These Crispy Black Bean Tacos are a simple and delicious weeknight dinner that the whole family will love! Featuring a seasoned black bean and potato filling and a flavorful vegan red pepper cheese sauce-- they are pan-fried to crispy, golden perfection!
Made with plant-based ingredients and gluten-free corn tortillas, these vegan black bean tacos accommodate a range of dietary preferences while still delivering a ton of flavor.
It's customizable, easy to make, family-friendly, and perfect for meal prep!
Top them off with pineapple salsa and more red pepper cheese sauce for an easy yet satisfying dinner.
This recipe was originally created January 2022 but I thought it deserved more love and new pictures. The recipe is exactly the same.
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Ingredients
Try these easy-to-make crispy vegan potato and black bean tacos for a delicious weeknight dinner!
Loaded with seasoned black beans, potatoes, and a flavorful vegan red pepper cheese sauce, they're cooked to crispy perfection in a pan until golden brown.
Black Beans: I used canned black beans that were drained and rinsed for convenience. If you want to make black beans from scratch, go for it!
Potatoes: Boiled and then lightly crisped up and browned in a pan. Sweet potato would be great as well.
Onion and Garlic: You gotta have onion and garlic!
Bell Peppers: I used a mix of red and green.
Seasonings: The potato black bean mixture is seasoned with chili powder, smoked paprika, oregano, thyme, onion, garlic, salt, and pepper. Season with your heart!
Corn Tortillas: Corn tortillas can sometimes be stiff and crack when folded. I recommend buying fresh tortillas and heat them in the microwave to soften them a bit before folding.
Vegan Cheese Sauce: This roasted red pepper cheese sauce is the star of the show. Simply soak cashews for 15 minutes then blend all the ingredients together until smooth and creamy. Prep it the day before or not, but it's a must!
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make This Recipe
Making these black bean and potato tacos is very simple with just a few straightforward steps.
For added convenience, consider preparing the cheese sauce and filling in advance, allowing for easy assembly, pan-frying, and serving when ready!
The full written recipe can be found in the recipe card below.
Prep ahead the vegan roasted red pepper cheese sauce. This sauce is a must for the recipe-- it adds to much flavor!
Step 1: Boil potatoes for 5-7 minutes or until soft and fork tender.
Step 2: In a pan over medium-high heat, add the cooked potatoes and cook until starting to lightly brown, about 3 minutes.
Step 3: Then, add in the onion, bell peppers, and garlic and continue to cook until soft and starting to brown, about 5-6 minutes.
Step 4: Drain and rinse the black beans and add to the pan along with all the seasonings. Continue to cook for 1-2 minutes. Taste and season with more salt and pepper, if needed.
Step 5: To each tortilla, spread about 3-4 tablespoons of the potato black bean filling on half a tortilla and drizzle it with roasted pepper cheese sauce then fold it over.
Step 6: Continue until all the filling is used up-- I was able to fill 10 corn tortillas.
Step 7: Heat a pan over medium heat, add a drizzle of oil, and then pan-fry until the tacos are crispy and golden brown on both sides, about 2-4 minutes.
Step 8: Plate the tacos and add any desired toppings. Enjoy!
Note: Avoid purchasing stiff or frozen corn tortillas. Even if the tortillas are fresh, wrap the stack of corn tortillas in a damp paper towel and microwave for 15-30 seconds to steam them. This will prevent them from cracking.
Substitutions & Variations
These crispy potato tacos are family-friendly, flavorful, and completely customizable!
Use a different bean: If you're not a black bean fan, try pinto or kidney beans.
Add greens: Stir in some spinach or kale and let it wilt down.
Switch up the filling: Substitute the potato with sweet potato or butternut squash.
Use a different cheese: Personally, I think the roasted pepper cheese sauce is a crucial step to the recipe. It's so flavorful. But if you're in a pinch, add shredded vegan cheese.
Topping Ideas
These black bean tacos are best served with loads of fun and fresh toppings!
Try these: fresh pico, pineapple salsa, guacamole, tomatillo salsa, corn salsa, pickled red onions, pickled jalapeños, and tofu sour cream.
