• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

The Garden Grazer

  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Matcha
  • About
  • Newsletter
  • Contact

Black Bean Tacos with Avocado Cilantro-Lime Sauce

May 26, 2014 By Kaitlin McGinn 54 Comments

The EASIEST Black Bean Tacos topped with a flavorful creamy avocado cilantro-lime sauce! Super quick & healthy vegan weeknight meal.

Black bean taco topped with avocado sauce

These are adapted from my Black Bean Lentil Tacos that we love so much. But made even faster since there are no lentils to cook! It’s a perfect weeknight meal. And since I’m always trying to find an excuse to make my creamy cilantro-lime dressing, I did a variation of it to drizzle on top. Pure taco deliciousness!

Creamy vegan avocado cilantro sauce in food processor

I love super fast, easy meals packed with flavor, and these definitely fit the bill. The black bean mixture is made in 5 minutes with just black beans, salsa, and cumin. Simple, yet bursting with flavor. If you have a few extra minutes, you can even saute some diced onion and minced garlic in the pan before adding the black beans. Or if you like a smoky kick, chipotle is great. Hope you enjoy them as well!

Tip: we’ve also made these even faster without the cilantro-lime sauce, using tomatoes and guacamole as the toppings. Dinner ready in under 10 minutes? Whoop! Can’t beat that!

PS – come join The Garden Grazer on Instagram and share a photo if you make these! (Also please leave a review & star rating below if you give it a try. Your feedback is greatly appreciated – thank you!)

Two black bean tacos on a plate topped with cilantro sauce and tomatoes
Print Pin
4.82 from 11 votes

Black Bean Tacos with Avocado Cilantro-Lime Sauce

Black bean tacos with a creamy avocado cilantro-lime sauce! Super quick and easy.
Author: Kaitlin – The Garden Grazer
Prep Time:10 minutes
Cook Time:5 minutes
Total Time:15 minutes
Category: Main Dish
Cuisine: Gluten-Free, Mexican, Oil-Free Option, Vegan
Servings:8 small tacos

Ingredients

US Customary – Metric
  • 30 oz. canned black beans (two 15 oz. cans)
  • 1 cup salsa (I use homemade blender salsa)
  • 1 tsp. ground cumin
  • 1 tsp. chili powder
  • 8 small corn tortillas

Toppings of choice:

  • Lettuce, tomato, onion, corn, avocado, cilantro, vegan cheese, etc.

For the creamy avocado sauce:

  • 1/2 ripe avocado
  • 3/4 cup cilantro (large stems removed)
  • Juice from 1 lime (about 2 Tbsp.)
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil (or water for oil-free)
  • 1 tsp. agave (or other sweetener)
  • 1/8 tsp. salt

Instructions

  • Make the avocado sauce: in a food processor or blender, add all sauce ingredients and blend. Add a touch of water to thin if necessary, and tweak seasonings as desired. Set aside, or refrigerate if making ahead of time.
  • In a pan over medium heat, add black beans (rinsed and drained), salsa, cumin, and chili powder. Heat for about 5 minutes stirring occasionally, until heated through. (Optional: slightly mash beans after heating for a creamier filling.)
  • While the beans are heating, chop and prepare your toppings. Warm the tortillas if desired.
  • Assemble the tacos: spoon the black bean mixture in the center of the tortillas, spoon a small amount of avocado sauce over the top, and add your toppings.

Nutrition Per Serving (estimate)

Calories: 209kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Potassium: 569mg | Fiber: 11g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 466IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 80mg | Iron: 3mg
Did you make this recipe?Tag @thegardengrazer on Instagram and hashtag it #thegardengrazer. I love seeing your recreations!
Photo collage of vegan black bean tacos

Enjoying these Black Bean Tacos? Feel free to also check out the full “Mexican-Inspired” recipe archives on the site for more plant-based fiesta deliciousness! (Or another one of our favorites: Mexican Quinoa Stuffed Peppers)

Filed Under: 30 Minutes or Less, Gluten-Free, Main Dish, Mexican-Inspired, Recipe, Vegan Tagged With: avocado, black beans, cilantro, cumin, family-friendly, garlic, lime, plant protein, sauce, tacos, weeknight

Previous Post: « Avocado Quesadilla (Vegan)
Next Post: Asparagus & Mushroom Stir-Fry »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. LittleMonsterx14

    May 27, 2014 at 1:23 am

    mmm these look so flavorful!

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      May 27, 2014 at 5:05 pm

      Thank you!

      Reply
    • Jesus light Of the world

      February 23, 2018 at 1:03 am

      They are!!!!! Super good!!!!

