Like everyone, I’m craving some adventure and daydreaming future destinations. Mexico City might be my first stop. It’s a vibrant, energetic city with incredible food around every corner. I hopped down there a few summers ago and came back with a list of restaurants to try next someday. For now, we can make tacos at home. I can’t claim these black bean tacos are 100 percent authentic, but they are easy, quick, tasty, and quite versatile. (If you’re looking for truly epic tacos, here they are—but they are a bit more time-consuming and reliant upon fresh produce.)
I hope these black bean tacos are exactly what you need right now. I’ve provided suggestions on ingredient substitutions and alternate sauce ideas below. Serve them as-is for an easy dinner, or keep on reading for side dish suggestions!
Black Bean Taco Ingredient Substitutions
Out of black beans? Pinto beans would be great. No yogurt? Following a dairy-free or vegan diet? Substitute vegan sour cream (use lime juice in place of the lemon and omit the mustard). Or pick a different sauce option altogether—see the section below. Out of lime? Omit it, or thin your yogurt with water as needed, or choose another sauce (see below). No tortillas? Though I’ve never tried, you can make your own flour tortillas or corn tortillas. Or, turn your tacos into a burrito bowl (see leftovers note below). Out of Cotija or feta? Some shredded sharp cheddar cheese would not be bad. I love the tanginess of the feta—you could find similar tangy flavors in quick-pickled onions or radishes. No cilantro? Hate cilantro? Use a sprinkle of chopped green onion instead, or even thinly sliced radish—or skip it altogether.
Sauce Options
The recipe below includes a very simple riff on real Mexican crema, made simply with plain yogurt thinned with some lime juice. As you’ll see, I stirred in a generous tablespoon of my favorite hot sauce, which is entirely optional (you could serve your tacos with hot sauce on the side). Or, change up your tacos by choosing another sauce altogether. Here are some great options:
Aji Verde, a creamy, spicy, Peruvian-inspired green sauce made with mayo, cilantro and jalapeño. Cilantro Hemp Pesto, a dairy-free pesto made with fresh cilantro, hemp seeds, and an optional jalapeño pepper. Creamy Chipotle Sauce, made with a simple combination of mayo and adobo sauce, from a can of chipotle peppers. (Or use Tabasco’s chipotle hot sauce.) Creamy Avocado Dip or Guacamole Shatta, a Middle Eastern hot sauce made with fresh jalapeño, cilantro and parsley. I’d suggest choosing pepitas to go with these tacos.
Watch How to Make Easy Black Bean Tacos
Suggestions for Serving & Leftovers
These tacos are pretty hearty and well-balanced on their own. Round out the meal with any of the following!
Dips with chips: Guacamole, Easy Red Salsa, Pico de Gallo, Chunky Avocado Salsa or Creamy Vegan Queso Salad: Green Salad with Jalapeño-Cilantro Dressing or Fresh Herbed Avocado Salad Rice: Cilantro Lime Brown Rice Cocktails!: Fresh Margaritas, Mezcalitas, Frozen Strawberry Margaritas or Frozen Blueberry Margaritas, or Pineapple Cilantro Serrano Cocktail Leftovers? Store individual components separately, and reheat as needed. Or, you could easily turn this recipe into a burrito bowl by serving the black beans and toppings on a bed of cilantro-lime brown rice or plain brown rice. You could even top your bowls with a fried egg.
Make it dairy free/vegan: Omit the cheese. Instead of the yogurt-based sauce provided, try vegan sour cream (use lime juice in place of the lemon and omit the mustard), avocado sauce, shatta (make it with pepitas) or guacamole. You might especially enjoy the addition of quick-pickled onions or radishes, to make up for the tang otherwise provided by feta.
