Smashed Pinto Bean Tacos

Name: Smashed Pinto Bean Tacos
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 4 vegan and gluten-free, non-GMO soft corn tortillas; 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil ((for the oil-free option, use 1/4 cup low sodium, oil-free vegetable broth)); ½ cup diced Vidalia onion; 1 cup diced plum tomatoes; 1 (15 oz.) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed; ½ teaspoon garlic powder; ¼ teaspoon cumin; ¼ teaspoon chili powder; kosher salt to taste; ½ cup chopped avocado; fresh chopped cilantro to taste; easy guacamole; restaurant-style salsa; vegan cheese sauce; vegan cheese shreds ((or traditional cheese shreds if not vegan or dairy-free))

Modified: Jun 18, 2023 by Addison LaBonte · This post may contain affiliate links · 41 Comments

Full of flavor and ready in just 20 minutes, these Smashed Pinto Bean Tacos are sure to be the hit of your next taco night. These tacos are both vegan and gluten-free with an oil-free option too!

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4 pinto bean tacos on a white plate topped with avocado and garnished with cilantro with salsa in the background

I don't know about you, but we love our tacos in this house. Have you tried our Vegan Veggie Tacos?

Whether it's for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, we're a taco family for sure.

These Smashed Pinto Bean Tacos are among our favorites.

And, the best part is that they are super easy to make and are ready in just 20 minutes!

front closeup view of tacos on a white plate garnished with cilantro and salsa in the background

So, without further ado, let's roll out the red carpet for the star of this taco recipe - the pinto bean!

APPLAUSE

This tasty character is just smashing in the leading role...hahaha...get it? Smashing! Oh, I crack myself up! 🙂

Anyway, in this blockbuster hit, the pinto is accompanied by a fabulous supporting cast of characters, including onion, tomato, garlic powder, cumin, chili powder, avocado and cilantro.

How to make these pinto bean tacos

Start by preheating your oven to 350° F.

Wrap soft corn tortillas in a stack in aluminum foil and cook in the oven for about 8 minutes. Remove the tortillas from the oven and keep them wrapped in the foil pack until ready to use.

While the tortillas are in the oven, heat the olive oil in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. For the oil-free option, use low sodium vegetable broth.

Add diced onions, tomatoes and pinto beans to the skillet.

Season with garlic powder, cumin, chili powder and kosher salt. Stir to combine.

Beans, onions and tomatoes cooking in pan

Cook bean mixture over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally until most of the liquid has dissipated (approximately 6-9 minutes).

Cooked beans, onions and tomatoes in a pan

When the bean mixture is done, remove pan from heat.

Using the back of a silicone or plastic pancake spatula, “smash” the bean mixture until it almost resembles the texture of refried beans but still has some chunks and maybe a few whole beans left.

Serving these vegan bean tacos

Evenly distribute bean mixture into warmed tortillas.

If you are not making the oil-free option, you can also use the hard shells if you prefer.

Top the tacos with chopped avocado and cilantro.

Or instead, try them with our easy homemade guacamole recipe.

You can also throw on some vegan cheddar-style shredded cheese (or traditional cheese if you're not vegan or dairy-free) if you'd like.

For the oil-free option, you can try them with our vegan cheese sauce or vegan nacho cheese sauce.

They're also great served with salsa (such as our restaurant-style salsa).

And for a complete meal, try them with a side of our vegan Mexican rice.

Tacos on a white plate with vegan cheese shreds and salsa in the background

Can I double the recipe?

Yes! All of the ingredients can be doubled to make 8 tacos instead of 4.

Just be sure to wrap the tacos in two separate stacks of 4 in the aluminum foil.

More easy vegan dinner recipes

Now, have a "smashing" meal, darling! 🙂

tacos on a white plate garnished with cilantro

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5 from 12 votes

Smashed Pinto Bean Tacos

Full of flavor and ready in just 20 minutes, these Smashed Pinto Bean Tacos are sure to be the hit of your next taco night. These tacos are both vegan and gluten-free with an oil-free option too!

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Mexican

Keyword beans, gluten free, meatless monday, tacos, vegan, vegetarian

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 10

Total Time 20

Servings tacos

Calories 256kcal

Author Sireesha A.

Ingredients

4 vegan and gluten-free, non-GMO soft corn tortillas (for the oil-free option, ensure the tortillas are oil-free - I like the Mi Rancho brand.)
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (for the oil-free option, use ¼ cup low sodium, oil-free vegetable broth)
½ cup diced Vidalia onion
1 cup diced plum tomatoes
1 (15 oz.) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon cumin
¼ teaspoon chili powder
kosher salt to taste
½ cup chopped avocado
fresh chopped cilantro to taste

OPTIONAL IDEAS FOR TOPPINGS

easy guacamole
restaurant-style salsa
vegan cheese sauce or vegan nacho cheese sauce (or traditional cheese sauce if not vegan or dairy-free)
vegan cheese shreds (or traditional cheese shreds if not vegan or dairy-free)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350° F.
Wrap the tortillas in a stack in aluminum foil and cook in the oven for about 8 minutes. When the tortillas are done, remove them from the oven and keep them wrapped in the foil pack until ready to use.
While the tortillas are in the oven, heat olive oil (or vegetable broth for the oil-free version) in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, tomato and beans to the skillet. Season with garlic powder, cumin, chili powder and salt. Stir to combine. Cook bean mixture over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally until most of the liquid has dissipated (approximately 6-9 minutes).
When the bean mixture is done, remove pan from heat. Using the back of a silicone or plastic pancake spatula, “smash” the bean mixture until it almost resembles the texture of refried beans but still has some chunks and maybe a few whole beans left.
Evenly distribute bean mixture into warmed tortillas.
Top with avocado and cilantro.

(Please refer to the post above for instructional photographs and other helpful information for this recipe)

Notes

*This recipe makes four tacos but you can easily double the ingredients to yield eight tacos. Just be sure to wrap the tacos in two separate stacks of four in the aluminum foil.

The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. Accuracy is not guaranteed. Information shown should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Nutrition was calculated using the olive oil. Using the vegetable broth will change the calculation. Nutrition includes the chopped avocado but does not include the cilantro or any other toppings (such as vegan cheese) or condiments (such as salsa, guacamole or vegan sour cream). Nutrition was calculated using Mi Rancho brand tortillas. Nutrition varies by brand.

Nutrition

This post originally appeared on Watch Learn Eat on March 14, 2016. It has been republished to reflect both recipe and photo revisions. Some changes to the story were also made.

©Watch Learn Eat. All content and images are copyright protected. Recipes and images are not to be used or republished without prior permission. If you adapt this recipe, please re-write the recipe in your own words, and link back to this post for the original recipe.