3 people
Ingredients: 1 teaspoon organic canola oil (or your preferred neutral-flavored oil); 2 garlic cloves (minced); 1 cup onion (chopped small); 1 ½ cups black beans (1 15 oz can, drained and rinsed); 1 teaspoon cumin; 1 teaspoon ancho chili powder; ½ teaspoon oregano; ½ teaspoon coriander; ½ teaspoon paprika; 1 Tablespoon lime juice; ¼ cup water; salt (to taste); 6 corn taco shells; 1 large tomato (chopped small); 1 cup romaine lettuce (or baby spinach, chopped); 1 batch easy guacamole (or 2 sliced avocados)

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please see my Privacy Policy for more details.

Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

This black bean tacos recipe is the quintessential easy weeknight dinner. The warmed corn shells are stuffed with chopped romaine or spinach, tomatoes, onions, and avocado. Ready in just 20 minutes. Vegan & gluten free.

This easy black bean tacos recipe has been a family favorite for many years now. Winter, summer, spring, or fall, tacos just always sound good.

(And when it’s too hot to turn on the stove, I turn to raw tacos for a lighter touch!)

Tacos are an inexpensive meal. They’re made with cost effective pantry & refrigerator staples like beans and vegetables.

Plus, they are ready in about 20 minutes. That’s good news on hectic weeknights or when I’ve waited a little too long to start dinner.

It’s for these reasons that when people are confused about how to start making vegan meals, I often recommend dishes like tacos. (Here are 10 vegan meals you already know how to make!)

It’s all well and good to decide to make a positive change. But it’s certainly easier when hunger hits to be able to grab a few essentials and make something that feels like your normal, everyday meal, just without the animal products.

It’s simply a matter of swapping one or two ingredients.

Goodbye, meat. Hello, beans.

Goodbye, dairy-based cheese. Hello, avocado.

(If you’re not an avocado fan, there are also loads of plant-based cheeses out there that you could try instead. I especially like grating a block of Daiya farmhouse cheddar by hand. Get more info in this post about the best vegan cheese for your every need.)

Easy, weeknight-friendly dinner

Flavorful black bean tacos are teeming with warming spices like cumin, coriander, and ancho chili powder.

They come together in just minutes. And the beans inside give them staying power that will keep you full.

Stuff them with your choice of toppings like:

Romaine lettuce or baby spinach
Tomatoes
Pineapple salsa
Onions
Guacamole or avocado

The mixture of spicy, crunchy, and cool ticks all of the pleasure sensors. It’s a dinner the whole family will love.

Should I use canned or homemade beans?

Either homemade or canned beans will work for this recipe.

I tend to use canned beans, because they are convenient. That makes this a simple, pantry-friendly meal that’s perfect for a weeknight.

But if you’d prefer to use homemade beans made from scratch, that works too. You’ll either need one 15 ounce can of beans that’s been drained and rinsed or 1 1/2 cups of cooked black beans.

How to make this recipe

Sauté onions and garlic in a skillet.

Once they are fragrant, add black beans, spices, a squeeze of lime, and a little water to incorporate everything.

Once any excess liquid has cooked off, add salt to taste.

Put the black bean mixture into corn shells that have been warmed in the oven or air fryer. Then add your choice of toppings.

How to re-purpose leftovers

I usually double this recipe, so that I’m sure to have leftovers. The beans keep well in the refrigerator in a covered container. And they’re great in any of the following recipes:

Double decker tacos
Vegan taco pizza
Vegan black bean burritos with plantains
Vegan taco salad in baked tortilla bowl