[Note: These tacos got fresh, new, and very overdue photos in 2019.]
Let me just get this out of the way before I begin: I’m a little embarrassed by this meal. Not because it took 10 minutes to make, but because it came entirely from things that were already packaged and it tasted… well, not bad, but certainly not like I made any great effort. I bet you can’t wait to sign up, huh?
So why I am telling you about it? Because we’ve all been there, haven’t we? Even in New York City, where you can get anything delivered at any moment’s notice, there are days when one more meal that arrives in plastic-lidded foil containers will send you over the edge. I made this on one of those days. It was 8 p.m., we were both starving and I had one chance to ask Alex to grab something at the store on his way home and I didn’t want to miss it. So I Googled probably one of those most popular searches on the Internet, “10 minute meals” and, well, that pretty much brings us up to today.
Before I get into all of the things I’d do differently next time (you know, besides “try for once to plan ahead for dinner”) you should know that we cleaned our plates. A lime-y slaw with bits of feta and cumin-scented black beans in a pan-crisped tortilla are nothing to complain about for dinner. In fact, I like all of those elements a lot, especially when I can get them on my plate in time for Top Chef. Where, ahem, I can’t resist pointing out that a whole lot of the food didn’t look half this good.
Crisp Black Bean Tacos with Feta and Cabbage Slaw
- 1 15-ounce can black beans, drained
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 5 teaspoons olive oil, divided
- 2 tablespoons (or more) fresh lime juice
- 2 cups shredded cabbage or packaged coleslaw mix
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 4 white or yellow corn tortillas
- 1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
- Hot sauce
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in large nonstick or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add tortillas in single layer. Spoon 1/4 of bean mixture onto half of each tortilla; warm 1 minute. (Whenever I skip minute, the tortillas break instead of bend and I regret it.) Fold tacos in half over filling. Cook until golden brown underneath, about 1 more minute, then flip and crisp on the second side, another 1 to 2 minutes. Spoon feta and slaw into tacos. Pass hot sauce alongside, or if your name is Alex, drown your taco in a puddle of it.
i had tagged this page in bon appetit! i’ve got a cabbage and some black beans from the farmers’ market, so i may make the “long version” but the flavors sound great!
Yes, we have been there too, for different reasons, and for those like you mentioned: (almost) empty pantry, not feeling like cooking (yeah, that’s right), no time, etc etc. But this meal was easy, tasted pretty good, and looks great! What more can a person ask for?
A few days ago I made a Magical Lentil Soup. It was magical because I felt like I made it almost out of nothing. A recipe with minimal ingredients, and even for those I had to substitute with what I had at home. And it turned out great. Magic.
You know what….I have decided, The longer it takes to make something the more fattening it is. We are staying at a condo in Las Vegas and I miss my kitchen back home…but, my husband is losing weight. It is all good!!!
You post the most awesome vegetarian recipes. Just sayin.
That looks incredible. Exactly what I was looking for for dinner! This may be a silly question – but would substituting red kidney beans for black beans work out ok? Black beans are much harder to come by in supermarkets in Australia (i think??).
Thank you, thank you! Yum!
These look delicious! I think I’m going to the store right now… I love when I find vegetarian recipes that I can get excited about!
I object. This recipe is a tease. It makes me long for the days when I already have a bowl of your famous slaw in my fridge, leftover from the weekend BBQ. Then, I could slap this together in 5 minutes flat and be sitting out on the deck drinking the requisite Corona and lime. SIGH. Not the same inside, cuddled under a blanket, with a a big glass of red wine. Not the same.
Nicholas – Yes, kidney beans would work.
In this house we’d substitute Amy’s Organic Refried Black Beans.
Not embarrassing in the slightest. It’s good to remind ourselves that fast does not equal crap and cheap does not equal boring. Black beans, by the way, make almost any dish better … and slaw is so much crunchier than lettuce for tacos. This would be great with some kind of fish or maybe shrimp added, too. Keep up the great work — that blood orange tart was to die for, and the car-bomb cupcakes made me want to open a bakery.
Oh wow those look good. I think they might get put on the menu for this week!
These look so DAMN good and I like you would add some protein to the recipe.
Not vegetarian, but use either lard or bacon to fry up some diced onions and garlic to smash with the beans; add a bit of water or beer if it’s too dry. The Goya is okay, but I like the refried beans better for taquitos.
I made these last week – they were gone in no time. Not to mention an absolute breeze to make.
I made this tonight and was utterly delighted by how fast it came together — and how ideal it is for our current circumstances. I had some leftover beans, a head of cabbage (which keeps forever!), some radishes, green onions… really, whatever you might have here will work, which is the beauty of a quick pantry meal when you’re low on bandwidth, but need something tasty and nourishing. I suspect this will be an oft-repeated comfort while we’re all locked in.
There’s already complete vegetable proteins in this, because of the legume/grain combo.You can fry the onion/garlic in olive oil, too.
I think it still looks good even if it didn’t turn out quite like you wanted. And I agree – Goya’s black beans would be just the trick next time.
Woo-Hoo! I’m all there for Fast – Fun – and YUM! Thanks for the inspiration :)
I have just had a few days with fruit only. How crazy am I? Making this one TONIGHT. Who could resist those photos?
Hey, even I can do this! Thanks.
Sometimes quick and easy (or quick and dirty) makes for the best meals. You can’t go wrong with black beans and feta and as Matt from MattBites says, “Anything in a tortilla!”.
Phoo-D
Absolutely nothing wrong with 10 minute dinners. I’m glad to hear your comments, I had tagged this recipe, too! I already made the pasta with golden beets & greens, I think this one is next :)
Neat combo – sounds delish.
We make something similar to this on those occasions when it’s 6pm and the kids are begging for food. We often saute some veggies (peppers, onions, mushrooms, corn, tomatoes, etc.) to toss in there with our black beans. Yum.
wonderful pictures :)
I love feta, and I am sure the combination was delightful
I’m impressed but then I love creamed chicken on toast from canned chicken….
Honest if you add sherry swear for goodness it takes away the canned food taste plus it takes 7 & 1/2 minutes…. Your pic’s make it look gourmet!
