Baked Black Bean Tacos with Red Chile Sauce

Taco night never tasted so good! These healthy Black Bean Tacos with Red Chile Sauce are the perfect weeknight meal. Loaded with plant-based protein and tons of veggies + flavorful spices, the tacos are super easy to throw together and are drizzled with the most delectable homemade red chile sauce.

Feel free to mix things up if you happen to have other veggies or beans on hand. These tacos would be great with pinto beans instead of black beans. You could also turn up the heat with some diced jalapeños, or make them meatier with mushrooms or quinoa. You do you!

We topped the tacos with shredded enchilado cheese, a firm, aged Mexican cheese rolled in paprika. It tastes a bit tangy like feta and is absolutely killer on top of tacos. But if you can’t find enchilado cheese, go for some pepper jack, Monterrey jack, mozzarella or cheddar. Before serving, top the tacos with sliced avocado + fresh cilantro for added creaminess and freshness. Theres a good reason this recipe is an easy favorite in our house!

INGREDIENTS - TACOS

• 2 - 15 oz. cans black beans, drained & rinsed

• 1 -15 oz. can fiesta corn, drained & rinsed

• 1 red onion, diced

• 1 orange bell pepper, diced

• 4 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 T. vegetarian Worcestershire sauce

• 1 t. onion powder

• 1 t. garlic powder

• 1 t. chili powder

• 1 t. cumin

• Salt & pepper, to taste

• 1 T. olive oil

• 1 - 12 ct. package of whole wheat street taco tortillas

• 12 oz. enchilado cheese (also called queso añejo), shredded (note: if you can’t find this cheese, Pepper Jack or Monterey Jack would also work well)

INGREDIENTS - RED CHILE SAUCE

• Half of a 7 oz. can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce

• 1 T. chili powder

• 1 T. garlic powder

• 1 t. cumin

• 1 t. onion powder

• 1/2 t. smoked paprika 

• 1 t. dried oregano

• 2 t. apple cider vinegar 

• 1 c. vegetable stock

• 1 T. olive oil

• 1 T. cornstarch, whisked with a bit of water to form a slurry

OPTIONAL GARNISHES

• Sliced avocado

• Fresh cilantro

• Sour cream

STEPS

1) Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the red onion, orange bell pepper and minced garlic. Sauté for about five minutes, then add the Worcestershire sauce, onion powder, garlic powder, chili powder and cumin and season with salt and pepper. Stir well to combine, then sauté for another five minutes.

2) Add the drained black beans and fiesta corn to the pan. Toss well to combine and sauté for another few minutes. Remove from heat.

3) Combine all the red chile sauce ingredients (except for the corn starch slurry) in a food processor and pulse until smooth. Transfer the sauce to a small pan over medium heat and gradually pour in the corn starch slurry, whisking well to combine. Bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce to low and simmer for five minutes. Remove from heat.

4) Heat a dry pan over high heat. Once hot, add as many tortillas as can fit without overlapping, flipping the tortillas every couple of minutes until both sides are toasted. Repeat until all tortillas have been toasted.

5) Add a heaping spoonful of the black bean mixture to the center of each tortilla. Fold the tortillas into tacos, and place the tacos side-by-side in an oven-safe dish. Spoon additional filling into the tacos if there’s room. Drizzle the tacos with the sauce, and sprinkle with the shredded cheese. Bake for 6-8 minutes or until the cheese is melted and slightly browned. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a couple of minutes before serving.