Looking for something to go with these tacos? Try black bean and corn salsa, equally good as a topping or as a side salad! Taco night is always a big hit in our house or when we serve them for guests. I’ve made tacos in so many different ways, including with ground beef, pulled pork and lovely flaky fish. But these black beans pop with so much flavour they may just be my favourite! The creamy and savoury beans match perfectly with sweet corn and crispy slaw. But there is no reason to stop there! Part of the fun with eating tacos is assembling them yourself. There are so many toppings that can be added that each taco can be a completely different experience! I found that a cilantro lime slaw was a perfect match for black bean tacos, bringing a beautiful mix of textures and fresh taste. But there are so many other options to choose from, so make sure you read to the end to get some ideas!
Black bean filling
The list of ingredients for the black bean filling is fairly long, but this doesn’t mean that they are complicated to make. In fact, they are quite easy to master! Heat up the vegetable oil in your frying pan and sauté the chopped onion over low heat. You want them to be soft and translucent, which should take about 5-7 minutes. Once the onions are ready, add the pressed garlic and give it about 30 seconds longer. Again, this should be over low heat as you don’t want the onion or garlic to burn. Now all the other ingredients can be added except for the corn. Make sure you drain the black beans first! Bring everything to a boil, turn down the heat and let it simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. This will allow most of the liquid to evaporate and the flavours to combine beautifully. Use the back of a spoon to crush about a quarter of the black bean filling with a spoon. This releases the creamy insides of the beans and makes everything deliciously creamy. Add the corn and let it cook for five minutes longer. Make sure that you give it a taste to see if more salt needs to be added. That’s it! Warm up the tacos and serve the black bean filling with the toppings of your choice.
Cilantro Lime Slaw
The crispy cilantro lime slaw is a perfect match for the creamy and savoury black bean filling. It’s also very flexible, so one that I use time and again with different meals. The slaw is far better if the red cabbage is sliced as thinly as possible, so ideally use a mandoline if you have one. Toss the sliced cabbage with lime juice, white wine vinegar, salt and chopped cilantro. Set it aside for a while. The slaw is easy to make in advance, and giving it the time to sit will allow the flavours to combine.
Serving suggestions
The slaw is fantastic but the list of toppings you can add to black bean tacos is endless and there is plenty of room to get creative. Here are some of my favourite taco toppings:
avocado, in slices or as guacamole thinly sliced radishes chimichurri sauce jalapeno pepper sautéed onions homemade salsa lettuce sour cream salsa fresca (fresh salsa)
Storage and leftovers
Any leftover black bean mixture can be refrigerated for 4-5 days or, if you must, frozen for up to 6 months. The easiest way to reheat is simply to use your microwave. You can serve again as tacos, but it’s also fantastic in a quesadilla! Leftover cilantro lime slaw can be refrigerated for 5-7 days.
More Tex-Mex recipes
Chicken Fajitas Queso Fundido with Chorizo Chicken Chilaquiles with Warm Corn Salsa Chile Verde (Green Chili)