Butterball-
You sound like someone I’d love to know! Try this sometime- take a can of Campbell’s Tomato soup, add 1 tsp. of dried basil, make it with cream instead of water, and add a dollop of cognac at the end. Never know it’s from a can!
A vegetarian masterpiece!
I made these last month, and we liked them. However, I heated the beans, and added the lime and olive oil there instead of to the slaw. I didn’t drain the beans either. I like them a bit gloppier.
They’re quick and easy enough for a weeknight dinner.
Black beans and feta? Fabulous!!!
We had the same experience with this recipe. It was ho-hum, but it is great recipe to build on.
Judging a recipe by the photo? DH said, “Looks yummy,” and then I told him what it was — black beans, feta and slaw. He thought it was a gyro. :-) May try it anyway — sans feta. Thanks for sharing all the tips in the comments, too!
Just made these last week, and it wont be the last!!
These are a new favorite for my husband and I. We were actually super surprised because we love meat! These were super yummy.
Sometimes the quick ones are the best, just because you didn’t spend forever making them. The flavors in this look really good, and I don’t even like tacos.
When I’m having a day where I’m tired, hungry and just want to sit in front of the telly (at least once a week) with something half decent to eat which isn’t take-away or something that requires alot of effort I’ll be turning to these tacos! Delicious!
Nothing embarassing about those tacos. They look delicious! In fact, I had one dinner planned, but I may just go ahead and make these tacos. Your pictures have my stomach growling!
Serves 4? I think not.
More like serves me. As I am going to make this in about 5 minutes. I just happen to have everything for them. I do love a free meal. Thanks for the recipe!
Too funny–I just made these for dinner tonight! Thought the same thing about the prepackaged nature of everything (though I did roast some chicken breasts and shred them to add to the mix…) but how yum were these tacos? So easy, so quick, and quite satisfying. No shame in convenience foods when it’s whole food ingredients and nothing processed. :)
You can’t even tell it’s made from packaged stuff. It looks delish and healthy! Tonight, my 10 minute dinner was a tupperware of frozen soup that I made this weekend – veggie! :)
I was just going to make this recipe. Sometimes those are the best meals- easy and practically made for you.
I’m so making these this weekend! Oh, it looks so good.
It’s so funny you basically started out apologizing for this meal, because I took one look at it and thought Yummmmmm, I am finally going to get around to commenting on her blog! Not that many other meals you’ve made haven’t been comment-worthy, but I am always meaning to and always running out of time and… anyway, I love this kind of quick southwestern inspired food.
The crispy tortillas look perfect. Glad to know you aren’t baking five-layer cakes every night! You’re mortal after all!!!!!!
I sometimes throw a bit of cut of chorizo into a can of beans for instant seasoning.
Sometimes 10 minute meals are the best life savers — I’m usually wildly famished when i get home from the gym… so this would be super helpful. I also like to keep cooked brown rice on hand to make quick burritos with the black beans.. mmm… now i’m hungry!
I’ve made this a couple of times. My 4 y.o. kid likes it, and I like my 4 y.o kid eating beans and cabbage. We use queso fresco for the feta, since it is readily available where we are. And those look like flour tortillas to me in the photos … I think they fry up much nicer than corn.
I saw these on flickr before you posted the recipe! I couldn’t wait, these look amazing and I just bought a can of black beans and tortillas today…the universe has spoken :)
There’s nothing wrong with an easy dinner and this DOES look good :) And relatively healthy too :)
Quick quesadillas are always a hit in our kitchen- I like throwing them together if there happens to be leftover rice in the fridge. A slice or two of avocado is a nice touch. For making canned beans taste fabulous, I keep Penzeys adobo seasoning on hand. A teaspoon or two of that in any canned bean is cause to shout ‘Ole!’
Ooooh black beans and feta. Thanks for that combination!
Beautiful! I love those quick recipes that end up being great.
Of course we all have those days! In fact, I don’t know how you do what you do with all of your gorgeous recipes and photos practically every day!
If you’re feeling a little spunky, you might try my quickie snack (or side dish) of Korean kimchi pancakes one night. A snap to throw together and might sound strange if you’ve never had them, but sooo delicious!
Hi! I made these tacos for a late dinner tonight. I used Bobby Flay’s slaw, and bravely put in both serranos, and used up the half can of black beans hanging out in the fridge. Saw AFTER dinner that your recipe called for feta — oops! But, I had just used up the last bit of jack so it worked out. It was fun to make this recipe on the same day you posted it — do you ever wonder just how many people from all over the place actually DO that at the same time? thank you!
How strange, I just ripped this one out and stored it away. I second Goya’s black beans in sauce, those are some of the tasty beans for so little work. Not a feta fan, but this is so easily tweakable, I’d probably go with a sharp cheddar.
I have lots of those nights. Such is my life. This recipe looks like a healthy alternative to fast food, which is what would happen if I didn’t cook that night! So thanks for posting your basic dinner, I think it looks totally delish! :)
Wow it looks delicious! And it’s also easy to do. a very good idea for a quick dinner
Black beans and tortillas have saved my butt many of dinners, like last night incidentally. I always make quesadillas though, so I like the way this recipe uses the tortillas and adding the slaw makes this really chock full of veggies too. Sounds like one of those meals that feels a bit like fun and indulgent take-out grub, but is actually a very healthy home cooked meal.
It just goes to show that you can have real food fast without resorting to frozen pizza. There is no shame in using prepackaged products like beans or col slaw. They are million times better than prepackaged frozen dinners. We frequently do this, except we use tostadas instead of tortillas and put queso fresco on top.
I made these a few weeks ago and they were a hit here. I have made the slaw a few times and served it with some other dishes, it is just so darn good.
I have two types of meals I make….
1) SUPER AWESOME, can’t believe you made that from scratch, took 5 bowls, 2 pots, and a dutch oven to make, totally worth making it once just to brag about it…MEALS, and
2) Quick, without too many ingredients, and still awesome…….
You have some #2….. and I appreciate all of them!!!!! Just as much as the other crazy items I like to make. #2 get made more than once……
Nothing to be embarrassed about. These sound delicious! but I am a Goya fan all the way so using their black beans sounds perfect. If you’re going to add beef try seasoning it with sazon, it makes all the difference!
