Refried bean tacos

Name: Refried bean tacos
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Mexico
Ingredients: 2 tins black beans (800 g), with their liquid; 2 tbsp oil; 1 white onion, chopped; 2 garlic cloves, chopped; 1 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp Mexican oregano (or regular); 1 jalapeño, deseeded and chopped; 12 corn tortillas; 2 avocados; 1 red onion, thinly sliced; 1 bunch of coriander; 2 limes; Salsa verde and crumbled fresh cheese (optional)

Local name : Tacos de frijoles refritos

Mashed, fragrant black beans on warm corn tortillas with avocado, red onion and salsa verde.

VeganGluten-free#beans#tortilla#avocado#salsa#street food

Photo : Jennifer from Vancouver, Canada · CC BY 2.0

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 20 min
Total: 35 min
Serves: 4
Difficulty: Easy

Method

Soften the white onion in the oil for 5 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin, oregano and jalapeño and cook for 1 minute.
Pour in the beans with their liquid. Simmer for 10 minutes, mashing with a potato masher until creamy but rustic. Season with salt.
Warm the tortillas one at a time in a hot dry pan, 30 seconds per side, then keep them warm wrapped in a tea towel.
Fill each tortilla with beans, avocado slices, red onion and coriander.
Serve with lime wedges, salsa verde and, if you like, a little fresh cheese.

Corn tortillas are naturally gluten-free and easy to find in Latin American grocers. Warmed in a dry pan they become soft and fragrant.

Nutrition · per serving

Calories: 692 kcal
Protein: 22.2 g
Fat: 23.7 g
Carbohydrate: 106.7 g
Fibre: 30.1 g

An estimate computed from the recipe quantities and the USDA food composition database. Real values vary with the products used.

Frequently asked questions

Should I drain the tinned beans?

No, the liquid goes into the pan with them. The starch suspended in it binds the mixture during the 10-minute simmer and gives refried beans their creaminess. Without it you would have to add water and the flavour would be flatter.

Why heat the tortillas in a dry pan?

Thirty seconds a side on a hot dry pan softens a corn tortilla and wakes up its aroma. Cold, it cracks when folded. Stack them in a cloth as you go, where their own steam keeps them pliable.

How much should I mash the beans?

To a creamy but still rustic texture, with recognisable whole beans left in. A potato masher suits this better than a blender, which gives a uniform purée that slides straight out of the tortilla.

Have you cooked this dish?

No ratings yet.

Give it a rating

More recipes from Mexico

Mexico

Sopa de lima

The Yucatán lime broth, scented with oregano and sweet pepper, buried under crisp fried tortilla strips, made without chicken.

⏱ 45 min·EasyVeganGluten-free

Mexico

Tlayuda

Oaxaca's large thin tortilla, spread with black bean paste and quesillo, topped with cabbage and avocado, then grilled until crisp.

⏱ 40 min·EasyGluten-free

Mexico

Vegetable enchiladas

Corn tortillas dipped in guajillo chilli sauce, filled with courgette and black beans, then baked under a layer of melted cheese.

⏱ 60 min·MediumGluten-free