Ground Beef and Black Bean Tacos

We had friends coming over for dinner, so I decided to make ground beef and black bean tacos. I made baked taco shells, then filled them up with the beef mixture as well as lots of lettuce, cheese, pico de gallo, and served them with homemade tortilla chips, guacamole, and salsa. These tacos were a huge hit with my family and our friends. Healthy, tasty, and easy!

Ground Beef and Black Bean Tacos

Taco Shells:

• Corn tortillas
• Vegetable oil or olive oil cooking spray

Taco Mixture:

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 lb of ground beef
• ½ yellow onion, diced
• 1 tsp coriander
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp onion powder
• Dash of red pepper flakes
• Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
• 1 (15-oz) can of black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (4-oz) can of diced green chiles
• 3 tbsp water

Toppings:

• Lettuce, shredded
• Cilantro, chopped finely
• Green onions, sliced
• Cheddar cheese, shredded
• Black olives, sliced
• Sour cream
• Pico de gallo
• Guacamole
• Salsa
• Hot sauce

How to Make Ground Beef and Black Bean Tacos

Make the crispy baked taco shells by preheating the oven to 350 degrees.

Wrap the tortillas in a paper towel, then microwave for 30 seconds to soften the tortillas.

Place the corn tortillas over the tortilla baking rack (or drape over the oven rack), then brush each side of the tortillas with vegetable oil or spray them with cooking spray.

Bake for 7-10 minutes or until golden brown.  Side Note: If you don’t have a baking rack, click here for instructions for frying the tortillas in oil and forming them into tacos.

Meanwhile, cook the taco filling by heating the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.

Add the ground beef and break it up into crumbles, and cook for 2 minutes.

Add the onion and all of the spices, including sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste, then cook for 7-8 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the drained and rinsed can of black beans to the beef mixture, green chiles, and water, then cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Set aside.

Finish the tacos by filling each crispy taco shell with beef and bean mixture, lettuce, pico de gallo, cheddar cheese, olives, cilantro, and green onions.

Serve with guacamole, salsa, hot sauce, and sour cream, as desired. Enjoy.