These tacos sound so tasty. I’d never thought to put feta inside, but it sounds delicious. Thanks for sharing!
ooh, I’ve made this about 4 times since I got my copy of BA. It’s definitely a great weeknight throw-something-together-fast kind of meal.
It looks like a great recipe. I LOVE tortillas, and “refried” black beans. :-) Still, I’d probably change the coleslaw into broccoli slaw, because I find it tastier it doesn’t smell nearly as rank to me as cabbage does even when cabbage is fresh. Now that I have electricity again I may attempt to cook a version of this!
I think that this recipe looks great. Yes, we’ve all been there. Sometimes you just need to get something on the table quickly. This is the perfect recipe for that. Thanks!
Those do look yummy. I have to say, if I put this (or anything without meat) on the table for dinner, my husband would take one look and order a pizza (with pepperoni, of course). The closest I’ve gotten away with is spaghetti carbonara, with only those tiny bits of pancetta. I’m not a vegetarian, but sometimes these all veg dinners are so quick and easy, I’d love to try one. Any suggestions on how to convince a devoted carnivore that, every once in a while, he can eat a veggie dinner and not starve?
Thanks for stopping by my blog! Don’t be embarrassed by this meal! We are not judging you, and really, in the day to day life of the kitchen, it’s about getting good food on the table. We all use tricks and little packages of this and that to help us do that.
I must say, that look absolutely fantastic!! Sounds like a great 10 minute meal which are so crucial on some days!
Pretty impressive for the circumstances. And yes, getting food in time for Top Chef is crucial.
Incredible. Delicious, yummy and healthy food in minutes is my kind of meal.
This looks absolutely delightful – what a wonderful balance of textures and flavor.
I actually wrote a post where the entire premise was that you can make anything – really, virtually anything – out of sauteed onions and garlic, spices, and beans. Cumin, curry and chickpeas for Indian food, pinto beans, cumin and cayenne for Mexican, rosemary, oregano, and chickpeas for Italian, etc.
These look great. Our middle child has decided to become a vegetarian—this rendition of tacos will come in handy for lunch or dinner!
Too funny. Saw this on Epicurious last week and already had it on the menu for tonight. Perfect for a Tues. night b/c we have about 30 min. to cook, eat, and get out the door again.
Well..it doesn’t look all that great, but the beans add protein and slaw is fresh so that adds to it’s healthy appeal. I too make the slam bam (but never get the “thank you, Maam”) meals when I’m pressed for time and don’t want take-out. Tortilla’s are great to keep on hand for just that reason. You can stuff them, fold them, or roll them with all kinds of goodies, healthy and not-so, and they seem less like a sandwich which fools everyone into thinking you planned it for dinner! I’m good with that!
Made these a couple of weeks ago, right after Bon Appetit arrived. Used Ezekial sprouted tortillas — a little tricky to fry but yummy!
I can’t wait to try this tonight! FYI, the smashed garbanzo bean salad tastes great on some crispy fried tortillas…may try some Feta or Chevre on that as well!
Hi! I’ve been a big fan of your blog for a really long time but this is my first time leaving a comment. :)
These tacos look amazing! I’m a big fan of Mexican food especially when it can be made a bit lighter than the usual gritty LA dirty burrito.
I love my meat, but the black beans look super yummmmy
I tagged this page in BA too… if only I could get my husband to eat the damn things. He’d want to know where the meat was.
Also, “or so I hear?” Yeah, sounds about right for us too.
Those sound fantastic. Why did I have to agree to pizza tonight already? :-/
Most excellent! Made ’em for the hubby’s and my lunch today. Whippety whipped it up, baby! But serves FOUR? ‘Scuse me? It made 6 which we split between us. As a Southern California native, I had to add sliced avocado. I don’t mind waving in your face the fact that my perfectly ripe avocado cost 69 cents instead of I dunno…upwards of four bucks at your precious Manhattan Whole Paycheck. If only you had my beloved SUPER KING market! About which I did this cartoon for the LA TIMES: http://tinyurl.com/6putqq
Sure, you’ve got the Met, Lincoln Center, and the birthplace of punk rock…but you still don’t have SUPER KING!
Just made these for lunch and they were delicious! I added some leftover avocado we had in the fridge and it tasted great, but I think that this recipe is just perfect for cleaning out the fridge with whatever produce you happen to have on hand.
Yum. Tortillas are so versatile; I’m impressed that you even cooked for 10 minutes! Usually when I’m that tired and hungry I just throw laughing cow cheese, salad, and sundried tomatoes in a tortilla and don’t even bother to touch the stove. Kudos– the pics look delish.
Deb – Can I make a suggestion? I’d love to see a “quick and easy meals” section on your Topic Index.
Some of our favorite quick and easy’s come from you — heuvos rancheros for instance, and certain pizza recipes (with dough I’ve made ahead of time and froze).
That sounds really tasty…I do a lot of stupidly fast meals with black beans (and also a lot of recipes that are variations on the theme of “dump black beans, some meat product and some tomato product into crockpot with seasonings. Come home after work and eat with tacos.”) I like the slaw notion, and I never would have thought of feta on my own.
I love the way the tortillas came out. They look so appetizing!
You are so silly! This still looks fantastic. I love any sort of simple cabbage slaw on tacos – lettuce is just way too wimpy and wrong. Thanks for the quickie recipe – we all need ’em!
I definitely flagged this one with a little post-it flag in the February Bon Appetit, and have been thinking of making it ever since. I think this weekend will be its time to shine. Thanks for reminding me!
I made these for dinner tonight and WOW super easy and SO yummy! Thanks for a great, quick weeknight meal!
Deb – I officially love you. This even got a “wow” from my housemate. I used the can of Goya beans, as you suggested, and 1/2 mashed them with cumin and some powdered garlic and then nuked them. Added beans, cabbage in lime, cilantro, and thin sliced red onions in a flour tortilla, browned them in a little olive oil. Finally, I also topped mine with a little Greek yogurt (which I use in place of sour cream). 2 of them were incredibly filling and made a great meal. This is a keeper recipe for me.
