If you're looking for a quick delicious dinner the whole family will love, you must try these baked crispy bean and cheese tacos! Cheesy and super tasty, they're baked with pinto beans and melted cheese. Served with an easy and zesty homemade Greek yogurt avocado crema.
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Why you'll love this recipe
- These bean and cheese tacos are so flavorful! Simple yet super tasty, pinto beans are seasoned then mixed with a Mexican style shredded cheese mix before being baked to perfection until crispy. Served with a homemade avocado crema, they'd be amazing too with a side of restaurant-style salsa or spicy jalapeño salsa. So good!
- They're a more nutritious alternative as the tacos aren't fried and the beans not refried. By baking them you'll save fat calories you can enjoy in the cheese instead.
- This recipe is family-friendly and a crowd pleaser! It's an easy vegetarian meal to put together for gatherings or weeknight dinners for both kids and adults.
- It's budget-friendly. You need minimum ingredients you might already have in your pantry.
Key Ingredients and variations
- Tortillas: I chose small flour tortillas for this recipe, fajita size which are a little smaller than taco size. You can use any kind of tortillas you prefer, corn tortillas work but there's a high probability they'll break when they're not fried. If you choose corn tortillas, make sure to buy extra-soft ones if possible. My favorite gluten-free tortillas are these.
- Pinto beans: use canned beans. I chose plain beans instead of refried but you can use those if you prefer or swap them for black beans. Drain the beans but don't rinse them, as you'll want some of that leftover liquid so they're not dry.
- Seasoning: we season the beans with chili powder, garlic and onion powder. For even an easy option, use a teaspoon of taco seasoning.
- Cheese: You can use pre-shredded Mexican-style cheese, or grate cheddar and Monterey Jack (or cheese of choice) from a blocks for more gooey results.
- Spray cooking oil: you'll need some to get the tacos crispy, I use avocado oil.
- Avocado crema: a mix of Greek yogurt, fresh avocado, cilantro, garlic and lime, all added to a food processor until smooth.
How to make bean and cheese tacos with avocado crema
- The avocado crema is made in a food processor.
- You'll need a small pot and large baking sheet.
Gather all the ingredients for the crema.
Preheat oven to 400° Fahrenheit.
Add them to a food processor and pulse until smooth, then remove and place in a airtight container in the fridge.
Add the beans and seasoning to a small pot and warm on low heat.
Once hot, gently smash the beans.
Wrap the tortillas in damp paper towels and heat in the microwave for 30 to 45 seconds.
Spray the tortillas with cooking oil on both sides. Fill the tortillas with cheese, beans then cheese. Bake for 10 min, flip and bake for another 5 min.
More Meatless Recipes To Try
- Chickpea Soup
- Cheesy White Bean Tomato Bake
- Air Fryer Garlic Parmesan Potatoes
- Easy Salad with Brie, Apple and Shallot Vinaigrette
- Caprese Empanadas
Tips
- Don't overfill the tortillas and make sure they're heated up before filling them so they're pliable. If they're too full they can break or spill (especially corn tortillas)
- Spray the tortillas generously with spray cooking oil.
- Freshly shredded cheese will melt better.
- These bean and cheese tacos are best served immediately after baking.
Frequently asked questions
Absolutely! Black beans are great too or a combination of pinto and black beans. You can use refried beans too if you wish.
Yes, but just make sure they're warm so they're pliable because they're more likely to break.
Absolutely, ground beef or chicken seasoned with taco seasoning would be delicious. But don't overfill the tortillas.
Spray them generously with spray cooking oil. You can also use parchment paper if you wish.
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Baked Crispy Bean and Cheese Tacos with Avocado Crema
Equipment
- airtight container
- small pot
- paper towels
Ingredients
For the avocado crema
- 1-2 avocados
- ⅓ cup Greek yogurt non-fat or low-fat
- 1 clove garlic
- ¼ teaspoon salt more or less to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper more or less to taste
- 1 lime juiced
- 1 handful fresh cilantro
For the tacos
- 8 fajita size flour tortilla or tortillas of choice
- oil spray avocado oil or neutral oil
- 2 15-oz cans pinto beans drained but not rinsed
- 1 teaspoon chili powder more or less to taste, or taco seasoning
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 cup shredded cheese Mexican-style mix or cheddar and Monterrey Jack
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients for the avocado crema into a food processor and blitz until smooth. Then remove by scraping it all with a spatula, place in an airtight container in the fridge.
- Preheat oven to 400° Fahrenheit.
- Drain the pinto beans but do not rinse them. Add them to a small pot with the chili powder, garlic powder and onion powder and warm them up on medium-low heat.
- Once hot, use a spoon or masher to gently mash the beans.
- Get the paper towels wet then squeeze all the extra liquid. Wrap the tortillas, and microwave them for 30 to 45 seconds to warm them up so they're pliable.
- Spray the baking sheet, then one tortilla with spray cooking oil on each side, then place it on the baking sheet, add some cheese on one side, then beans then cheese again, then gently fold in half. Repeat with the rest of the tortillas.
- Add the filled tacos to the oven, cook for 10 minutes, then flip the tacos and continue cooking for 5 minutes or until crunchy. Serve right away, add your toppings, avocado crema and enjoy!
Notes
- Tortillas: I use small flour tortillas (fajita size which are a little smaller than taco size). You can use low-carb, gluten-free tortillas. Corn tortillas work too but be aware that they most likely will break if overfilled and not warm enough when being filled.
Nutrition
About Priscilla Lawrence, Certified Nutritionist
Hi there, I'm Priscilla Lawrence, a certified nutritionist, recipe developer, food photographer & mom of two. I was born and raised in Paris, France, but have been living in San Diego, California...
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