Easy Vegan Crispy Fried Tortillas with Black Beans
This healthy and vegan version of the viral TikTok crispy fried tacos is the perfect dinner for busy weeknights or lazy weekend dinners. Make these easy, healthy, and delicious crispy black bean tacos for dinner tonight. A meal that your whole family will love. Grab a few simple ingredients and a frying pan and have these Easy Vegan Crispy Fried Tortillas with Black Beans on the table in no time.
I hate to admit this but Taco Bell Mexican Pizzas were my favorite fast food meal. There’s just something wonderful about a crispy tortilla loaded with hearty ingredients that makes my taste buds go wild. As I became an adult, I also became wiser about my nutrition and what I put in my body.
It wasn’t long before I discovered that I could replicate that nostalgic taste and make my own healthy and vegan version. In fact, nowadays, I prefer my homemade version ten times better over the cheaply made Taco Bell Mexican Pizza. Fast forward to 2023, and now I love making these viral tacos!
Honestly, I am not sure what exactly to call this creation. It’s part taco, part Mexican pizza, part fried tortilla, and part quesadilla. It doesn’t matter what you call it, it’s delicious either way.
Why You Will Love These Crispy Tacos
They are fun to make. This is such a fun and easy way to make fried tortillas any night of the week.
They are easy to make. Weeknight dinners need to be fast and not complicated for me. This is exactly why this recipe is the best option! It’s an easy recipe that will be on your weekly rotation, no doubt!
They are really healthy. Ditch the processed flour tortillas and use corn tortillas instead. Top these tacos with your favorite healthy toppings.
They are customizable. They are perfect for family dinners because each family member can customize them with toppings of choice. Easy peasy in my house!
They are unique. I don’t know about you but I have never seen a black bean taco cooked this way. How fun and tasty!
They are a family favorite. You know you have done good when your kids request this meal for dinner. No joke, I make this weeknight meal a few times a month.
Optional Additional Toppings
My favorite toppings are thinly sliced cabbage, green onions, avocado, and hot sauce like Sriracha. Here are some additional toppings you will love, as well.
Guacamole
Your favorite salsa
Extra lime juice
Sour cream
Sweet potato chunks
Cheddar cheese or Mexican blend cheese
Nutritional yeast
Bell pepper slices
Cherry tomatoes
Red onion slices or pickled onion
Romaine lettuce
Ingredient List
Black beans-Use one can of black beans rinsed and drained. How easy is that?
Red onion-Use half of a small-medium red onion, finely chopped.
Avocado oil-You will use this to cook the black beans and onions.
Taco seasoning-Make your own or use store-bought. I only use clean brands such as Siete. *See below for a simple taco seasoning recipe.
Sea salt-Add as much as you’d like to make this taste great!
Filtered water-You will add water to the bean and onion mixture to help with mashing it all up. You can also use vegetable stock to add more flavor.
Corn tortillas-I highly recommend corn tortillas for this recipe. You will need three of them in total.
Toppings-Finely shredded cabbage or purchase bagged slaw from the store, 1/4 cup of sliced green onions, 1 sliced avocado, and hot sauce of choice. I also enjoy adding optional minced cilantro.
How to Make These Vegan Fried Tacos
Step one: Heat 2 tablespoons of avocado oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook for about 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon.
Step two: Add the rinsed black beans, taco seasoning, and water. Cook for another 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Step three: Remove the pan from the heat, grab a potato masher, and mash the black bean mixture until everything becomes a pasty, half-smooth, and half-chunky, mixture. They will be a little chunkier than canned refried beans.
Step four: Spread a few spoonfuls of the black bean mixture onto one side of a tortilla. You will want to cover the entire tortilla in an even layer. Use the back of your spoon to press down on the black beans to pack them in and help them stick better to the tortilla. *Do not make the layer of beans too thick or too thin, otherwise you will have a hard time getting them to stick to the tortilla. Do this to all three tortillas until the mixture is gone.