I know, I know, you live far from Sam’s Club. But was it your mother who bought you those nuts before? Anyway, they have these giant containers of taco seasoning at Sam’s that cost about the same as one little envelope of taco seasoning from the grocery store. We mix some of that with some salsa and beans or meat for our tacos, with lettuce from the garden.
I SO know that feeling you’re describing! thank you for reminding me of that ‘quick’ section in food magazines for nights like these. I just ate dinner, but looking at this pics is getting my stomach a-rumbling again!
great pics! I make a version with cotija cheese and and a little crema on the cabbage (or if you can’t get crema some american sour cream or plain yogurt or a smidge of mayo). plus salsa. i love this with a tomatillo salsa. yum!
Nice pic Deb! I actually have the Bon Appetit issue featuring this dish. I’ve been wanting to try this recipe–now I have to! Question for you: Have you tried DUCAL brand’s refried black beans (canned)? They are very good. A friend of mine is Guatemalan, as is the brand, and turned me on to them. She won’t use anything else. Just a suggestion for you in case you decide to make these again :)
wow. amazing pictures as always!
I second JC’s comment about creating a quick and easy topic index – your lentils in stewed lentils is my personal quick, cheap weeknight meal
Debbie, These were so good last night. I did make my own flour tortillas from: http://homesicktexan.blogspot.com/2007/03/and-end-to-my-quest-flour-tortillas.html. Followed your suggestions to make them better. Thanks for a great post.
I love this meal and have made it for ages though never with feta and with my own coleslaw recipe. I do sautee some celery (can’t have onion or garlic) in olive oil and bloom the cumin plus some oregano before adding the drained beans (any kind) along with a tsp of sugar. If I have time I make my own pitas (they are DIVINE!) and some guac and it’s no longer a 10 minute meal, but it is high on our family’s list of favorites.
When I clicked on the link for the Goya black beans in sauce, I didn’t see them. I saw a bunch of other types, but not the black beans. Do they still make them?
I couldn’t resist – I made these last night and they were fantastic! Thanks for the post!
Wow…cabbage and beans. I love slaw. And I am still de-gassing from the warm garbanzo/squash salad I made from here the other day! (delicious too…thanks!)
Well despite your initial “apology” it looks fantastic and yes, I’m signed up. Delicious!
Deb – Top Chef open call at Craftsteak on March 1. Go on.
Looks pretty tasty to me! I love warming black beans with a touch of cumin. We highlighted Baja Fish Tacos this week, so I have tacos on my mind. No matter what you put in them (might I suggest Avocado & Mango Salsa) they’re always a festive and filling treat. Thanks for the recipe!
How do you get such great pictures????? love it. envy it. :)
Honestly, I’ll sign up for anything that comes in warm, crispy, slightly over baked tortillas. Fact.
has anyone ever purchased Goya olive oil? OK?
Hi Nancy — I think I have. It’s just fine — especially for cooking.
thank you, deb!!
It’s weird. I make caramel cake — you make caramel cake. I prepare the Napa Cabbage Salad — you post your Napa Cabbage salad. It never fails. Last week I prepared the black bean/feta tacos only with corn tortillas — which I highly recommend.
I pride myself on being able to sense a good recipe and reject the noise. You have the same talent.
On that note, I encourage you to try Food and Wine’s banh mi Chicken sandwiches — my newest obsession — and Zabar’s Jelly Doughnut Bread Pudding posted in last week’s NYT. Delicioso!
You are my doppelanger with well maincured hands.
So, i just made these tonight. I had a ziplock baggie of left over frozen enchilada sauce so I broke a piece off, heated it up and added it in with the beans. and I just sliced up cabbage, red onion, tomato, avocado and cilantro ..and they were freakin’ deliciously amazing. Thanks for the recipe. It’s going to become a regular.
I’ve had this page ‘marked as new’ in my google reader for days so I won’t lose it. I can’t wait to try this recipe, it combines two of my favorite things – feta and black beans – how can you go wrong??
I think my family will love this.
just wanted to show my support for the simple recipes, like this one. the ingredients arent revolutionary and it can be slapped together in 10 minutes and that is exactly why i love it and will be making it tonight. for those of us with busy schedules and tiny kitchens, keep the easy recipes coming!
as a brand new mom these are the kind of recipes we have been living on. thanks for posting something that i may actually have time to make. :-)
Hmmm…same question as Laura. Do the mythical Goya black beans in sauce exist? And will I spend the weekend searching for them only to find that they don’t? If someone doesn’t save me from it, yeah, probably.
Made this last night…used the bobby flay cole slaw you recommended. it was a BIG hit in my house which is no small thing since i have 3 teenage sons who need their meat! they really liked it. i think next time i’ll try lime instead of red wine vinegar on the slaw dressing just for kicks. this one is definitely staying in the repetoire! thanks, deb…don’t know what i would do without your culinary inspiration.
Friday night epiphany at the bodega! The Goya black bean soup = black beans in sauce! Crisis averted, weekend saved!
This was great, had most everything on hand. Made the bobby flay slaw and it was delicious the hubby was a little disappointed that there was not meat involved but he ate 3 and finished up the left over coleslaw with no complaint.
Thanks for a quick, easy, and tasty one
This looks delicious! Thanks for such a tasty idea.
Love the non-traditional taco!
My husband is always wary of “no meat” recipes, so I’m going to give it a try on a night he’s not home. It sounds awesome. (You had me at “feta.”)
I made these last night, using Mann’s Organic Broccoli Slaw instead of cole slaw or cabbage. They were great! My husband loved them so much we’re having them again for dinner tonight. I also added some diced avocado since I had some that needed to be used up.
I make these all the time! They were in Bon Appetit in Jan. Great 10 minute meal for sure. :)
We made these last night for dinner, and we loved them! Even my husband, Mr. I-don’t-like-beans-or-meals-without-meat-thankyouverymuch loved them! I have been craving them since last night…Thanks Deb!
Hi! I’m new to your blog, but I am really enjoying these recipes.
Gave the tacos a try. We loved the cabbage slaw so much there was hardly any left by the time the tacos were ready. Who knew? So simple and delicious.
