Crispy Sheet Pan Black Bean Tacos (Vegetarian)

• servings: 4 servings
• active time: 15 minutes
• total time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 medium yellow onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated

optional: 1 chipotle pepper (from a can, packed in adobo sauce), finely chopped OR 1 tablespoon adobo sauce for less spice

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika

two 14-ounce cans black beans, drained & rinsed

1/2 cup vegetable broth or stock

1 lime, juiced

8-10 corn tortillas

6 ounces Pepper Jack or melty cheese of choice, freshly shredded

kosher salt & ground black pepper, to season

for serving, as desired: shredded lettuce, mashed avocado or guacamole, sour cream or cashew crema, pickled red onions, chopped cilantro, salsa of choice, lime wedges, etc.

Directions

Prep:

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F, ensuring a rack is positioned in the center of the oven. Gather & prep all ingredients according to Ingredients List, above – once you begin cooking, these black bean tacos come together very quickly so it’s helpful to get any chopping & measuring done ahead of time.

Sauté the onion:

Add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil to a medium skillet over medium heat. Once hot & shimmering, add the onion. Season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent & fragrant, 3-4 minutes.

Toast aromatics

Stir in the garlic & chipotle. Cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add in the chili powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika, & tomato paste. Stir, coating the onion. Cook 1-2 minutes longer, until very fragrant.

Make the black bean taco filling:

Add the black beans to the skillet, stirring to combine with the aromatics. Cook, stirring occasionally, until warm, 1-2 minutes. Add the vegetable stock, increasing heat to bring the mixture to a simmer. Use a spatula or wooden spoon to mash the black beans slightly, binding everything together. If needed, cook 1-2 minutes longer to thicken slightly. Squeeze the lime juice over the black bean mixture. Taste & season with additional kosher salt & ground black pepper as desired. Remove from the heat & set aside for taco assembly.

Warm the tortillas:

Meanwhile, as the black bean filling cooks, prep the tortillas. Wrap the corn tortillas in a damp paper towel. Microwave 30 seconds to steam the tortillas, making them pliable enough for taco assembly. Remove from the microwave & set aside.

Assemble the black bean tacos

Brush the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil across the surface of a large rimmed baking sheet. Place the warmed tortillas on the baking sheet, flipping them one or two times to get a nice light coating of oil on both sides. Spread the black been mixture over half of each tortilla, then sprinkle the cheese over top. Fold the tortillas, creating a taco around the black bean & cheese filling. I like to carefully flip the tacos at this point, so the cheese side is facing down.

Bake the black bean tacos:

Transfer the sheet pan to the oven & bake the tacos 8-10 minutes. Remove from the oven. Working quickly & carefully, use a spatula to flip the tacos. Return to the oven & bake 8-10 minutes longer, until golden & crisp. Remove from the oven & allow to cool 2-3 minutes – the tacos will get even crispier as they cool.

Serve:

Serve the crispy black bean tacos warm, finishing with toppings of choice – cashew crema, chopped cilantro, lime juice, salsa, or any other toppings your taco-lovin’ heart desires. Enjoy!

Nutrition

• Calories: 481
• Total Fat: 12.7 g
• Saturated Fat: 1.9 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Cholesterol: 37.5 mg
• Sodium: 913.5 mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 44.2 g
• Dietary Fiber: 10.9 g
• Total Sugars: 3.4 g
• Protein: 20 g