Crunchy Black Bean Tacos with Cilantro Rice + Pico

These tacos are hands-down one of my favorite meal prep items ever! They’re incredible fresh out of the pan, but they also keep beautifully in the fridge, making them perfect for weekday lunches or quick dinners.

This combo—black bean tacos, cilantro lime rice, and fresh pico de gallo—is a must-try. It’s incredibly versatile, too: swap the black beans for lentils, sweet potato, cauliflower, or even jackfruit. The possibilities are endless! And honestly, who doesn’t love a good cilantro lime rice + pico combo?

Pro Tip for Meal Prep: After cooking, I like to lay the tacos on a sheet pan lined with paper towels to soak up any excess oil. If you’re storing them, add paper towels to the container to keep the tortillas from getting soggy and help maintain that satisfying crunch.

Ingredients:

tacos:

• Soft corn street taco tortilla shells

• 2 cans black beans

• 1 diced red pepper

• 1 diced medium onion

• 1 tsp paprika

• 1 tsp garlic powder

• 1 tsp cumin

• 1 tsp chili powder

• salt/pepper

cilantro rice:

• 1 cup rice

• Half a lime ( juice + zest )

• Salt/pepper

• 1 tsp garlic powder

• 2 bay leaves

• ½ cup finely chopped cilantro

pico:

• 1 diced sweet pepper

• ½ diced red onion

• 1 lb diced tomatoes (3-4 medium sized)

• Salt/pepper

• ½ cup finely chopped cilantro

• half a lime juice + zest (2 tablespoons) 

  Steps:

  tacos:

  • Cut the red pepper and onion and add into a hot pan and saute for 10-15 minutes until tender

  • Drain black beans and add into a large bowl, lightly mashing, leaving some chunks.

  • Add in paprika, garlic powder, cumin, chili powder, salt/pepper, red pepper, and onion. Mix until combined completely.

  • Heat a thin layer of oil in a pan, add tortilla shell and allow to heat for 10-15 seconds.

  • Carefully add in the bean mixture on half of the tortilla and hold in half. Once folded, allow to heat until crispy and then flip with a spatula and repeat on the other side. Continue until there is no more bean mixture.

  cilantro rice:

  • In a pot, bring to a boil 1 ½ cups of water with the rice and bay leaves over high heat.

  • Once boiling, reduce to a simmer and cook low for 15-18 minutes, leaving the lid on to allow the rice to steam.

  • Remove the lid, fluff rice with a fork and check to make sure that all the water is absorbed and rice is cooked fully.

  • Once done, mix in garlic powder, cilantro, lime juice + zest, and salt/pepper. Taste and season accordingly.

pico:

• Diced tomato, red pepper, onion, and cilantro and then mix in the lime juice + zest and salt/pepper.

Most importantly, enjoy! If you try this recipe, tag me @samanthasplate_ on Instagram!