Looks very tasty. Knowing myself I just know I would end up mixing in some bacon or at very least bacon fat, onion, garlic, and perhaps bit of tomato to the beans. As tempting as it sounds at first I think I would pass on my initial thoughts of adding guacamole, though some grilled green onions would be nice and perhaps a side of spicy pickled carrots.
Was your choice of cheese one of what you had on hand or did you put thought into picking it? I guess I mean instead of using a queso fresco or queso blanco, or even panela. – PS I have nothing but love for feta.
This was delicious, actually. I thought the slaw was great. I used more lime juice than called for, and also took your advice and added in some additional flavor to the beans. I added chili powder and salsa to mine. I didn’t bother with frying the tortillas (I’m lazy ;)) — just microwaved them, filled them up, and ate! My husband and I both enjoyed them a great deal! They also made good leftovers as nachos (I had dried beans from my garden and overestimated how many would be in a can when I soaked them so we ended up with leftovers…).
Deb, I love this site! It’s given me some great ideas and renewed my motivation to try my hand at new recipes. I was wondering if you had an interest in creating a new topic in the Topic Index – one for quick meals?
This was so EASY and so fabulous. Thank you. :)
Deb, these were a huge hit! We loved the combination of flavors and textures, and they were so easy. We will make them again and again…
great recipe! tried both ways and agree, deb – canned beans and red onion slaw! i have used the original slaw on a spicy fish taco that compliments very well.
I made these last night and they were great! I agree that the black beans didn’t have enough spice even though I threw in some additional cayenne pepper, onion powder, and whatever else was in my spice rack =)
Anyway, delicious and easy. I’ll definitely be making these again.
Loved these. I made the red cabbage and green onion slaw, used pinto beans, and thought they were wonderful. We’re planning slaw-focused tostadas later in the week because the concept was such a hit that we can’t wait to riff on it.
Just made this tonight for dinner. SO GOOD! My hubby says the slaw is good enough for any BBQ or party, not just for this dish. I must admit I caught myself snitching forkfuls of it while the rest was warming. YUM!
No joke, I’ve made this Friday Saturday AND Sunday to eat. It wasn’t just leftovers, either – I went grocery shopping each time for more supplies. This is SO GOOD!!!
Hey Deb, with a 5 month old baby, I’m very into quick healthy dinners, and these were a big hit this evening, along with so many other successes we have found on your blog. Thank you so much. Your site is the source of 5 of the 7 dinner recipes I have planned for the week!
I think this would be great with an egg, over easy, thrown inside the taco.
I’ve made this twice now this week because it’s so good! First night I added ground beef to the beans, second night I made a huge batch of the slaw and we ate it with grilled chicken. Love how adaptable this is, I’m envisioning a BIG bowl of this slaw for the next potluck event I attend! Fabulous!
I just wanted to let you know that I made these the same day you posted it because I happened to have everything on hand. My boyfriend doesn’t like a meal with some meat in it, so I threw a little tilapia in a skillet with some breadcrumbs and it was a delicious light dinner.
Just wanted to say thanks for posting this… It’s given me some ideas/techniques to spice up our weekly burrito night. Love the slaw idea, as well as frying the tortillas – both steps add some satisfying crunch to the burrito experience.
As a Connecticut resident who has never in 78 years lived farther than 15 miles from New Haven’s Green, I am woefully ignorant of tacos, tortilla, quesidillas, and nachos. The local Mexican restaurant seemed to specialize in greasy, gummy cheese on top of Fritos. (I can put together a magnificent corned beef dinner, though.)
I’d appreciate definitions of tacos etc.
Love this site. Wandered on to it by way of Martha Stewart’s Everyday Food.
I’ve made these twice, exactly as written. They taste complex but are so simple to throw together. Absolutely delicious! The second time I made them I doubled the slaw recipe so we could have leftovers. The slaw didn’t keep well — tasted slightly bitter the next day. Oh well.
i just made these and they really are a great quick meal for weeknights! these are the changes i made:
– added more cumin, some chili powder, powdered garlic, and tapatio hot sauce to the beans
– used some snazzy ‘broccoli slaw’ mix made of shredded broccoli hearts (which is delicious – who knew?)
– used queso fresco instead of feta
super tasty. i ate one too many because they were just so good.
This one has been on the to make list for several months and just did them tonight. Excellent flavor. For those that didn’t want Feta we used a good quality cheddar which was a hit. These go on the regular rotation list.
Thanx for sharing!
I made these last night according to the recipe and added steak…they were a total hit! Loved them and love your website!
Made these with your suggested green onion and cabbage slaw and they were amazing. You have forever changed my opnion on slaw – which I thought had to be covered in mayo and soggy. I never knew what I was missing. And thanks for the tip on keeping the dressing and the slaw seperate made for spicy slaw as a side dish for the rest of the week.
Fabulous blend of flavors – loved these so much for dinner last night I’m making them again for lunch! Just discovered your site and LOVE it!
Just made these for a late lunch – so tasty! The only change I made was I mashed an avocado with a little of the lime juice, and smoothed that on with the black beans. Even though I used more bowls than I normally like, we will definitely be adding these to our dinner rotation! I was pretty skeptical of the limey slaw, but I’m blown away by how much I like it :)
Made this for dinner last night – loved it! I did substitute queso fresco for the feta; living among lots and lots of authentic Mexican food here (the Los Angeles area) meant that I couldn’t quite bring myself to use something so totally non-authentic when I had excellent alternatives within easy reach. And I played it a bit fast and loose with the proportions of the slaw, though I kept all the ingredients the same. In fact, the slaw might have been what made the meal for us. I served these with some sliced ripe avocados (we’ve almost always got them on hand), and some diced Roma tomatoes. I did double the cumin in the black beans in order to give them a more pronounced flavor. I have to agree with you on the serving size thing, though. If this recipe was supposed to feed four as a main dish, they must be referring to four children. I served your quick zucchini saute (I left a review of that, as well), and it was still a light dinner. Satisfying, but light. We liked it so much we’re making it again tomorrow night for dinner. Thanks!
Deb, i have been a reader for awhile now. But we made these last week, and loved them. We took your suggestion to use ground turkey and these were a huge meal for us. This week we are going to do them a bit different and turn them into fish tacos, with a bit of tweaking on the recipe. I had never used the pre-package slaws before, I think it might be one of my new favorite things. Thanks!
