I don’t think I’ll ever get sick of tacos. They’re so versatile, and I love them all: chicken tacos, carnitas and barbacoa tacos, veggie tacos, homemade tacos, fancy restaurant tacos, street tacos, crispy tacos, taco salad…when it comes to tacos, I don’t discriminate.
These Quinoa Black Bean Tacos are no exception. They’re the kind of tacos that make my flexitarian heart pitter-patter, and they’re full of flavor and texture that’ll convert even the meat-lovers in your life.
They’re stuffed with my take on an easy homemade vegan taco “meat” – a plant-powered taco filling made with black beans and quinoa. The black bean and quinoa taco filling simmers away with onions, garlic and a heavy dose of taco spices, infusing it with spicy, garlicky goodness. Topping the tacos with a vegan Cilantro Lime Crema takes them to the next level – they’re basically what taco dreams are made of.
And the very best part? With minimal ingredients, one skillet, and only 30 minutes of cooking time, this black bean taco recipe is one of the easiest dinner recipes I’ve ever made! Once you make them, I think you’ll understand the obsession.
Quick and easy, budget-friendly, completely vegetarian and vegan, and a major crowd-pleaser – these tacos are a total weeknight win!
How to Make the Best Vegan Tacos in 30 Minutes
When cooked perfectly, the texture of this black bean and quinoa taco meat is surprisingly hearty and satisfying – almost meaty! Plus, these vegan tacos are seriously EASY, and made entirely with ingredients you probably already have in your pantry. It’s the kind of recipe that comes together really quickly, with just a handful of steps.
To make these quinoa black bean tacos, you will…
Sweat the onion: Let the onion cook in olive oil for about 4-5 minutes, to get nice and soft. Be sure to season with a pinch of salt – it draws the water out of the onion and makes it even more flavorful.
Toast the aromatics: Get ready for your kitchen to smell awesome – this step adds major depth and flavor to the quinoa black bean tacos. Add garlic, taco spices (chili powder, cumin, and paprika) and tomato paste to the skillet and let it cook for about a minute. The spices will get nice and toasty, and super fragrant. Want to add some spice? ⇢ Add a bit of cayenne pepper for some extra heat!
Cook the quinoa. Stir the quinoa into the onion mixture and let it toast up for a minute or two before adding in some vegetable broth. Bring the mixture to a boil before adding in the black beans, covering the skillet and letting it simmer for 15 minutes. When it’s done, use a fork to fluff up the quinoa black bean taco filling, and give it a squeeze of lime juice. Why? ⇢ A bit of fresh lime juice livens up the flavors of all those aromatics!
Serve. Top your tacos with what you love and devour!
Step-by-Step Video
The Best Toppings for Plant-Based Tacos:
I generally have a “more is more” philosophy for taco toppings, but you really can’t go wrong when it comes to garnishing these vegan black bean tacos.
A few of my favorites include…
- Avocado – Slice it up or mash it up to add an addictively creamy component to each bite. Bonus points if you whip up a batch of guacamole!
- Salsa – Pick your fave jarred salsa, whip up a quick pico, or try this creamy salsa verde – it is vegan!
- Chopped cilantro – A sprinkle adds bright, fresh flavor!
- Lime wedges – A small squeeze of lime juice really brightens up the flavor of the black bean quinoa taco meat.
- Cilantro lime crema – An absolute must! This creamy, cashew-based crema is flavorful yet cooling and makes the perfect topping for these quinoa tacos…or just about anything, for that matter. I always keep a batch in my fridge! For this and 2 other delicious cashew crema recipes, check out our Easy Vegan Crema recipe!
Easy Recipe Variations and Tips
Spice ’em up: Amp up the heat with a dash of cayenne pepper or crushed red pepper flakes, or toss in a chipotle pepper for some smoky heat.
Make it meaty: Brown your favorite taco meat in the skillet before sweating the onions. Transfer the browned meat to a plate and set aside as you cook the black bean and quinoa mixture according to recipe directions. Once the black bean and quinoa mixture is cooked, stir the cooked meat into the mixture.
Meal prep: Check the Recipe Notes, below, for meal prep guidance to make this a nearly hands-off recipe.
Not craving tacos? Use the quinoa taco mixture as a filling for epic vegetarian burritos or quesadillas, serve it on nachos or on top of a taco salad. The sky’s the limit!
These tacos have all of the flavor and texture you love in traditional tacos, while being 100% plant-based, perfect for vegetarians and meat-lovers alike! I hope you give this Quinoa Black Bean Tacos recipe a try very soon – I know you’ll love them!
