Filling and vegetarian-friendly, these bean and cheese tacos are the easiest way to eat Tex-Mex. It’s as simple as seasoning some refried beans, shredding some cheese, and dishing it out into tortilla shells. Dinner’s ready in minutes!
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This vegetarian taco recipe is so quick and easy to make, you’ll have plenty of time to make a few other sides, like Argentinian rice with herbs or sauteed fajita veggies, or make a few toppings like an avocado crema sauce or a quick and easy salsa made with canned tomatoes.
Whether you grew up eating refried beans or not, this flavorful recipe will be one you’ll keep around. And, it’s as simple as buying a can of refried beans. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can make your own from scratch.
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📖Why This Recipe Works
- Refried beans have a great texture and consistency for use in tacos.
- This recipe is incredibly easy to customize; you can add plenty of toppings or serve it as-is.
- The seasonings make a flavorful taco-style seasoning that’s easy to make spicier, as desired.
🧾Ingredient Notes
Refried Beans - You can make your own homemade beans or buy canned refried beans. A single 16-ounce can work for this recipe. You can also use black beans in this recipe.
Tortillas- You can use any type of soft shell tortillas, corn, or flour, to make the crispy fried tacos. You can also use crunchy taco shells if you prefer but that isn't my favorite.
Cheddar Cheese - I prefer to shred my own cheddar cheese for this recipe, but you can use pre-shredded if you want. Sharp cheddar tastes great on tacos! You can also use Monterey jack or pepper jack cheese.
Lime Juice - Squeeze fresh limes into this recipe for plenty of flavor.
Spices- Chili powder, cumin, onion powder, and garlic powder. You can also replace all the spices by using leftover taco seasonings.
Vegetable Oil - You can also use avocado oil, or another high-heat oil if you prefer.
Optional Toppings- Add classic toppings shredded lettuce, fresh tomatoes, and chopped onion. Sour cream, salsa, or pico de gallo for sauces. For a spicy taco add extra jalapenos or hot sauce.
See the recipe card for exact quantities.
⏲️How to Make Bean and Cheese Tacos
You’ll understand why we love this recipe when you see how simple it is to make these bean tacos. You can make the shells crispy or soft, and the instructions are included, so you can experiment with how you like them best.
Taco Tuesday will never be the same!
Step 1- Prep the Toppings
Shred the cheddar cheese and prepare any other toppings you might want to add to your tacos. This recipe comes together fast so you will want to have all the prep done before you start cooking.
Step 2- Make the Beans
Heat the refried beans over medium heat until they’re good and hot. You can do this in a microwave or on the stovetop Then, add the seasonings and lime juice and stir it all together.
Taste for seasonings now and adjust. Add salt, black pepper, or cayenne pepper as needed.
Step 3- Assemble
Spread the beans onto the taco shells and top them with cheese.
There are 2 ways to finish cooking these tacos. One makes soft shells, and one makes crispy shells.
Soft Shell Bean Tacos
Preheat oven to 350°F. After you assemble the tacos, lay them flat on a large baking sheet. Put them back in the oven until the tortillas are soft and the cheese is melted. Top with your favorite toppings, and enjoy!
Crispy Bean Tacos
Fold the tacos in half and lay them in a large, hot skillet. Fry them for about 2 minutes on each side, until they get crispy on the outside. Repeat until all your tacos are crispy.
You can keep the fried tacos warm in a 200°F oven until they’re all cooked.
If you find that the taco shells tear when folding you can place the shells on a plate and cover it with a wet paper towel. Microwave them for 30 seconds. The heat will create steam making them more pliable.
To Make Refried Beans from Whole Canned Beans
If you prefer to make your own refried beans, buy a 16-ounce can of pinto beans. Drain the water and pour them into a mixing bowl. Use a potato masher to break up the beans, then heat in a pan or microwave.
Add the spices and lime juice and continue mashing until the beans have a similar texture to refried beans. I don't recommend a food processor as it takes away all the texture.
🥗What to Serve with Vegetarian Bean Tacos
These easy tacos go great with other Tex-Mex foods. But one of my favorite secrets is to add a runny egg and turn them into breakfast tacos. A fun twist on traditional tacos that the whole family will love!
You can also serve them with a plate of sweet potato nachos or chips and fruit salsa, queso, or guacamole.
If you want to make an extra yummy treat, try these flavorful tiktok corn ribs. Of course, you can never go wrong with a simple vodka lime margarita!
👩🏻🍳 Expert Tip
When serving as breakfast tacos I assemble the night before and store them on a baking sheet in the fridge. I pop them in the oven while prepping the eggs.
🌡️Storing Leftovers
Leftover tacos can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 days. Just wrap them tightly in plastic wrap or foil. Keep in mind, the shells may get soggy after they’ve been sitting in the fridge, so I recommend eating these fresh or within a day or two.
To reheat your tacos, wrap them in foil, then put them in the oven at 350°F until hot through, about 8-10 minutes. Or reheat in an air fryer.
You can make these beans ahead of time and store them in the fridge until you’re ready to serve. Then, just microwave the beans and make your tacos as directed. You can also shred your cheese ahead of time and store it in the fridge in a Ziploc bag.
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💭 Frequently Asked Questions
Everyone has specific dietary needs, so it’s difficult to determine whether or not this recipe is healthy for you. However, these tacos do contain plenty of nutrients, vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
You can add red kidney beans, black beans, or these refried beans to your tacos and burritos. They all taste great, add nutrients, and help make your tacos more filling, so go ahead and experiment to find out which kind your family enjoys the most.
If you use 100% corn tortillas this recipe will likely be gluten-free. Check all labels of your indivudual items but own their own they should be GF
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📖 Recipe
Bean and Cheese Tacos
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups refried beans 1 16 ounce can or make your own
- 2 teaspoons lime juice
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 8 corn tortillas or flour tortillas
- 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil or other high-heat oil like avocado oil
Optional Toppings
- Cilantro
- Sour Cream
- Salsa or Pico de Gallo
- Lettuce and tomatoes
Instructions
- Mixing together the refried beans, lime juice, and seasonings. Spread a ¼ cup of beans in each taco shell. Evenly divide the cheese between the tacos.2 cups refried beans, 2 teaspoons lime juice, 1 teaspoon chili powder, ½ teaspoon cumin, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, 8 corn tortillas, 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
Crispy Bean Taco Option:
- In a large skillet heat the oil over medium-high heat. Fold the tacos in half and lay them flat in pay, Fry for 2 minutes per side or until crispy. Work in batches, and keep tacos warm in a preheated 200 F degree oven.2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Soft Bean Taco Option:
- Preheat oven to 350 F degrees. Microwave the refried bean mixture for 2 minutes, stirring halfway through. After assembling the tacos lay flat on a large baking sheet. Back for 5 to 7 minutes or until the tortillas are soft and the cheese has melted. Top with your favorite toppings and serve.Cilantro, Sour Cream, Salsa or Pico de Gallo, Lettuce and tomatoes
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