Love this recipe — made it for the second time tonight and just wanted to say “Thank you!” I made some guacamole and roasted some mini-peppers to have on the side. Delish.
I tried this with the red cabbage and green onion slaw. I love the combination of the crispy cabbage and feta in these tacos. It was so quick and easy- this one will probably become a weeknight staple around here. Thanks!
Made with tonight with homemade Texas-style flour tortillas from Homesick Texan. Added avocados. Excellent vegetarian supper.
I toasted the cumin in a little oil and then added the beans to warm them before going in the taco. For the slaw, I used broccoli slaw with the green onion, cilantro, lime juice, oil and feta mixed together. We also added a little rotisserie chicken. Looked just like the picture and so easy. Great recipe for a busy night.
Made these a couple nights ago with the red cabbage and green onion slaw. I used whole wheat tortillas, as I had them leftover from a quesadilla party. My husband I found these absolutely delightful. I stopped eating meat (still eat fish and shellfish) about 8 months ago, and LOVE finding a vegetarian recipe that (in this case bests) my favorite meat version recipes (like tacos). Thank you!
You know what’s funny is that I literally have all of these ingredients just sitting in my refrigerator. I was looking for a quick, easy meal for tonight and this is perfect.
Thanks for the suggestion!
I just finished eating these not 10 minutes ago…delicious. But I made a few tweaks…I’m not a big fan of coleslaw, but I usually have fresh spinach that I’m trying to use up before it gets all slimy. So I chop up some spinach & toss it with olive oil, lemon (or lime) juice, salt, & pepper. Goes awesome with the feta!
Nice simple recipe. I found the black beans a little dry, so added some salsa. I made this a second time but substituted shrimp for the black beans – am in love with this tweak.
I made this for dinner, about a month ago, and it was an instant hit. Goya is not so easy to find (West Coast) and we are very familiar with the Goya magic, having been former Miami residents, so I substituted Bush’s Best Black Beans in Seasoned Sauce. The Bush’s is pretty good, but not Goya. The cumin is such a delicious addition. We have made this recipe several times since, sometimes adding browned ground turkey, and using whatever flat bread happens to be in the fridge – wraps, pita, naan. Thank you!
As someone frequently cooking for one, I love these. It’s sometimes hard to go through the effort for just yourself. I’ve played with this recipe a couple of ways– I use the canned blackbeans as well, but I add smashed pan-roasted garlic along with the cumin to boost the flavor. Then depending on my mood, I’ll use broccoli slaw or create a new base with carrots, cabbage, and thinly sliced radish. Basically any crunchy veggie I have in the house I will add. I think I’ve even used kale once… it wasn’t the best, but it did for the night.
These are my new don’t-have-time-to-cook-before-washing-the-kids favorite! In fact, I also love them when I DO have time to cook! This is the best website ever, although it has been the cause of a nasty breakup between me and my diet…
These Taco’s were amazing. Even my 4 year old was asking for more! So delish I had to share them on my blog. Thank You and Cheers! -Steph, Modern Hostess
My wife and I make these pretty often. We tried the original recipe the first time and felt the same as you did.
After that we made the Joy of Cooking’s black bean recipe and have since stuck with that. We prefer to use red cabbage or fresh cut cabbage over the slaw mix. I also add some pickled jalapenos to mine.
Then we started making our own tortillas (Joy of Cooking again) for this recipe and haven’t gone back since.
This is a favorite go-to recipe if we can’t think of a meal when planning out the week.
Great leftovers usually too!
I make these all the time. They are quick, cheap, easy and yummy. I enjoy them every time. :)
Glory! This was exactly, precisely, perfectly what I had in my fridge tonight and totally delicious. I added some cayenne to the beans–but the rest THANKS Smitten Kitchen. I love this site! Also, after I made myself (solo household here) the dish, I read all the wonderful comments and see many tweaks ahead. Love ya all!
LOVE! These are so good and cheap. A new fave.
Made these tonight for the first time. SO SO GOOD! I added some sour cream and a bit of hot sauce to the slaw in place of the cilantro (we are kinda anti-cilantro around here).
Made these tonight when i realized I had to make dinner tonight with no real ingredients in my fridge, but I did have most of the ingredients to make this (only was missing the cilantro). These were so yummy, and healthy! Even my DH loved them, and I loved that it only took minutes to make. This is definitely something I’ll make again…and again…and again! Now I just need to see if I can find e Goya black bean soup here in Toronto!
this recipe is amazing!!! my new favorite! healthy, easy, toddler friendly.
i doubled the recipe and had leftovers!
Thank you so much for this recipe! I made them for my Dad, hubby & 2 yr old and everyone licked their plates clean! (even though I had to sneak the ingredients in a quesadilla disguise for the toddler)
I followed your suggested modifications (added beef, didn’t drain beans) and it was awesome. I also used my own cilantro slaw recipe & the cilantro, lime & scallion slaw was an oh so perfect companion. I posted the whole thing including pics & a link back to you on my blog Samster Mommy. If you have a second I’d be starstruck if you came and took a peek.
I just adore your blog!
I made this last night. I didn’t add meat or drain the beans! I they came out great, and I had no idea what cumin could do to Black Beans! They were super good! My family loved it!
I always want to make this for a crowd but it takes too long to heat them in small batches in the pan… do you think it would work to just pop the tortillas + bean mixture in the oven for a few min to heat them/crispify the tortillas?
Yummy snack! I used pickled green onions, and it was a good tortilla with a crunchy, briney, earthy filling.
These are soooo easy and soooo good. I added some freshly ground pepper to the slaw and the flavor combination was perfect. Even our 3-year old loved them!
I think it took me 7 minutes to make these- start to finish! They were enjoyed by everyone in my hard to please crowd. I combined one can Trader Joe’s Cuban beans and 1/2 can plain black beans with the teaspoon of cumin (sort of making 1 1/2 a recipe). The cabbage mix is also tasty on it’s own even with the inclusion of some tired-looking green onions and questionable lime. Yet another rave recipe- thanks!!