If you do give them a try, be sure to let me know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. You can also snap a photo and tag @playswellwithbutter on Instagram. I LOVE hearing about and seeing your PWWB creations! Happy cooking! ♡
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Black Bean Quinoa Tacos with Cilantro Lime Cashew Crema (Vegan, Dairy-Free)
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4
- Category: Tacos, Burritos & Enchiladas Recipes
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mexican & Tex-Mex, American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Meet your new favorite vegan Quinoa Black Bean Tacos recipe! These plant-based tacos are made with a hearty and filling black bean quinoa taco meat, and topped with a creamy and cooling vegan Cilantro Lime Crema. A 30-minute, one-skillet dinner made with pantry ingredients – perfect for meatless Monday AND Taco Tuesday!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
- 1 ½ teaspoons chili powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup dry quinoa (see Recipe Notes, Below)
- 2 cups low-sodium vegetable stock (or water)
- one 14-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 lime, juiced
- kosher salt and ground black pepper, to season
- for serving, as desired: charred corn tortillas, sliced avocado, cilantro lime cashew crema (below), chopped cilantro, salsa of choice, lime wedges, etc.
for the cilantro lime cashew crema:
- 1 cup raw cashews (see Recipe Notes, below)
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 cup roughly chopped cilantro
- optional: 1 small jalapeno, deseeded (as desired) and roughly chopped
- 1 large, juicy lime, juiced (about 2 tablespoons)
- ½ lemon, juiced
- ¾ cup water
- kosher salt and ground black pepper, to season
Instructions
Prep note: Once you begin cooking, these tacos come together very quickly! I suggest starting by getting all of the chopping, measuring and other prep odds and ends out of the way so cooking is a smooth process: dice the onion, mince the garlic, grab your spices and tomato paste, measure the quinoa and veggie stock, and rinse the black beans. Place everything within an arm’s reach from the stovetop.
- Sweat the onion: Add the olive oil to a medium skillet (with lid) over medium heat. Once hot, add the onion. Season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent and fragrant, about 3-4 minutes.
- Toast the aromatics: Stir the garlic into the skillet. Cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add in the spices (chili powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika) and tomato paste. Stir, coating the onion and garlic. Cook for 1-2 minutes more, until very fragrant.
- Cook the quinoa: Add the quinoa to the skillet, stirring to combine with the onion mixture. Let the quinoa toast for about 1 minute before adding in the vegetable broth. Increase heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling, add in the black beans. Cover the skillet and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes (see Recipe Notes, below). Once the quinoa cooked, remove the skillet from the heat and set aside to stand, covered, for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, remove the lid. Squeeze the lime juice over top and fluff the mixture with a fork. Set aside for taco assembly.
- Prep the cilantro lime cashew crema: Meanwhile, as the quinoa simmers, prep the cilantro lime cashew crema. Add all listed cashew crema ingredients to a food processor or blender. Blend to combine, adding a tablespoon or two of water as needed to reach your desired consistency. Set aside, or transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
- Assemble and serve: Add some of the quinoa and black bean mixture to a tortilla with sliced avocado. Top with a drizzle of cilantro lime crema. Finish with some chopped cilantro, a spritz of fresh lime juice, and any salsas or toppings your taco-lovin’ heart desires. Enjoy!
Notes
- Cooking quinoa: Quinoa can be kind of finicky to cook properly. Once you bring quinoa to a boil, cover and reduce to a simmer (as directed in Step 3, above), it’s important that the simmer be pretty gentle. If it simmers too vigorously, the liquid will cook out too quickly, resulting in quinoa that’s very “al dente” or undercooked. It’s all very heat-dependent, so knowing the nature of your stove will be helpful. If you run into this issue, feel free to add in a couple extra splashes of vegetable broth to give the quinoa enough liquid to absorb.
- Storage and freezing: The black bean quinoa taco meat stores beautifully. Once cooled, pop it in an airtight container and store in the fridge for 3-4 days. It also freezes pretty well. To freeze, allow the vegan taco meat to cool completely, then transfer to an airtight container or freezer bag. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. To serve, reheat in the microwave until warmed through. The texture will likely be a little less fluffy, though you can always doctor it up with flavorful and textured toppings.
- 10-minute meal prep: These tacos come together really quickly once you get to cooking! To make this an even faster weeknight dinner…
- Dice 1 small yellow onion. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Prep the cilantro lime cashew crema according to Step 4 of Recipe Directions, above. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
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absolutely divine! even better the next day. the charred tortillas are a must, the crema is something I will make to use on everything, and I love the use of quinoa and beans for a healthy fiber filled filling. 10/10
Hi Heather, so glad to hear you loved these tacos!! We love the crema for SO many meals, too!
