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Craving a delicious and healthy meal in just 20 minutes? Look no further than our single serving Black Bean Tacos recipe! These vegetarian and gluten-free tacos are packed with flavor and perfect for one. Made with simple pantry staples, they’re a satisfying balance of healthy eating and delicious taste. Enjoy a quick and easy meal that won’t compromise on flavor or nutrition – ready in 20 minutes!
Complement your vegetarian tacos with our flavorful, single serving sides: zesty pico de gallo, fresh salsa, rich and creamy guacamole, or savory queso.
Why You’ll Love This Taco Recipe
- Super Easy: No fuss, just simple steps for a delicious meal.
- Pantry-Friendly: Uses ingredients you probably already have.
- Adaptable: Easily adjust to fit your dietary needs and preferences.
- Seriously Satisfying: Packed with protein and flavor, they’ll fill you up.
- Great for Sharing: Easily double the recipe to make tacos for two.
Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this black bean tacos recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder.
- Olive oil: In this recipe, and all others on our site, we prefer extra virgin olive oil for its pure, unrefined quality and rich olive flavor, which also retains more vitamins and minerals. However, a lighter olive oil can be used if preferred.
- Onions: Fresh onions enhance the bean filling, but 1/8 teaspoon of onion powder is a suitable alternative.
- Tomato paste: This recipe uses concentrated tomato paste for a deep, rich flavor. Tomato paste sold in tubes is very convenient; it stays fresher longer in the fridge compared to canned versions and is easy to store. If you have leftover paste, an efficient storage method is to freeze it in ice cube trays. Once frozen, transfer the cubes to a zip-top bag and keep them in the freezer for future use. You’ll find tomato paste tubes in the same grocery store section as canned tomatoes.
- Black beans: Half a 15-ounce can (about 3/4 cup = 58g) of rinsed and drained black beans is used. Feel free to swap with kidney or pinto beans. Extra black beans go great in a Sweet Potato and Black Bean Salad or Cowboy Caviar.
- Broth: Vegetable broth keeps it vegetarian, but chicken broth works too. I recommend using low-sodium broth to better control salt levels, adjusting additional salt to taste. Leftover broth can be used to make Chicken Tortilla Soup or Green Curry.
- Lime: A squeeze of lime juice adds zest to the bean mixture.
- Cheese: Choose any favorite cheese; cheddar or pepper jack work well. Freshly shredded cheese is recommended over pre-shredded for better melting.
- Seasonings: Use garlic powder, cumin, smoked paprika, chili powder, and salt, or substitute garlic powder with one clove of minced fresh garlic.
- Corn Tortillas: Three 6-inch corn tortillas are used, with a choice between white or yellow corn. Extra tortillas can be used in Vegetarian Enchiladas.
How To Make Baked Black Bean Tacos For One
These step-by-step photos and instructions help you visualize how to make a single serving of crispy black bean tacos. See the recipe box below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
- Make the filling: Heat the oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the onions to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally for 2 minutes.
- Add the garlic powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika, chili powder, salt, and tomato paste and stir, making sure the chopped onions are well coated for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Stir in the black beans and cook, stirring occasionally for 1 minute.
Pro Tip: Rinse the canned beans before using to reduce sodium content.
- Pour in the broth, increase the heat to medium-high, and use the back of a spatula to mash some of the beans. Cook, stirring occasionally until the liquid has reduced, about 1 to 2 minutes. Squeeze a little lime juice over the beans, taste, and season with additional salt if you feel it’s necessary. Remove the pan from the heat and set it aside.
- Heat the tortillas: Wrap the corn tortillas in a wet paper towel. Microwave until warm, about 15 seconds.
- Assemble the tacos: Brush olive oil over the bottom of a rimmed baking sheet. Place the warm tortillas on the baking sheet, flipping them a few times to lightly coat both sides of each tortilla.
- Spread the black bean mixture over half of each tortilla and top with the shredded cheese.
- Fold the tortillas over and carefully flip the tacos so the cheese is facing down.
- Bake the tacos for 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the oven and flip each taco over. Return the tacos to the oven to bake for an additional 5 to 7 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and allow the tacos to cool for 3 to 4 minutes. They will crisp up as they cool.
These tacos are delicious on their own, but feel free to add your favorites like guacamole, sour cream, street corn, white queso, or pico de gallo for an extra burst of flavor and texture.
Expert Tips
- Read through the entire recipe and the Ingredient Notes section of the post and gather your ingredients. This recipe comes together quickly so it’s a good idea to have everything ready before beginning.
- Warm the tortillas before stuffing. Warming them wrapped in a wet paper towel in the microwave or in a skillet for a few seconds will help make them easier to use without breaking.
- Adjust the spices if necessary. If you’d like to make spicier tacos, add a pinch of chili powder or some chopped jalapeños or chopped canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce.
- Make sure both sides of the tortillas are coated with oil. This will ensure they become crisp when baked.