I’ve made these a number of times (thanks, Deb!) and just this recent time I added a few chipotles (Goya, from the little can) and ~2 tbsp of smoked spanish paprika. Added really good smoky flavor that got better with leftovers.
These turned out awesome! I used a can of pintos on top of the black beans to double the recipe and added lime juice to both the beans and the salad mix. Slices of avocado topped them off.
I’ve made this dozens of times. I sub jack cheese, add tomatoes and shrimp. My friends cant get enough.
I made these with the following variations- I added a teaspoon more cumin, threw in some chile powder, and crushed a dried red chili over the top of the beans. I also used blue tortillas, though that was out of necessecity more than anything else. Sometimes I add in some shredded chicken or pork. This really spruces it up and doesn’t make it much more time consuming, especially if you nix the chicken.
OMG! These are one of our favorite random meals! First, a can of beans does not serve 4. Second, we couldn’t get our tacos right so we make tostadas. Third, because my husband’s crazy, we scramble eggs and add them to the beans, spoon the bean mixture and the feta onto the tostadas and pop them in the oven to warm up. Eating them Friday for dinner.
Love it!
I use your website for recipes all the time, but this was a pretty great one for a hungry poor grad student. I generally use the recipe you posted as a base and add tomatoes/green peppers/goat cheese/whatever I happen to have in the fridge. So many cheap and quick recipes are either boring or don’t have vegetables. Thanks!
Ok, I’m a native Texan, so though I love feta, it is freaking me out a little thinking about it in a taco. But I’m going to go for it. Making this tonight with canned refried black beans. Wish me luck…
Made this tonight for the family that includes the picky and pickiest. Pickiest declared that she wanted to try it b/c it looked “vegetarian”. Not only were we is awe that she asked to try something, she declared that she wanted to it tomorrow. Thanks for another family dinner in the line-up!
Was inspired by this last night, did a mix of red and black means and subbed lime crema for the feta cheese ;) NOM!!! Thanks Deb!
Just love this recipe. I’ve made this many times and have never stopped at just one taco. We’re in Australia and when we visited California a couple of years back I was very happy with the delicious and cheap Tex-Mex food available there. Cactus Jacks in L.A. had $1 tacos! Heavenly. For now though, I will keep making these little guys. Many thanks for posting such a great recipe. Cheers!
This was so good! I used the other slaw recipe (as you suggested). I will absolutely be making these again. I did dice up and saute a chicken breast for the carnivores in my family, but I thought it was fab without the meat. I think the quality of the tortilla used has a lot to do with how well these turn out. YUM!
I just made these tacos last week for my blog. I used my own recipe for the refried beans, which included cooking and mashing the beans with fresh oregano, garlic, and multiple spices, and I used my spicy lime cabbage slaw which gave the tacos a tangy kick. They were amazing! I ate them for lunch and dinner all week long. :)
There is nothing more delicious than slaw (used green cabbage with the green onion dressing from your other recipe) on a taco. And a black bean one at that. I have been making tacos for years, but I’ve never kept them in the pan long enough to get the crunch effect. You have lifted the veil. Love your accessible recipes which end up being our family favorites. This one is no exception. Thank you!!!
These are super, I am not a big meat-less meal fan but this is one of the best ever. Try it even if you are not a big Black Bean fan as they actually taste like meat.
These were great. Quick, cheap, fresh, and filling… essential weeknight recipe material!
I used King Arthur Unbleached White Whole Wheat Flour to make Graham crackers. Winner winner, chicken dinner. LOL Best of both flour worlds.
I never would have thought of putting black beans with slaw–let alone adding feta to the mix–but the more we eat this the more we love it! And I’ve recently discovered that I really like this slaw + your delicious black bean ragout as a side for other Mexican dishes, rather than beans and rice. Major win.
These are my absolute favorites. Deb — I wanted to make these when I host book club. How would you recommend keeping them warm as I whip up a bunch (serving 8 people)? Put them in the oven on 200 F until read to serve?? Thanks!
We’re adding a little bit of chorizo to this because, well, why the hell not?
Tried the Goya black bean soup and they are delicious. Just pour some of the liquid off the top, heat and smash a little and they make a great taco. I think investing time on the other aspects of the meal makes sense! Thanks for the tip!
Hey! that looks delicious! do you have a good corn tortillas recipe you can recommend me?
This is my second time making this recipe – and I wonder why it isn’t in a more permanent rotation! SO GOOD and SO EASY!
Super easy, fast, and delicious. I don’t know why frying the tortillas like this never occurred to me.
I did chop up and sautéed some sweet onions to add to the filling as well as some cayenne to up some flavors. On the slaw I used Tajin in addition to the lime and it just made everything pop that little bit extra.
Definitely going to be a staple. Thank you!
Tacos are already a favorite in my house and this slaw is genius. I happened to have fresh pineapple in the fridge that I thinly sliced thinly and added to the mix. Made for a fast dinner (yeah!) and includes ingredients that I usually have on hand. Also, firmly in Alex’s hot sauce camp. Next time you’re in NOLA, visit any regular grocery store and he’ll be dazzled by wild offerings not found anywhere else. Here’s to a suitcase full of hot sauce!
I used to make these all the time and they kind of fell off my radar, until last night when I had some shredded cabbage that needed to be used. I didn’t have black beans so I used whatever white beans I had in the pantry. These are so good for something so simple. The flavor combo is just amazing. Anytime I have tried to bulk them up by adding meat they’re just not the same!
This is one of my favorite recipes of all time, hands down. The only thing I don’t like about eating these tacos is that I pretty much feel like I should be doing it behind closed doors (the shame!) because of all the dripping and slurping and finger licking that goes on.
You probably already knew this but 1. These tacos are an amazing weeknight meal and 2. They are next level when made with your black bean ragout from your first cookbook. I’m obsessed. Thanks for all the awesome recipes Deb!!
If shortcuts are wrong, I don’t want to be right. Made this with Bush’s Black Bean Fiesta (which seemed to disappear for a while at my stores but is back)… LOVED IT!!!! Love crisping taco shells this way too; I find Mission Extra Thin crisps the best
This is one of my favorite recipes!! So quick and easy, and delicious.
