Black Bean Tacos

I love taco night. Dave and I have made tacos together since the early dating days. And trust me, that was longer ago than I care to admit. I thought I'd found the best vegetarian taco out there when I made Roasted Chickpea Tacos for the first time last year. Those are still my favorite go-to taco recipe, and I have enjoyed them numerous times for lunch and dinner. Dave would always eat them without groaning, but he was never as impressed as I was/am. This black bean version was one we both loved. I found this recipe posted on Endless Simmer through Pinterest. These tacos are so simple, yet flavorful. We topped ours with some avocado and Greek yogurt. I highly recommend you try this recipe sometime soon. This would be a perfect weeknight dinner for the start of the school year.

You will need:
*2 cups canned or cooked black beans
*1/2 cup. red onion, minced

*1 teaspoon cumin
*
1 teaspoon paprika
*
2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped

*4-6 ounces pepper jack cheese, grated

*2 tablespoons olive oil
, plus additional oil for cooking

*pinch of salt and pepper
*8 corn tortillas

*optional toppings: avocado, hot sauce, 
salsa
, sour cream or Greek yogurt


1. Preheat oven to 250 and place a foil-lined baking sheet on the center rack.

2. In a medium bowl, combine black beans with red onion, cilantro, and spices. Add a pinch of salt and lightly stir all ingredients together. No worries if you mash the beans a bit.

3. Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Once heated, add one corn tortilla at a time and let sit for a few seconds to heat. Then add about 1/4 cup of the bean filling to one half of the tortilla. Top with a sprinkle of grated cheese. Use a spatula to carefully fold the tortilla over so it forms a shell. Press the spatula down lightly on the tortilla so it holds its shape. Cook for about 3 minutes. Flip the taco to cook the other side. Use a spatula to help you flip the taco toward to fold to keep the filling in place.

4. You can add more tortillas as the tacos cook.  Depending on your skillet, you should be able to cook about 3 at a time. Once a taco is finished, place it on the baking sheet in the oven to keep warm.

5. Enjoy with whichever toppings you'd like.