      Reply
  2. Lynette Nelson

    May 27, 2014 at 1:24 am

    I have been making black bean tacos since going vegetarian a year and a half ago and they haven't changed much, I've been looking for ways to make them more interesting and this looks perfect. Thanks!

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      May 27, 2014 at 5:05 pm

      Thank you!

      Reply
  3. Ashlyn Edwards

    June 9, 2014 at 11:43 pm

    These look amazing! I LOVE veggie tacos and the avo sauce sounds like the perfect topping. Can't wait to make these!

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      June 10, 2014 at 1:13 pm

      Hope you enjoy!

      Reply
  4. Becca

    June 17, 2014 at 11:02 pm

    This was great!. Next time I think I'll serve over rice with lettuce and add
    a bit to the cilantro lime mix. There wasn't quite enough, but doubling is probably too much.

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      June 19, 2014 at 6:28 pm

      Great thoughts! Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
  5. Casey Radhs

    July 21, 2014 at 2:08 am

    My boyfriend and I just started the Nutritarian 6 Week Plan (the vegan version!) and I made this (with a few differences) for dinner tonight. They were sooo good, thanks for the recipe inspiration!

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      July 22, 2014 at 3:22 pm

      That’s great to hear!

      Reply
  6. Jamillah Wilcox

    August 24, 2014 at 12:51 am

    Kaitlin, the recipe is absolutely delicious. It's a great alternative from ground beef. And prepping is quick, easy and fun. I found the recipe on Pinterst. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      August 24, 2014 at 2:10 pm

      Wonderful! Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
  7. Ms.Finger Painter

    August 31, 2014 at 3:44 pm

    Soo perfect… we are tight on money and I'm looking for ways to use what I already have for meals… never thought of black Bean tacos and I have a lot of dried beans !!! Thanks for the recipe

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      September 2, 2014 at 6:31 pm

      That’s great to hear 🙂

      Reply
  8. Susan Finn

    September 16, 2014 at 12:12 am

    Made this for dinner tonight; it was delicious!

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      September 16, 2014 at 6:11 pm

      Yay, thanks for sharing!

      Reply
  9. Fritter

    December 13, 2014 at 9:52 pm

    These are SO good. And that sauce? Omg. I'm an expat in the Netherlands and we don't really have good Mexican here. THIS totally fits that craving and I even used some precious Pace. I also shared on my blog's FB page they were so darn amazing. Great recipe.

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      February 19, 2015 at 2:58 pm

      So great – thank you for sharing!

      Reply
  10. KariJBean

    February 19, 2015 at 3:15 am

    Made these tonight-SO delicious! Can't wait to try more of your recipes. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      February 19, 2015 at 2:57 pm

      Wonderful to hear!

      Reply
  11. Anonymous

    February 23, 2015 at 6:08 pm

    This sounds absolutely scrumptious! So glad I went perusing Pinterest today. Thanks for sharing. I'll be back!

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      February 23, 2015 at 10:35 pm

      Hope you enjoy!

      Reply
  12. Holly Waterfall

    May 20, 2015 at 2:09 am

    Just had to let you know that I just inhaled…. err, ate… these for dinner tonight. SO freakin yum! Thanks for a quick and easy vegetarian dinner for my busy life.

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      May 21, 2015 at 3:03 pm

      Haha. So great, Holly!

      Reply
  13. Deanna Jones

    June 8, 2015 at 7:28 pm

    Thanks for the recipe. My sister is coming over to visit, so I need to find some food that she would like to eat. She's vegan, so this seems like a recipe that she would like. Black bean tacos with avocado cilantro-lime sauce sounds amazing. My sister is an avocado connoisseur, so I'm sure that she would gobble up these tacos for dinner.

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      June 10, 2015 at 2:58 pm

      That’s great! Hope you both enjoy 🙂

      Reply
  14. Bethany D

    June 25, 2015 at 1:33 am

    I made this tonight and it was absolutely delicious! My meat-loving-husband couldn't get enough and I had to stop myself at 3. The sauce compliments the bean mixture perfectly. Thanks for the great recipe!

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      June 28, 2015 at 4:36 pm

      Fantastic! Thanks for your kind feedback!

      Reply
  15. Nicki Escudero

    November 13, 2015 at 5:03 pm

    I am obsessed with this recipe and have made it several times — it's absolutely delicious! Thanks for sharing such innovative vegan recipes! :-), Nicki

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      November 16, 2015 at 5:11 pm

      That’s amazing! Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
  16. Jen

    April 1, 2016 at 10:46 pm

    I was cooking dinner tonight for two vegans and four meat eaters- and this was well enjoyed by all! We had it with chips, guac and fresh salsa on the side. Yum!

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      April 2, 2016 at 12:45 am

      So great to hear, Jen! Thanks!

