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Oven-Baked Crispy Black Bean Tacos Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 3.9 from 155 reviews
  • Author: Lily
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 25 minutes
  • Total Time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: 8 servings
  • Category: Main Course
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: Mexican
  • Diet: Vegan

Description

These Oven-Baked Crispy Black Bean Tacos are a delicious and healthy vegan meal featuring a smoky, spiced black bean filling perfectly complemented by a creamy jalapeño-cashew crema. With a crisp, golden taco shell baked in the oven, this recipe promises flavorful texture and satisfying depth from a combination of chipotle peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, and a medley of herbs and spices. Ready in under an hour, it makes a fantastic plant-based dinner for the whole family or guests.

Ingredients

Taco Filling

  • Avocado oil for cooking (about 3 tablespoons total)
  • 1/2 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/2 tsp ground coriander
  • 1/2 tsp dry oregano
  • 1/4 tsp dry thyme
  • 1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained and diced (omit for original recipe)
  • 2 (15 oz) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 2-3 chipotle peppers from a can packed in adobo sauce, minced
  • 1/2 cup vegetable broth
  • Kosher salt, to taste

Tortillas

  • 8–10 corn tortillas

Cashew Crema

  • 1/2 cup raw cashews, soaked in boiling water 10 minutes
  • 1 tbsp nutritional yeast (optional)
  • 2 tbsp pickled jalapeños
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened plant-based milk
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt plus more to taste

To Serve

  • Lime wedges
  • Avocado slices or Cilantro Lime Sauce (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat and prepare baking sheet: Preheat your oven to 425°F (218°C). Drizzle about 2 tablespoons of avocado oil onto a large rimmed sheet pan and brush it evenly to coat the surface to prevent sticking and promote crisping of the tacos.
  2. Sauté aromatics: Heat 1 tablespoon of avocado oil in a medium sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the diced onions with a pinch of kosher salt and stir occasionally for 5-8 minutes until golden and caramelized. Add the minced garlic and sauté for 1-2 minutes until fragrant, taking care not to burn the garlic.
  3. Add spices and sun-dried tomatoes: Stir in the diced sun-dried tomatoes, minced chipotle peppers, smoked paprika, ground coriander, oregano, and thyme. Cook together for 2-3 minutes to toast the spices and blend the flavors.
  4. Prepare black bean filling: Add the drained black beans and vegetable broth to the pan. Using a potato masher or the back of a wooden spoon, lightly mash the mixture to bind it together but still keep some texture. If the mixture is too loose, cook for another 2-3 minutes off the heat and allow to sit to thicken. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
  5. Warm tortillas: Heat tortillas either by toasting on a cast iron pan for 15-30 seconds per side or wrap 4-5 tortillas in a damp paper towel and microwave for 15-30 seconds. Keep warmed tortillas in a tortilla warmer until assembly.
  6. Assemble tacos: Place one tortilla at a time on the greased baking sheet, flipping to coat both sides lightly with oil. Spread 2-3 tablespoons of the black bean filling over half of the tortilla, then fold it over. Carefully flip the folded taco so the filling presses down on the other side, helping it stick together.
  7. Bake tacos: Arrange the folded tacos in a single layer on the baking sheet, leaving space between each. Brush the tops with extra oil if needed. Bake in the preheated oven for 8 minutes, then carefully flip each taco and bake for another 8-10 minutes until golden and crispy. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack for 3-5 minutes to crisp further.
  8. Make cashew crema: Drain the soaked cashews and add them to a high-speed blender with pickled jalapeños, nutritional yeast, lime juice, garlic powder, salt, and plant-based milk. Blend until smooth and creamy, then adjust salt to taste.
  9. Serve: Serve the crispy black bean tacos hot with cashew crema drizzled on top or on the side, along with lime wedges and optional avocado slices or cilantro lime sauce for extra freshness.

Notes

  • Omit sun-dried tomatoes if you want the original black bean taco flavor.
  • Soaking the cashews in boiling water for 10 minutes softens them for a creamy crema.
  • You can adjust the number of chipotle peppers to control the spice level.
  • Use a tortilla warmer or keep tortillas wrapped in a clean kitchen towel to keep them warm and pliable while assembling.
  • This recipe is vegan and can be made gluten-free by ensuring corn tortillas are certified gluten-free.
  • For extra crispiness, allow the tacos to cool on a wire rack after baking.
  • Nutritional yeast is optional but adds a savory, cheesy flavor to the crema.

Find it online: https://dishmelt.com/oven-baked-crispy-black-bean-tacos-recipe/