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!
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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: American, Mexican & Tex-Mex
- 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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Loved it!
Thanks so much, Kiera!
So yummy! Thanks for the great meatless idea! I used the leftover “meat” for taco salads the next day. We mixed salsa and guacamole for our salad dressing. #foodgasm 😅
Hey Aimee! Love your use of the leftovers – that sounds just as delicious as the tacos themselves! Thank you for sharing & so glad you enjoyed!
This was OUTSTANDING!!!!! I absolutely couldn’t get enough and was even taking bites as I put away the leftovers. Sooooo good!!!!
Thanks so much, Erin!! We may be biased but LOVE these tacos too! Thank you for sharing this review with us, we are so glad you enjoyed!
I made this for my vegetarian mother in law who is visiting. She loved it and so did us meat eaters! The flavor was great! Thanks so much for making me look like a rock star for dinner!
Hi Tracy – so glad to hear that it was a hit!! Thank you so much for sharing with your family & for sharing this review!
What can I use to sub out the tomato paste?
Hi Gloria! It is hard to substitute tomato paste, as it really helps add a rich flavor to these plant-based tacos. We would recommend waiting until you have tomato paste on hand & maybe try out our Easy Roasted Veggie Tacos (made with pantry ingredients!) instead in the meantime!
When I became a vegetarian I tried to find a meal replacement for all of my favorites but never managed to find a good one for tacos, till now!
This is amazing, flavorful and absolutely fills that taco void I’ve had!
Thank you!! 🙂
So delicious thank you for this recipe! I’ve recently became a vegetarian and have been missing taco flavors and this hit the spot! I had all the ingredients already like you said except I was missing the lime so I had to leave it out. But I didn’t miss it because it was so yummy regardless!
Hey Elizabeth! I’m SO glad you enjoyed these quinoa tacos! It’s one of my favorite vegetarian recipes on PWWB. Next time you have a taco craving, try out these Roasted Veggie Tacos. They have a little more produce, so might require a little more planning these days, but our readers RAVE about them!
OMG, so delicious!!!! Thank you for easy, but so good recipe!!!
Super easy to prepare that the quinoa and the crema! Both were absolutely delicious!! My kids (ages 14 and 11) enjoyed eating it as well.
Definitely will make this a regular rotation at our house.
I do prefer using my Instant Pot. Have anyone adjusted the recipe for that yet?
Hi Karen! So glad you & your kids enjoyed – thank you so much for the review! We haven’t tested using the Instant Pot but if you do give it a try, let us know how it goes!
This is my favorite “I don’t want to cook, but I need to cook” dinner. So easy, fast, and delicious. Also, the first vegetarian taco that wasn’t good “for a vegetarian taco.” Straight up delicious without the qualifier and a new addition to my weekly meal plans.
I made this tonight and wow it was amazing! My fiance and I recently started eating vegan, it is a bigger transition for him than me, but he loved it and said he didn’t miss the meat at all! I highly recommend!! I followed the recipe to a t but I did 1/2 tsp smoked paprika and 1 tsp regular paprika. Amazing!! Thank you for the recipe!!
This was amazing! To make it Vegan I just simply used Vegan sour cream in the crema. Thank you for the awesome recipe!
This taco “meat” is so easy and delicious! I was just wondering if it can be saved in the freezer too? It’s just my husband and I so this recipe made A LOT of food for just the two of us 🙂
Hey Liz! I’m so glad you enjoyed these tacos! You can definitely freeze the quinoa taco meat – pop it in an airtight container or freezer bag. The texture may be a little less fluffy once you thaw it out, but you can totally doctor it up with toppings. We even like using it in quesadillas!
I make this every week for Taco Tursday and we love love love it!! Family of 8
Jamie, thank you!! That’s so awesome that the whole family enjoys! =)
This was a delicious surprise! Of course it looked great but I have tried a lot of recipes that I’ve found on Pinterest that did not perform lol This will now be a new staple at our house AND the Crema was even tastier the next day. Cheers to this super tasty, quick and easy recipe. Moving forward we will be trying other recipes that you’ve posted! Cheers
Hey Melissa! I am SO glad these quinoa tacos didn’t let you down…no one needs another Pinterest fail in their life! =) Would love it if you kept making PWWB recipes – if you’re into plant-based cooking, these roasted veggie tacos & this lemony basil pasta are both really popular vegan recipes here on PWWB. Would highly encourage you try either/both next! =)
Not sure what I did wrong, but I followed this recipe step by step. My quinoa never cooked all the way, remained half raw.
Hey Angelina! I’m so sorry to hear the recipe didn’t work for you! I haven’t had any other readers say this has happened, so I’m not entirely sure what went wrong. My best guess is that maybe your pan was a little too hot when the liquid went in, causing it to cook down too fast & resulting in there not being enough liquid left to fully cook the quinoa. Cooking grains on the stovetop can be a little finicky like that – every stove is a little different (I know mine runs a little hot so I usually have to cook at a lower stove setting than specified in a recipe, for example). That would be my best guess, but again, I’m so sorry they didn’t work as expected for you!
This is an absolute FAVORITE in our house. I have shared this recipe with so many people. My husband’s comment was “I wouldn’t have know it wasn’t meat if you didn’t tell me!” We love the sauce, but it’s also great dressed however you would do normal ground beef tacos.
Haha, I love that…I find the texture to be really meaty, too, without any weird meatless meats, of course. =) Thank you so much for sharing, Megan!!!
SO flavorful and easy to make that you’ll forget you’re not eating meat!
Couldn’t agree more. I’m so glad you like them, Natasha!