Made these tonight and they were fast, easy and delicious! Perfect for those nights when the kids have multiple activities from baseball to bar mitzvah lessons. My only issue was we made the green onion cabbage slaw from the other recipe and found it much too oniony. We may have had an extra sharp red onion to start with but we found the onion overpowering, so I would suggest start with half what the recipe calls for and taste before adding the rest. Also, the slaw recipe made 3x what we needed. With a few small tweaks we will definitely make these again!
Doubled the recipe, so I used one can of already-mashed-up (refried) beans + one can of black beans, added the seasoning for one recipe, and had dinner on the table in what felt like seconds. Beans are my favorite in the first place, but I ate WAY more than my fair share of tacos. I felt so happy. These are delicious.
Made this tonight using homemade black beans, the Bobby Flay slaw you linked to, and melty cheese to give it more of a quesadilla feel and it was a winner! Quick, flavorful vegetarian recipes aren’t always easy to come by, so thanks!
These were so much more delicious than they had any right to be. I’m kind of mad about it.
Not to brag or anything, but I made both black beans AND flour tortillas FROM SCRATCH yesterday, so guess what I’m having for dinner tonight! ;-)
You either read my mind, Deb, or you snuck into my kitchen in the middle of the night.
I love love love these! I make them all the time. The crunchy cabbage, the tangy lime juice, the salty feta and the hearty beans are perfection
These are a weeknight regular for us and we always look forward to them. We don’t need the recipe anymore and can make them start to finish in 20 minutes. Simple, inexpensive, and full of great flavor.
Amazing!! Honestly one of your simplest but best recipes ever. I ate all of them. The tortillas were so crispy with the oil and the filling was light and savory.
OK. This is seriously, a most genius weeknight dinner. It was crazy easy and had a short ingredient list. I put less beans in each taco so we could simply have more of them. We all loved it – including my 11-year-old vegetarian who is typically scared of tacos. So. Yummy. Thanks Deb!
I made a “quarantine” version of this for dinner last night. No cabbage so I used radicchio and I had lime juice!! It was wonderful.
It would be so nice to be able to print your recipes..
There is a print icon that leads to a print template at the bottom of each recipe, where it says “DO MORE:” You can also click CTRL or ⌘ + P from any recipe post and it will take you to a streamlined print template. We will definitely make it easier to find when we next redesign.
Made these tonight. They were amazing! And so easy to put together. Thank you for another great recipe!
Delicious and easy. I used cheddar cheese instead of the feta (it’s what I had), added some sour cream to the finished tacos with the slaw and hot sauce. I had a little difficulty keeping the tacos closed while cooking, but it all worked in the end. Great with some cilantro lime rice and a watermelon agua fresca!
This sounds like a perfect busy taco Tuesday meal! If I make my own beans, how many cups equals a 15-ounce can?
1.75 cups
Saw these on Insta and had to snag the recipe! Gonna happen this week, I’m hoping
Thank you for the motivation!
This was phenomenally tasty. I didn’t have cabbage so I made do with romaine lettuce – so good! Next time, I will first saute the black beans with the cumin/salt pepper so they can be nice and hot, and then in the same pan, make the tacos as written. When I didn’t do this, the black beans were a little too room-temp compared to the taco and I found myself wishing they were warmer. THANK YOU for this forever recipe.
Second day having this for lunch, using your recipe as the base and cooking method. I mashed up black beans and added lime, Hatch diced chilis (a staple in our home), salt, coriander (my sub for cumin because it smells like bo to me) and smoked paprika. For my toppings we had cotija cheese and pickled red cabbage in the fridge. I need to perfect my crisping but todays was crispier! Loving this “very easy to throw together with whatever strikes your fancy” recipe. I MIGHT experiment with throwing in the air fryer once i get it folded over. Thank you!!
Made this twice now – so delicious. Received a few dubious looks when informing the masses that it would be black bean tacos for dinner. Turned out to be a very fun dinner. Announcing this dinner now is met with happiness and good cheer all around.
This was fantastic, especially the coleslaw with feta. Made it for dinner, then again for lunch, husband approved!
Easy and delicious – I’ve taken to using a block of feta, slicing into planks, quick dredging in cornstarch, and crisping them in a little oil for a minute or so on each side in the same pan – only takes a few extra minutes but makes the tacos even more filling and complex!
Wow, made these last night and they were absolutely stunning! And so quick to make. Thanks for sharing!
This was a miss for me. :-(
It could be that I’m just not that into cauliflower or the salsa was past its expiration date but the flavors were funky.
My husband didn’t care and he wolfed it down. So there.
There’s no cauliflower in the recipe … so I’m confused. Did you riff on it and add cauliflower and it was a miss?
Enjoyed it just as written but look forward to also using the method with other ingredients as they arise.
Excited to try this but as a California girl I will have to add avocado and sub the cheese with Cojita. Thanks for the idea
My spouse doesn’t like feta, so this is always number 1 on my list of recipes to make when he goes away on a trip. (Number 2 is the Mediterranean Baked feta) I love the different textures, how flavorful it is, how easy to make and clean up. Thanks, Deb!
I made this tonight for hubby and me, substituting black eyed peas and kidney beans for black eyed beans. Replaced corn tortilla with wheat ones. We scarfed them down! This recipe is so easy and amenable to substitutions! Thanks Deb, you rule, even with the restraining order against me.
Stellar! Made it with my own home-cooked beans stashed in the fridge and the recommended upgraded slaw. Will put it in my regular rotation. Thanks for another great recipe.
These checked all so many boxes – tacos, easy, delicious, easy to improvise, meat-free. Another SK success!
This is a perennial go-to for me. My additions are avocado and quick-pickled red onions (slice thin, heat some apple cider or red wine vinegar, pour over, soak for however long).
This is such a quick, delicious, filling meal- perfect for a weeknight. Still thinking about them… yum!
Yum! I just made nearly the same thing, stuffed into a slow roasted sweet potato https://smittenkitchen.com/2018/02/slow-roasted-sweet-potatoes/
I love the combination of spicy and sweet. And the caramelization that you get when you bake the sweet potatoes this way adds a whole new dimension!