Black bean tacos is one of the first dishes that I really “made up”. When I moved to the U.S. for grad school I was one of those cooks who could only work from a recipe with exact measurements. And by that, I mean I would call mum to quibble over whether I needed to add 1 tsp or 1.2 tsp of salt to a curry. These tacos were one of the dishes I came up with while I was falling in love with cooking (I am now in a deeply committed relationship in case you’re wondering).
It uses a medley of fresh vegetables, along with canned black beans and a few spices to give it a little kick. Initially I used paprika, cayenne pepper, cumin powder and salt. The dish is honestly delightful even with those simple ingredients. However, a few years ago, my sister introduced me to the wonders of goya chili peppers in adobe sauce. I add just a single chili with a bit of sauce to the black bean mix and it takes the flavor to another level.
For the vegetables, I use different ones depending on my mood. There is always some kind of squash in there. I like using zucchini almost always, and once in a while I add some yellow squash because it looks pretty. You can add different kinds of bell peppers too. I prefer red bell peppers because they add just a little bit of sweetness and make your black bean tacos look a tad more photogenic. I do insist on adding chopped tomatoes towards the end. It’s my cheat code salsa alternative!
This dish so far is vegan, though I’m guilty of adding a dollop of sour cream to my tacos. But you can have them without the dairy and it is still pretty darn delicious!
Black Bean Tacos
Ingredients
- 1/2 Large red onion
- 2 cans (15 oz) Black beans
- 1 Tomato
- 2 Zucchini You can substitute with yellow squash as well, or mix and match!
- 1 Goya chili pepper along with 0.5 tbsp sauce
- 1 Red bell pepper
- 1 tbsp Olive oil
- 1 tsp Paprika
- 1 tsp Cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp Cumin powder
- 1.5 tsp Salt
- 9 Hard taco shells You can use soft tacos if you prefer
- Any additions to tacos that you like – guacamole, sour cream, salsa
Instructions
- Dice the onions and tomatoes and keep them separately.
- Cut the zucchini or squash lengthwise into halves and then cut crosswise to get half-moon shaped pieces that are ~0.5 cm thick.
- Chop bell pepper into thin 1 inch long pieces.
- Drain canned black beans to remove the water.
- Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan.When the oil is hot, add the onions and bring the pan to medium-high heat.
- Sauté the onions till they are starting to brown, which will take about 5-7 mins.
- Then add the zucchini/squash and bell pepper and sauté for a minute.
- Add paprika, cayenne pepper, cumin powder and salt, and mix well with the vegetables.
- Once the zucchini and bell pepper have softened, which will take ~8 mins, add the drained black beans.
- Then add the goya chili pepper in adobe sauce and the diced tomatoes and let it all simmer together for about 5 mins.
- Prepare the taco shells according to the instructions on the box. It’s typically meant to go in an oven that’s preheated at 375 F for about 5-6 mins.
- Serve tacos with the fixings that you like! We normally choose from guacamole, salsa and sour cream.
Nice recipe
Awesome recipe
Such a good recipe, I’ve made this so many times since you first showed me your version!
I have made it . It is quick and easy !!love it
Excellent.