      Reply
  17. farmerswife17

    April 26, 2016 at 7:27 pm

    I have had this pinned for who knows how long under my Pinterest 'Mexican food' catagory, I have been looking to eat more healthy and yesterday I found this recipe, it was just what I was looking for, I started with making your restaurant salsa, this was heaven to me, after trying these tacos, I cannot even express how yummy this was, my husband really liked it too. I love your simple whole food recipes! Thank you for doing what you do. I wish we lived closer, I just know we would become fast friends.

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      April 30, 2016 at 3:33 pm

      Aww, so glad you enjoyed these and the salsa! Thanks for your kind feedback 🙂

      Reply
  18. dcm

    May 5, 2016 at 9:45 pm

    These were fabulous!! LOVE! The sauce was great… and mashing the beans made them even tastier. Thanks for the recipe!

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      May 14, 2016 at 3:14 pm

      Great to hear!

      Reply
  19. Marijke Fulton

    June 18, 2016 at 1:14 am

    I made this for my Dad and I, and it was amazing! The sauce was so creamy and slightly tangy, with that cool undertone only cilantro can bring out. The bean mixture, too — I would never have thought of adding salsa, or even that cumin. Thanks for the recipe!

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      June 18, 2016 at 8:08 pm

      Aww, so glad you both enjoyed 🙂 Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
  20. J19sweet

    June 20, 2016 at 12:31 am

    Making this tonight for my hubby. Very excited about meatless tacos. Wonder is dressing can be used for taco salad?

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      June 21, 2016 at 1:31 am

      Hope you enjoyed! And absolutely! We love a version of it on this Southwestern Chopped Salad 🙂

      Reply
  21. Angie S.

    June 25, 2016 at 4:50 pm

    Sounds yummy!!! Would it be okay to omit the oil in the sauce or is there a non-oil sub that would work?

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      July 10, 2016 at 3:10 pm

      Hi Angie! Absolutely! Just omit & add a touch of water to thin if necessary when blending 🙂 Hope you enjoy!

      Reply
  22. MichelM

    January 13, 2018 at 3:32 pm

    the dressing is excellent. I did not have tortillas so I made it with corn chips like Nachos in the oven with cheese very good.

    Reply
  23. Tabitha Ruter

    January 13, 2018 at 8:15 pm

    I made this and it was REALLY awesome! Thanks for such a great recipe!

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      January 30, 2018 at 6:35 pm

      Great to hear!

      Reply
  24. Jesus light Of the world

    February 23, 2018 at 1:04 am

    These are AMAZING. & super easy to make. I love all the flavor!

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      March 19, 2018 at 8:04 pm

      Thanks for your kind feedback! Happy you enjoyed 🙂

      Reply
  25. Pg

    December 2, 2019 at 7:04 pm

    Just made this tonight to take to work for lunch tomorrow. What is considered a serving? 2 tacos! So super good. The lime sauce is through the roof!5 stars

    Reply
    • Kaitlin McGinn

      December 3, 2019 at 7:33 am

      Haha – so fantastic to hear that! Thanks so much for the kind feedback (and for leaving a recipe rating – very appreciated!) Enjoy your taco lunch today and have an awesome week! 😀 -Kaitlin

      Reply
  26. Sara

    May 8, 2020 at 7:10 pm

    I made these tonight – they are pretty good but kind of sweet, just because they use a lot of naturally sweet ingredients and I swapped the agave with honey. The sauce is very good – suuuuper limey. It’s a great easy vegetarian recipe that I’ll probably come back to.5 stars

    Reply
    • Kaitlin McGinn

      May 19, 2020 at 12:40 pm

      So great to hear you gave these a try and enjoyed, Sara! Thanks for the kind feedback & recipe rating – very appreciated 🙂

      Reply
  27. Trisha

    January 8, 2021 at 9:39 am

    Hi. Just wanted you to know that I’ve made these twice over the last 2 weeks, and they are delicious! I could (and did!) eat the avocado cilantro lime cream with a spoon! No one in my house is technically labeled a vegetarian, vegan, or clean eater, but we are always looking for new, healthy meals to try. Everyone in the house loved these! Thanks so much for the recipe!5 stars

    Reply
    • Kaitlin McGinn

      January 8, 2021 at 10:09 am

      Hi Trisha! That’s fantastic to hear – thanks so much for your very sweet feedback. So glad your family is enjoying these! Wishing you all a beautiful weekend 🙂

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Did you make this recipe? Please rate it! (Thank you!)




Primary Sidebar

Hi, I'm Kaitlin! I share easy vegan recipes that are mostly whole food, plant-based, oil-free, & gluten-free. Learn More About Me →

Join 200,000+ followers!

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Copyright © 2021 · thegardengrazer.com

Privacy Policy