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These crispy zucchini black bean tacos are quick and easy to make with an irresistible avocado dipping sauce.
Crispy black bean tacos are always a winner…but let’s sneak some extra veg in there too! ♡
This simple recipe has become a favorite vegetarian dinner here in our house, especially on busy weeknights. Just sauté up a quick and zesty taco filling with zucchini, black beans and seasonings. Fold the tortillas up with the filling and cheese and cook in the same pan until perfectly crispy and melty. Blend up a refreshing avocado salsa verde for dipping. And then dive on in.
These crispy tacos are nothing fancy, but they are super flavorful and crunchy and hit the spot every time. And I love that they’re a low-cost, protein-packed, gluten-free, meatless option that comes together easily in less than 45 minutes (or less if you’re moving quickly!). So the next time you’re craving tacos, grab some black beans and zucchini and let’s make some vegetarian tacos together!
Crispy Zucchini Black Bean Taco Ingredients
Here are a few brief notes about the ingredients you will need to make these crispy zucchini black bean tacos:
Black beans: Two basic cans of black beans, rinsed and drained, will serve as the protein-rich base for our taco filling. I like to partially mash the black beans so that they help hold all of the filling ingredients together, but you’re welcome to completely mash or leave them whole if you prefer.
Veggies: We’ll sauté a diced zucchini and onion to add some veg and fresh flavor to our filling. I recommend a 1-cm dice so that the veggies cook quickly.
Seasonings: A zesty mix of minced garlic, chili powder, ground cumin and fine sea salt will season the taco filling. Don’t forget to taste test the filling before assembling the tacos to be sure that you have added enough salt!
Beer (or vegetable broth): I love using a half cup of beer (with or without alcohol) to thin out and add some extra flavor to the filling, but you’re welcome to use vegetable broth instead.
Tortillas: I prefer the flavor and texture that soft corn tortillas add to these tacos, but small flour tortillas would work well too. Just be sure to give corn tortillas a quick steam before cooking so that they are pliable and don’t break when they are folded.
Shredded cheese: I typically use Mexican-blend shredded cheese when making these tacos, but Pepperjack, Monterrey Jack or Chihuahua shredded cheeses would also be great options.
Avocado sauce: Finally, I highly recommend blending a quick green dipping sauce for these tacos made with avocado, garlic, cilantro, lime, honey, salt and cumin.
Recipe Tips
Full instructions are included in the recipe below, but here are a few additional tips to keep in mind too:
Steam the corn tortillas. If you choose to use corn tortillas, it’s best to give them a quick steam to soften them before assembling the tacos so that they don’t accidentally tear. Simply place the tortillas in a pile, wrap them up in a damp paper towel so that they are completely enclosed, and microwave for 30-60 seconds until they are warm and pliable.
Taste test the filling. Be sure to sample a small spoonful of the filling before assembling the tacos to be sure that it is seasoned to your liking, since it’s difficult to add extra seasoning once the tacos have been cooked.
Don’t overfill the tacos. The black bean zucchini filling has a tendency to expand slightly when cooked, so just add a moderate amount of filling to the tacos so that it doesn’t completely ooze out into the pan.
Use a nonstick skillet. A nonstick pan is very helpful and forgiving when making tacos, since the tortillas and cheesy filling can have a tendency to stick to the pan if it’s not properly oiled. So if possible, I recommend using a nonstick or cast iron skillet.
Dive in! The crispy tortilla shells will begin to soften the longer they sit out, so it’s best to enjoy these tacos immediately while they’re still nice and hot. Yum!!
Recipe Variations
Here are a few additional ways that you can customize these black bean tacos:
Add a protein: Add a cooked protein to the filling, such as chicken, ground beef, chorizo or shrimp.
Add extra veggies: Add extra veggies to the filling, such as diced bell peppers, cauliflower, corn, mushrooms or sweet potatoes.
Use different beans or lentils: Use pinto beans or cooked lentils instead of black beans.
Bake (instead of pan-fry): Bake the tacos in a single layer on a baking sheet at 450°F for about 15-20 minutes or until crispy.
Make them vegan: Use your favorite dairy-free shredded cheese or omit the cheese altogether.
More Vegetarian Taco Recipes To Try!
Looking for more vegetarian taco recipes to enjoy? Here are a few of our favorites!
These crispy zucchini black bean tacos are quick and easy to make with an irresistible avocado dipping sauce.
Taco Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small white onion, diced
1 medium (12-ounce) zucchini, diced into 1-cm pieces
4 large cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoonseach: fine sea salt, ground cumin
2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup beer or vegetable broth
12 small flour or corn tortillas
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Mexican-blend cheese
Avocado Sauce Ingredients:
1 ripe avocado, peeled and pitted
2 large cloves garlic
2 cups fresh cilantro leaves
1/3 cup lime juice
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon each: fine sea salt, ground cumin
Make the avocado sauce.Combine the avocado, garlic, cilantro, lime juice, honey, salt, cumin and ⅔ cup water in a blender. Pulse until smooth. (If you prefer a thinner sauce, just blend in a few extra splashes of water until the sauce reaches your desired consistency.)
Sauté the veggies.Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large nonstick sauté pan. Add the onion and zucchini and sauté, stirring occasionally, for 5-6 minutes or until cooked through. Add the garlic, chili powder, salt, cumin and sauté, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes.
Mash the black bean filling.Scoot the veggie mixture to the edges of the pan and add the black beans and beer (or vegetable broth) to the empty space in the middle. Use a potato masher to gently mash most of the beans. Fold the veggie mixture into the black beans until evenly combined. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper if needed. (If the mixture seems too dry, you can also add in an extra splash of beer.)
Assemble the tacos.Add about ⅓ cup of the black bean filling and a sprinkling of shredded cheese to each tortilla and gently fold in half to close. Repeat with the remaining tortillas and cheese until all of the black bean filling has been used.
Cook the tacos.Clean the sauté pan and return it to the stove over medium heat. Mist the pan with olive oil spray, or drizzle a very thin layer of olive oil evenly around the pan. Add 3 tacos (or however many will fit in a single layer) and cook for 1 minute per side or until the bottom of the tortilla is lightly golden and crispy. Carefully flip the tacos and cook for 1 minute on the second side, then transfer the tacos to a serving plate. Repeat with the remaining tacos, adding more oil to grease the pan each time and adjusting the heat if needed so that the pan does not overheat.
Serve.Serve the tacos immediately with the avocado sauce for dipping and enjoy!