Easy to make, the flavors come together well. I put it on a baked sweet potato half and topped it with mashed avocado. If I had salsa on hand I’d top it with that as well. Very satisfying meal. Thank you for the recipe and the clear directions
Topping a baked sweet potato with this mixture would be SO good!! Thanks for sharing this idea, and happy to hear that you enjoyed the recipe! 🙂
I haven’t tried this yet, but plan to. I love enchiladas and think this taco flavored quinoa would work as a filling. Would baking the cooked quinoa in the oven make them mushy?
Hey Che, we’ve never tried baking this filling, so we can’t speak to mushiness – it’s definitely worth a try! Make sure to let us know how it turns out if you try them as enchiladas! 🙂
Amazing!!!! The cashew crema makes this dish POP!
We LOVE the cashew crema! Thanks so much, Robyn!
I second all the OMG. I did the saute in my Instant Pot and then did slow cook on low for 4 hours. This recipe is an awesome blend of flavors and so much better than other taco recipes. Thank you!
So glad you enjoyed these tacos, Gale! Thank you!
This recipe is delicious. The taco “meat” is so good, that I sometimes eat it by itself. Try it, you won’t be disappointed.
Hi Lani, thanks so much for your review! We definitely approve of eating the filling on it’s own; it’s so good! Glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
OMG this is so delicious! I ended up making a taco salad. Even carnivore husband liked them. The cilantro sauce adds a great flavour.
These are definitely a crowd-pleaser for meat lovers and vegetarians alike!! Happy to hear you loved them!
We have made these about 5 times. So easy and good! They freeze well too!
Thanks, Sarah!! We’re so glad to hear that, and really appreciate your comment & review!!
I have made these tacos several times over the last year and they’re a favorite of mine and my husband’s! They’re quick to make after a simple prep and turn out so flavorful. I love these tacos as a vegetarian option and the leftovers are always good too (not that they last too long with how quickly we eat them up). Truthfully, I haven’t tried the cashew crema as cashews aren’t a common item in my pantry, but I make it with a dairy cilantro lime crema and add sliced avocados, yum!
Hi Annie! We’re so glad you love this recipe as much as we do – it truly is such a weeknight-friendly recipe. Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a rating & review, it truly means so much!!
Hi!
I love quinoa and of course beans! How would the recipe go if you already have leftover plain cooked quinoa?
Hi Gabi! As written this recipe will use uncooked quinoa that will simmer & cook on low heat with a mixture of aromatics, veggie broth, & black beans for 15 minutes. This process creates the taco filling. We’ve never tested the recipe with pre-cooked quinoa so we can’t say for sure – it might be tricky to achieve the same texture for the filling than when you cook altogether. If you do alter the recipe & give it a try, let us know how it goes!
Could precooked black lentils replace the quinoa in this recipe? I have an abundance of that.
Hi there! We’ve never tested it & it will likely change up the flavors & textures of the overall dish but could certainly be worth a try! If you are looking for a lentil taco recipe – you may want to check out our Cauliflower Lentil Tacos here!
I have never commented on a recipe before. This was incredible. My husband felt the same. So delicious!
Hi Karen! We are SO glad to hear that you both enjoyed – thank you so much for taking the time to comment, it truly means so much by helping to give us feedback & help others learn more about the recipe! 🙂
I love this recipe, I’m new to trying gf recipes and I just made this a few days ago. I love it. I’ve had it for probably 4 meals already lol it’s good for meal prepping. I didn’t make the crema in the recipe though, I just made one with sour cream, sriracha and lime juice. I will definitely make this again soon.
Thanks, Rebecca! We are SO glad you enjoyed – be sure to check out our other naturally or easily made gluten-free recipes HERE!
Could I use brazil nuts for the crema instead of cashews?
Hi Anne! We’ve never tested with Brazil nuts so we’re unsure how the flavor would change or compare if you were to use cashews as written. IF you do substitute for Brazil Nuts we’d still recommend using a high-powered blender to mix up the crema to achieve a smooth texture. Be sure to let us know how it goes if you do end up opting to try the Brazil nuts!
Could I use brazil nuts for the crema instead of cashews?
Hi Anne! We’ve never tested with Brazil nuts so we’re unsure how the flavor would change or compare if you were to use cashews as written. IF you do substitute for Brazil Nuts we’d still recommend using a high-powered blender to mix up the crema to achieve a smooth texture. Be sure to let us know how it goes if you do end up opting to try the Brazil nuts!