Recipes › Coriander › Mexican Coriander and Black Bean Tacos
Mexican Coriander and Black Bean Tacos
Fresh coriander is pounded into a punchy, herby black bean filling that carries the whole dish — this is not the sprig-on-top approach, it is coriander cooked in from the start and piled on at the end. Quick enough for a weeknight, satisfying enough that no one will miss the meat. Serve with pickled red onions and a squeeze of lime.
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Ingredients
- 60 g fresh coriander (leaves and stems), roughly chopped, divided into two 30g portions
- 800 g tinned black beans, drained and rinsed (two 400g tins)or use tinned pinto beans
- 8 small corn or flour tortillasuse corn tortillas to keep the dish gluten-free
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 red onion, finely diced
- 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 jalapeño chilli, finely chopped, seeds removed if you prefer less heator use half a teaspoon of dried chilli flakes
- 1½ tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 lime, 1 zested and juiced, 1 cut into wedges to serve
- 1 tsp flaky sea salt
- 1 ripe avocado, sliced (optional)
- 1 tbsp hot sauce (optional)
Contains: cereals gluten.
Method
- Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the diced red onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes until softened and starting to turn golden at the edges.About 5 min
- Add the garlic and jalapeño and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly so the garlic does not burn. Stir in the cumin and smoked paprika and cook for a further 30 seconds until the spices are fragrant.About 2 min
- Tip in the drained black beans along with the lime zest and juice and 60ml of water. Using the back of a fork or a wooden spoon, roughly crush about half the beans directly in the pan — you want a mixture of whole beans and a thick, jammy paste rather than a smooth purée. Season with the sea salt.About 3 min
- Stir in the first 30g of chopped coriander (stems included — they have as much flavour as the leaves). Cook for 2 minutes until the mixture is thick and cohesive. Taste and adjust salt and lime. Take the pan off the heat.About 2 min
- Warm the tortillas one at a time in a dry frying pan or directly over a gas flame for about 20 seconds each side until hot and slightly charred in spots. Wrap in a clean tea towel to keep warm while you heat the rest.About 3 min
- Spoon the black bean filling onto the warm tortillas. Top with the remaining 30g of fresh coriander, sliced avocado if using, and a dash of hot sauce. Serve immediately with lime wedges alongside.
Tips
- Do not skip the coriander stems — chop them finely and cook them in with the onion from the start, they carry enormous flavour and nothing goes to waste.
- If your coriander is looking a little limp from the fridge, stand the bunch in a glass of cold water for 20 minutes before you start — it perks right up.
- The bean filling holds well and actually improves overnight as the spices mellow, so this is a reliable make-ahead option for busy evenings.
Ring the changes
- Use corn tortillas instead of flour tortillas to make this completely gluten-free — just check your hot sauce label too.
- Add 150g of crumbled feta over the top before serving if you are not keeping it vegan — the salty creaminess works really well against the lime and coriander.
Keeping it
The bean filling keeps in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in a pan with a splash of water to loosen. Tortillas are best warm and fresh — do not store them assembled.
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