Tips & Tricks
While making tacos is straightforward, there are some simple tips and tricks that will make your experience better!
Make ahead the cheese sauce. It's a very easy recipe to whip up but to save time, make a big batch and store in the fridge. Don't skip it thought-- it's so good!
Prior to filling the tacos, be sure to taste your black bean mixture and adjust the seasonings as needed.
Avoid purchasing stiff or frozen corn tortillas. Even if the tortillas are fresh, wrap the stack of corn tortillas in a damp paper towel and microwave for 15-30 seconds to steam them. This will prevent them from cracking. The goal is to achieve maximum softness without making them soggy or stiff.
Don't forget about the toppings! These tacos are perfect for scooping up loads of pico de gallo, pineapple salsa, guacamole, and extra cheese sauce.
Serve them fresh for best results. Since these tacos are meant to be crispy, they’re best served fresh off the pan!
Storage
These tacos are ideal when served fresh, yet they're also perfect for meal prep.
You can prepare the vegan cheese sauce, black bean potato filling, and all the toppings separately, then assemble the tacos as desired when ready to enjoy.
If you already made the tacos and have leftovers, don't worry. Store them in an airtight container in the fridge then reheat in an air-fryer or oven until hot and crispy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Of course, both are delicious! You can use flour tortillas, almond tortillas, or corn.
Be sure to always opt for fresh corn tortillas. Soften them by heating them in the microwave, which will make them more pliable and easier to fold.
More Recipes
Need more taco topping and filling ideas? Try these:
Don't forget to leave a comment and ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating down below if you try this recipe! Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Instagram for more recipes and updates.
Recipe
Crispy Black Bean Tacos
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 ½ cups Diced Yukon Gold Potatoes
- ⅓ cup Diced Yellow Onion
- ½ cup Minced Green Bell Pepper
- ½ cup Minced Red Bell Pepper
- 1-2 Garlic Cloves minced
- 15 ounce Canned Black Beans drained and rinsed
- 1 teaspoon Chili Powder
- ½ teaspoon Smoked Paprika
- ½ teaspoon Oregano
- ¼ teaspoon Thyme
- ½ teaspoon Onion Powder
- ¼ teaspoon Garlic Powder
- ½ teaspoon Kosher Salt see note
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
- Pinch of Cayenne
- 1 batch Roasted Red Pepper Cheese Sauce
- 8-10 Corn Tortillas
Instructions
- Prep ahead the vegan roasted red pepper cheese sauce. This sauce is a must for the recipe-- it adds to much flavor!
- Boil potatoes for 5-7 minutes or until soft and fork tender.
- In a pan over medium-high heat, add the cooked potatoes and cook until starting to lightly brown, about 3 minutes.
- Then, add in the onion, bell peppers, and garlic and continue to cook until soft and starting to brown, about 5-6 minutes.
- Drain and rinse the black beans and add to the pan along with all the seasonings. Continue to cook for 1-2 minutes. Taste and season with more salt and pepper, if needed.
- Wrap the stack of corn tortillas in a damp paper towel and microwave for 15-30 seconds to steam them. This will prevent them from cracking.
- To each tortilla, spread about 3-4 tablespoons of the potato black bean filling on half a tortilla and drizzle it with roasted pepper cheese sauce then fold it over. Continue until all the filling is used up-- I was able to fill 10 corn tortillas.
- Heat a pan over medium heat, add a drizzle of oil, and then pan-fry until the tacos are crispy and golden brown on both sides, about 2-4 minutes. Alternatively, place the tacos on a baking tray and brush with oil. Bake the tacos 8-10 minutes or until crispy.
- Plate the tacos and add any desired toppings. Enjoy!
Notes
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Rachael M. says
These tacos are INCREDIBLE! The flavors are all there and they are so filling. I’d be embarrassed to say how many I ate the first time I made them. As a time saver in the future, I might use a frozen diced potato and fry in the skillet to avoid boiling water in the summer heat!
Liv says
Great tip on using frozen potatoes!! Definitely stealing them idea. Glad you enjoyed!!