Easy Black Bean Tacos
Make these simple tacos tonight! They're easy, inexpensive and quite versatile—start with a base of seasoned black beans, top with crisp cabbage and finish it off with a delicious yogurt-based sauce (find several other sauce options within the post). Recipe yields about 10 hearty tacos, and could easily be halved.
Ingredients
- Refried black beans
- 2 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, or 3 cups cooked black beans
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- Yogurt “crema”
- 1 cup plain Greek or regular yogurt
- 2 tablespoons lime juice (from 1 small lime)
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- Optional: Your favorite hot sauce, to taste (or just serve it on the side with your tacos/I love Tabasco’s chipotle hot sauce)
- Everything else
- 8 to 10 small corn or flour tortillas (I think I like flour better)
- 3 cups finely sliced red or green cabbage (about ½ medium head of cabbage)
- ½ cup or more crumbled Cotija or feta cheese
- Big handful of fresh cilantro leaves and/or thinly sliced green onion
Directions
- 1
To make the black beans: We’re going to use the cooking liquid from one can of beans (or substitute ⅓ cup water for the cooking liquid). Rinse and drain the other can of beans. Once the beans are ready to go, warm the olive oil in small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the cumin, garlic and salt. Cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- 2
Pour in the can of beans with all of its liquid (or ⅓ cup water). Stir to combine. Mash up a portion of the beans with a potato masher or serving fork. Cook for a few minutes, stirring often, until the mixture reaches a simmer. Mash up the beans once more, then add the rinsed and drained beans.
- 3
Stir to combine. Simmer for a few minutes, then reduce the heat to a bare minimum while we finish the remaining ingredients. Cover the pot, and stir it every few minutes so the beans don’t stick to the bottom of the pan.
- 4
To make the “crema”: Combine the yogurt, lime juice and salt in a small bowl. Stir to combine. If desired, add hot sauce, to taste. Set aside.
- 5
Warm the tortillas in a large skillet over medium heat in batches, flipping to warm each side. Alternatively, you can warm them directly over a low flame on a gas range. Stack the warmed tortillas on a plate and cover with a tea towel to keep warm.
- 6
Soften the cabbage just a bit by sprinkling it with a couple dashes of salt. Then use your hands to “massage” it by scrunching up handfuls of cabbage until it is slightly wilted and fragrant.
- 7
Finally, assemble your tacos: Spread a layer of beans down the center of each tortilla, followed by a small handful of cabbage, a generous drizzle of sauce, and sprinkles of cheese and cilantro and/or green onion. Serve immediately.