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Crispy Black Bean Tacos with Walnut-Mushroom Filling and Creamy Toppings Recipe

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★★★★★

4.5 from 223 reviews

These Crispy Black Bean Tacos are a flavorful, plant-based twist on classic tacos featuring a hearty filling of black beans, mushrooms, and toasted walnuts seasoned with smoky spices. Baked until golden and crispy, these tacos are perfect for a satisfying vegan meal with optional toppings like creamy chipotle or avocado crema and lime pickled onions.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Black Bean Filling

  • ½ cup (56g) walnuts, broken up into pieces
  • 8 ounces (227g) cremini mushrooms, roughly chopped (tough stems removed)
  • ¼ cup (20g) nutritional yeast
  • 1 teaspoon porcini mushroom powder (optional)
  • 1 (15 oz / 425g) can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 3 tablespoons (42g) olive oil or avocado oil, plus more for cooking tacos
  • 4 fat cloves garlic (20g), finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder (or 2 teaspoons for less heat)
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
  • 1½ teaspoons dried oregano (or Mexican oregano)
  • ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ~10 twists of black pepper
  • ½ cup (120g) mild salsa, strained of excess liquid

For Assembling

  • 8 to 12 taco-sized flour tortillas
  • 1 to 1½ cups (100 to 150g) shredded vegan cheese
  • 5-Minute Chipotle Crema or Avocado Crema (as topping)
  • Lime Pickled Onions (optional, as topping)
  • 2 to 3 cups (~100g) shredded lettuce

Instructions

  1. Prepare Pickled Onions (Optional): Make the lime pickled onions first to allow them to macerate and develop flavor while you prepare the taco filling.
  2. Preheat Oven: Set your oven to 425ºF and place racks in the top third and bottom positions to bake the tacos later for even crisping.
  3. Toast Walnuts: Heat a large frying pan over medium-low heat for a couple of minutes. Add walnuts and toast for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until golden and aromatic. Take care not to burn them.
  4. Drain and Dry Beans: While toasting, drain and rinse black beans well, then pat dry with a dish towel. You can slightly mash some beans to help with texture.
  5. Mix Taco Spices: Combine chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, dried oregano, kosher salt, and black pepper twists in a bowl and set aside.
  6. Process Filling: Transfer toasted walnuts to a food processor and pulse until finely crumbed but not paste-like. Add mushrooms, nutritional yeast, and porcini powder (if using), pulse a few times to finely chop. Add black beans and pulse about 10 times, breaking them up but keeping texture. The final mixture should be moist, not sticky.
  7. Sauté Aromatics and Spice Filling: Return the frying pan to medium heat. After a minute, add 3 tablespoons oil and warm it. Add garlic and cook, stirring often, just until it starts to change color (2-3 minutes), avoiding browning. Add the mixed taco spices and cook for 20-30 seconds until fragrant.
  8. Cook Bean-Mushroom Mixture: Add the processed filling to the pan, toss to coat in the spices, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5-7 minutes. If the mixture sticks, deglaze with a splash of water. Reduce heat to medium-low, stir in strained salsa to deglaze the pan and cook for another 1 minute until the mixture thickens and spreads easily. Remove from heat and adjust salt if needed.
  9. Assemble Tacos: Spread about ¼ cup (2 oz / 56g) of filling onto one half of each tortilla. Sprinkle with shredded vegan cheese, fold tortillas over the filling, and press edges to seal.
  10. Bake Tacos: Brush a large rimmed baking sheet with 1 tablespoon oil. Arrange tacos without overlap and lightly brush tops with oil. Bake on the bottom oven rack for 8-12 minutes until the tops are crispy and golden. Flip tacos carefully and bake on the top third rack for another 5 minutes until bottoms turn crispy and golden.
  11. Serve: Allow the tacos to cool slightly, then open gently and top with chipotle or avocado crema, lime pickled onions if using, and shredded lettuce. Serve with extra crema on the side for dipping.

Notes

  • Porcini Mushroom Powder: Adds deep umami flavor but can be omitted if unavailable.
  • Tortillas: Flour tortillas are recommended for pliability and crisping, but corn tortillas can be used for gluten-free options.
  • Vegan Cheese: Use your preferred shredded vegan cheese to ensure a melty, creamy interior.
  • Lime Pickled Onions: These provide a bright acidic contrast but can be left out if desired.
  • Baking Time: Avoid overlapping tacos on the baking sheet to ensure even crisping. Flip carefully for crispy results on both sides.

Keywords: black bean tacos, vegan tacos, crispy tacos, plant-based tacos, mushroom walnut taco filling, vegan cheese tacos, easy vegan recipes, Mexican vegan tacos

Find it online: https://mjrecipe.com/crispy-black-bean-tacos-with-walnut-mushroom-filling-and-creamy-toppings-recipe/