Easy Mexican Black Beans for Tacos
on May 15, 2019, Updated Jun 22, 2024
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Easy Mexican Black Beans for Tacos is just what you need to go with all your favorite Tex-Mex dishes! Made with canned black beans and lots of vibrant seasonings, this is the perfect simple side dish for any meal, and great inside tacos and burritos.
Do you even Tex-Mex if you’re not flavoring up your own batch of black beans? Friends, this is one major (and beyond easy) way to pump up the yum factor on anything you make with black beans. They are so rich and flavor-filled, plus they bring in a great boost of extra protein–always a plus when you’re feeding a bunch of growing bodies, like I am!
These come together in about 10 minutes flat and could not be tastier. I love them in tacos, burrito bowls, or bean-and-cheese burritos, but they’re also just as splendid as a plain side or on top of nachos or a festive salad.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- They’re quick and easy: Seriously! They only take a few minutes to throw together.
- Feeds a crowd: You can double or triple this easily if you’re feeding a crowd. They work so well in burrito bowls, taco bars, and more.
- Budget friendly: Beans are so inexpensive and filling. These Black Beans are an easy way to make your dollars and your meals stretch a little further.
Ingredients
- Oil
- Minced Garlic
- Homemade Taco Seasoning: using store-bought is fine
- Black Beans
- Salt: If you use store-bought taco seasoning, you may need to adjust the amount of salt
- Fresh Chopped Cilantro
See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities
Popular Substitutions and Variations
- Other Beans for the Black Beans: I get it–not everyone’s a fan of black beans! You can basically sub any bean you like in this recipe. I would suggest using pinto, red, or even cannellini beans for a different approach.
- If you prefer to cook your own black beans, rather than used cans, you can substitute them in this recipe. Be sure to taste and adjust the seasoning since they may need more salt.
How to Make Easy Mexican Black Beans for Tacos
Step #1. Place a little oil in a medium skillet, then add the garlic and taco seasoning. Heat until fragrant.
Step #3. Stir in the cilantro.
Step #2. Add the beans, water, and salt and stir until most of the liquid is evaporated.
Step #4. Serve as desired.
Recipe FAQs
Black beans are stellar in terms of health. They bring high protein and fiber, plus they’re loaded with lots of other important vitamins and minerals that support bone and joint health.
These will be well-seasoned with taco seasoning, so they should keep well for up to 4 or 5 days covered in the refrigerator. You can freeze them for up to 2 months.
Expert Tips
- Want a fun tip? If you make my Chunky Tomato Salsa at the same time, you can use the juice at the bottom of the salsa in place of water in the black bean recipe. It adds a whole ‘nother crazy-good dimension of flavor.
- If you like your beans a little thicker, smash some of them with the back of a wooden spoon after they are done cooking and stir them in. It makes them in between regular beans and refried beans which is a great texture, especially if you’re serving them as a side.
Easy Mexican Black Beans for Tacos
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons homemade taco seasoning
- 2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained (14.5-ounce cans)
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 2 to 4 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro
Instructions
- In a medium skillet, heat oil over medium heat.
- Add the garlic and taco seasoning, and heat just until fragrant.
- Add beans, water, and salt. Continually stir until heated through and most of the water evaporates.
- Just before serving, stir in the cilantro.
- Serve hot as a side, inside your favorite tacos or burritos, or on your favorite nachos or salad.
Notes
- I always use cooked dried beans instead of store-bought. If you do this, too, plan on more salt because they’ll need it.
- I make this Chunky Fresh Salsa before I prepare the beans, and when I am ready for the water I just replace it with juice from the salsa. I just pour in the same amount of salsa juice that has collected in the bottom of the bowl. It’s an easy way to add even more flavor.
- For a thicker texture, smash some of the beans with the back of a wooden spoon once they are done cooking, then stir them in.
- If you don’t like black beans, feel free to substitute the same amount of another kind of bean.
