Sheet Pan Black Bean Tacos, Crispy

Why you’ll love these simple black bean tacos

Growing up, taco night meant a packet of seasoning and a pound of ground beef, every single time. These days we’ve cut back on meat and this is one of the recipes that made the switch straightforward – well, straightforward might be generous, but it’s CERTAINLY one of our most-requested dinners now.

Why You’ll Love These Crispy Tacos

• Truly unfussy – simply 15 minutes of chopping and sautéing, then the oven takes over.
• Crispy and crunchy – the cheese on the outside gets crispy too, which is genuinely the go-to part.
• Meal-preppable – sauce the filling ahead of time and dinner comes together in 5 minutes.
• Customizable – swap the veggies, beans, or spices for whatever you have on hand.

Ingredients for Black Bean Tacos

The full list of ingredients for this method are listed fully down in the recipe card but let’s briefly go over the pantry staples needed including a few substitutions you can make as desired!

• Poblano pepper – deseeded and diced. Jalapeño pepper works too if you want more heat or even bell pepper.
• Onion and garlic – the aromatic base for the filling. I prefer white onions but red onion also works well.
• Black beans – canned, drained and rinsed. Any bean works here – chickpeas, white beans, or butter beans are all great swaps.
• Chili powder and cumin – your basic taco seasoning blend. Add some cayenne pepper.
• Cilantro – stirred in fresh at the end.
• Cheese – I used Pepper Jack, but a Mexican blend or plain cheddar work well too. To make these vegan, vegan cheese shreds work great!
• Tortillas – corn tortillas or flour tortillas both work here, whatever size you like but Worth keeping the fajita sized ones.

How to Make Black Bean Tacos

Only a reminder that you can find the FULL written crispy black bean tacos recipe down in the recipe card, but I want to quickly go over how to make them with visuals for you:)

1. Cook the aromatics – Toss your diced poblano, onion, and garlic into a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat with a little olive oil and sauté for about 5 minutes, until everything’s softened and fragrant.

1. Add the beans and spices – Stir in the black beans, chili powder, cumin, and salt, then let everything simmer together for a few more minutes so the flavors meld and the beans are warmed through. Stir in the cilantro right at the end.

1. Prep and fill your tortillas – place tortillas on a baking sheet and give your tortillas a short 2-3 minute trip in the oven first so they’re pliable and won’t crack when folded. Then layer cheese down first on half of each tortilla, followed by a scoop of the black bean mixture.

1. Fold and top with more cheese – Fold the tortilla over the filling and press gently to seal, then add a sprinkle of cheese right on top – this is what gives you that crispy, golden edge once it bakes.
   Pop the whole sheet pan back in the oven for 15-17 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the tortillas are crispy and golden brown. Add your toppings of choice!

Tips for Making Crispy Black Bean Tacos

• Prep the filling ahead – it keeps well in the fridge, so dinner is only assembly and baking on a busy night.
• Don’t skip pre-baking the tortillas – it’s what keeps them from cracking when you fold them.
• Use any melty cheese – Pepper Jack, a Mexican blend, or cheddar all work well.

Ways to Customize this Vegetarian Taco Recipe

• Swap the beans – chickpeas, white beans, or butter beans all work in place of black beans if that’s what you have on hand.
• Add tofu – stir in some shredded or crumbled tofu to bulk up the filling. I haven’t tested it in this exact recipe, but it works beautifully in my Unfussy Tofu Tacos, so I’d expect the same success here.
• Turn up the heat – swap the poblano for a jalapeño, or add a diced jalapeño in addition to the poblano if you want more spice.
• Change the cheese – Pepper Jack, a Mexican blend, or plain cheddar all melt well here. Cotija would also be a nice finishing touch.
• Add your go-to toppings – sour cream, fresh Pico de Gallo and kitchen-made guacamole both take these over the top.
• Make it a bowl – skip the folding and serve the filling over rice with all your go-to taco toppings instead.

Frequently Asked Questions

Love vegetarian tacos!? We do too – try our Unfussy Tofu Tacos, Chickpea Tacos, or Breakfast Tacos next!