Step five: Carefully clean off the (hot) saute pan. Turn the stove to medium-high heat. Spray the pan with a layer of avocado cooking spray (or something similar) and place the tortillas bean side down. Cook for 2 minutes or so. While the beans are cooking, use your spatula to continuously press down the edges into the beans. (The corn tortilla likes to roll up on the sides as it gets heated.)
Step six: Once the top of the beans have hardened and turned golden brown, gently flip the tortilla so that the black bean filling is facing up and cook the plain side for about 1-1.5 minutes. You are looking for it to just start to brown but nothing more. Carefully use your hands if needed.
Step seven: Remove the tortillas from the heat and place them on plates. Top them with cabbage, avocado, green onion, sea salt, black pepper, and hot sauce as well as your favorite taco toppings.
How to Make Simple and Clean Taco Seasoning
Place all of the following into a small bowl-1 teaspoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder. (If you like spice, add a dash of cayenne pepper.) Give it all a good mix with a whisk and use as needed.
How to Eat Crispy Tacos
Eat these crispy tacos right away. They are not good leftovers as they become soggy. If you do choose to reheat the tacos and eat them as leftovers, place a damp paper towel over the plated tacos and reheat until heated all the way through.
Other Vegan and Mexican-Inspired Dishes You Should Try
Another family favorite in our house is these Easy Plant-Based Sweet Potato Bowls are perfect for the whole family. Loaded with nutrient-rich sweet potatoes, hearty black beans, and flavorful veggies, these bowls are not only tasty but also super easy to make.
Easy Sheet Pan Quesadillas with Salsa Crema are a delicious and nutritious easy dinner that is perfect for vegans and anyone who wants to cut down on dairy but loves a good Mexican dish. This recipe is dairy-free and a great way to incorporate more veggies into your diet, making it a perfect meal for busy weeknights or feeding a crowd.
Easy Vegan Crispy Fried Tortillas with Black Beans
Equipment
- 1 large frying pan
- 1 potato masher
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil *for frying the bean mixture
- ½ medium red onion, finely diced
- 1 (15.5oz) can of black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1½ tablespoons taco seasoning *store bought or recipe below
- salt to liking
- ¼ filtered water *vegetable stock works, too
- avocado cooking spray
- 3 small corn tortillas
- 1 cup finely shredded cabbage
- 1 avocado, thinly sliced
- hot sauce or salsa
- ¼ cup sliced green onion
Instructions
- Heat 2 tablespoons of avocado oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook for about 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon.
- Add the rinsed black beans, taco seasoning, and water. Cook for another 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Remove the pan from the heat, grab a potato masher, and mash the black bean mixture until everything becomes a pasty, half-smooth, and half-chunky, mixture. They will be a little chunkier than canned refried beans.
- Spread a few spoonfuls of the black bean mixture onto one side of a tortilla. You will want to cover the entire tortilla in an even layer. Use the back of your spoon to press down on the black beans to pack them in and help them stick better to the tortilla. *Do not make the layer of beans too thick or too thin, otherwise you will have a hard time getting them to stick to the tortilla. Do this to all three tortillas until the mixture is gone.
- Carefully clean off the (hot) saute pan. Turn the stove to medium-high heat. Spray the pan with a layer of avocado cooking spray (or something similar) and place the tortillas bean side down. Cook for 2 minutes or so. While the beans are cooking, use your spatula to continuously press down the edges into the beans. (The corn tortilla likes to roll up on the sides as it gets heated.)
- Once the top of the beans have hardened and turned golden brown, gently flip the tortilla so that the black bean filling is facing up and cook the plain side for about 1-1.5 minutes. You are looking for it to just start to brown but nothing more. Carefully use your hands if needed.
- Remove the tortillas from the heat and place them on plates. Top them with cabbage, avocado, green onion, sea salt, black pepper, and hot sauce as well as your favorite taco toppings.
Optional homemade taco seasoning:
- Place all of the following into a small bowl-1 teaspoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder. (If you like spice, add a dash of cayenne pepper.) Give it all a good mix with a whisk and use as needed.
Notes
Enjoy!
XOXO
Michelle