- Store leftover baked black bean tacos covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Leftovers become soft but are still very tasty. To help them to crisp up a bit, reheat them for 5 to 7 minutes in a 250° F oven or in a skillet on the stovetop until warmed through.
Make Ahead Instructions
Baked black bean tacos come together quickly once you get started. To make this a meal to enjoy even sooner, do a little ingredient prepping ahead of time.
- Chop the onions and store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Shred the cheese and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Cook the black bean filling and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
To keep tortillas from breaking make sure you keep them wrapped in a wet paper towel or cloth until you are ready to use them.
Stale corn tortillas tend to break easily because they lack moisture. Use them soon after you purchase them. Wrapping the corn tortillas in a wet paper towel before microwaving them boosts their moisture level which helps to prevent breakage.
Yes, vegetarian black bean tacos are naturally gluten-free. They can be made vegan by eliminating the cheese or using a dairy-free cheese alternative.
Store it: Pop the filling in an airtight container and refrigerate it for up five days.
Get creative: Repurpose the filling in various ways! Add it to salads for a protein and flavor boost. Use it to make another round of baked tacos, or simply enjoy it hot from the bowl for a quick and satisfying snack.
Absolutely! If you’d like to make a little more, just double the ingredient amounts.
Absolutely, feel free to add cooked chicken, beef, or pork.
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder or you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
For more information on the cooking and baking dishes I use in our “recipes for one”, please visit our FAQ page.
For examples of the dishes used at One Dish Kitchen, please visit our Store page.
If you’ve tried this small batch black bean taco recipe or any recipe on One Dish Kitchen please let me know how you liked it by rating the recipe and telling me about it in the comment section below.
Also, if you take a picture please tag us on Instagram (@onedishkitchen) we’d love to see it!
Baked Black Bean Tacos For One
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ tablespoon olive oil -plus 1 or 2 teaspoons more for greasing the baking sheet.
- ¼ cup chopped onions
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon chili powder (leave this ingredient out or reduce the amount if you don't want your tacos to be spicy)
- ½ tablespoon tomato paste
- ¾ cup canned black beans -rinsed and drained (a little more than 1/2 of a 15 ounce can)
- ¼ cup low sodium vegetable broth
- ½ small lime
- 3 (6-inch) corn tortillas
- ¾ cup shredded cheddar cheese (2 ounces)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
- Make the filling: Heat the oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the onions to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally for 2 minutes.
- Add the ground cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, chili powder, and tomato paste and stir, making sure the chopped onions are well coated for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Stir in the black beans and cook, stirring occasionally for 1 minute.
- Pour in the broth, increase the heat to medium-high, and use the back of a spatula to mash some of the beans. Cook, stirring occasionally until the liquid has reduced, about 1 to 2 minutes. Squeeze a little lime juice over the beans, taste, and season with additional salt if you feel it's necessary. Remove the pan from the heat and set it aside.
- Heat the tortillas: Wrap the corn tortillas in a wet paper towel. Microwave until warm, about 15 seconds.
- Assemble the tacos: Brush olive oil over the bottom of a rimmed baking sheet. Place the warm tortillas on the baking sheet, flipping them a few times to lightly coat both sides of each tortilla.
- Spread the black bean mixture over half of each tortilla and top with the shredded cheese.
- Fold the tortillas over and carefully flip the tacos so the cheese is facing down.
- Bake the tacos for 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the oven and flip each taco over. Return the tacos to the oven to bake for an additional 5 to 7 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and allow the tacos to cool for 3 to 4 minutes. They will crisp up as they cool.
- Enjoy as-is or serve with guacamole, sour cream, street corn, queso, or pico de gallo if you'd like.
Notes
- Read through the entire recipe and the Ingredient Notes section of the post and gather your ingredients. This recipe comes together quickly so it’s a good idea to have everything ready before beginning.
- Warm the tortillas before stuffing. Warming them wrapped in a wet paper towel in the microwave or in a skillet for a few seconds will help make them easier to use without breaking.
- Adjust the spices if necessary. If you’d like to make spicier tacos, add a pinch of chili powder or some chopped jalapeños or chopped canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce.
- Make sure both sides of the tortillas are coated with oil. This will ensure they become crisp when baked.
- Store leftover baked black bean tacos covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Leftovers become soft but are still very tasty. To help them to crisp up a bit, reheat them for 5 to 7 minutes in a 250° F oven or in a skillet on the stovetop until warmed through.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Ohh this recipe was the BOMB!!! I loved it and enjoyed it with guacamole!! Thanks
Made this yesterday and again today.
I’m guessing you can use the accumulated spice amount from your small batch taco seasoning?
Sure.
Made this black bean tacos and they were delicious. Just the right amount. 👍
I’m so happy you enjoyed them!
Delicious! Easy recipe and common pantry ingredients, need I say more? I had 2 for lunch and will have the 3rd for supper with a salad. Would be easy to double the recipe for lunch guests, also. Thanks for another keeper!
gives me loads of ideas to cook for myself.
Wonderful! I hope you find many new recipes you love and hope the recipes inspire you to create delicious meals for yourself.
Good recipe.