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Alex Caspero is a Registered Dietitian, New York Times Bestselling Plant-Based Chef and mom of two. She aims to cut through the nutrition noise by providing real-life, nourishing tips for body and mind. Learn more about Alex.
Yes, friends I am sharing with you yet another down and dirty mexican recipe. What can I say? My love for quick and easy mexican food has been well documented on this site: lentil tacos, cauliflower and bean tacos, tortilla soup, copycat chipotle burrito bowl , mexican pizza and on and on.
If it’s spicy and has beans in it, I’m probably going to love it.
The inspiration for this meal went something like this: “BL- what do you want for dinner tonight?”
“Lentil Tacos” (which I hear about 4 times a week)
“Mmm… no lentils”
“OK, tempeh tacos”
“Mmm… no tempeh”
How about black bean tacos? With a spicy cashew cheese sauce?
Winner, winner, mexican dinner.
It’s really amazing how flavorful you can make beans. Especially with a can of fire-roasted tomatoes and green chilis. While we go through a lot of jarred tomato products, I only recently began buying the fire-roasted kind to add to soups, chilis and now- tacos.
They are a life changer.
I will say it again, fire roasted tomatoes will change your life. Next time you are grocery shopping (or grocery shopping online as I have been doing recently), pick up a jar- or 8! You will be amazed at how many dishes you end up adding them to. I prefer the Muir Glen brand as they are both organic and BPA free.
So, beans, fire roasted tomatoes, green chilis and a simple cashew cheese sauce. (For first-time cashew users, enjoy my primer on how to make cashew cream)
Since this is a weeknight meal, I think that canned beans are your best bet here. But, and this is a big but, if you love beans as much as I do why not consider making them weekly in a pressure cooker? I tend to make a big batch over the weekend and using a pressure cooker makes the process almost painless. Not only does it make beans dirt cheap, but it also cuts any concerns about sodium or preservatives in cans. For making both grains, beans and vegetable broths, my pressure cooker has paid for itself a thousand times over.
If you try this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment, rate it, and tag your Instagram photos with #delishknowledge . I absolutely love seeing your creations. Happy cooking!
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Black Bean Tacos with Spicy Cashew Cheese
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 (makes 8 tacos) 1x
- Category: Main
- Cuisine: Mexican
Description
High protein tacos! Flavorful black bean tacos with spicy cashew cheese. Vegan and dairy-free
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 (makes 8 tacos) 1x
- Category: Main
- Cuisine: Mexican
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 (makes 8 tacos) 1x
- Category: Main
- Cuisine: Mexican
Scale
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked black beans (drained and rinsed if canned)
- 1 tbsp. oil
- 1/2 cup minced white onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (15oz.) can fire roasted tomatoes
- 1 (4.5 oz) can diced green chilis
- 1 tsp. chili powder
- 1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes:
- 1/4 tsp. dried oregano
- 1/4 tsp. smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
- pinch salt/pepper to taste (I usually start with 1/4 teaspoon each and go from there) Spicy Cashew Cheese:
- 1 cup raw cashews
- 1 lime, juice and zest
- 2 tbsp. nutritional yeast
- 3/4 tsp. kosher salt
- 1 tsp. chile powder
- 1/2 tsp. ground coriander
- 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
- 8 soft taco shells
- Taco toppings! (lettuce, guacamole, sliced radishes, cheese, ect.)
Instructions
Black Bean Tacos:
- In a large skillet, heat 1 tbsp. oil over medium-high heat
- Add the minced onion and cook until soft, about 5 minutes.
- Add the spices and minced garlic to the pan and cook another 2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add the black beans, fire roasted tomatoes and green chilis.
- Reduce heat to medium and cook for another 5 minutes until warm.
- Serve on taco shells with spicy cashew cheese and your favorite toppings!For the Cashew Cheese:
- Soak cashews for at least 30 minutes in 2 cups of water.
- Rise and drain cashews.
- Place cashews and remaining ingredients into a blender and puree until very smooth, 2-3 minutes.
- Place the refrigerator until ready to use (leftovers will keep for a week).
did you make this?
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(17 comments) leave a comment
Were the cans supposed to be drained? Comparing mine to your picture, mine is much more liquid-y. Thanks! Looking forward to it, regardless.
Hi Ammie, yes, sorry- the beans were supposed to be drained. I’ll make the change now. Thanks!
I’m not seeing the ingredient list. Am I missing something? I really want to make this. Thank you!
So weird! It’s back up now- thanks for letting me know.
Not sure how quickly you’ll see this and be able to get back to me – I’m trying to find something I can make to take with me to a taco dinner at church tonight – I already have paleo tortillas made, and they’ll save back a portion of non-seasoned meat for me – hoping I can bring this and it can be used without heating, or just 15-30 seconds in the microwave? I don’t want it spicy either – what all what I leave out to just have “regular” cashew cheese that would work well for a taco?
HI! Yes, you should be able to bring this and reheat it in the microwave no problem. It will thicken as it sits so if you may need to add a splash or two of water before heating. If you don’t want it spicy, leave out the chili powder. I would keep the other spices for flavor but you can always add a little and taste as you go. Hope that helps!
Thank you SO much for getting back to me so quickly. When you say it will firm up – like to the point of this picture? Can I use it like regular block cheese then?
No, it won’t firm up like that. You would need to add agar to make it firm like a block cheese, but I haven’t tried it with this recipe. It will be more like a thick sauce, not as thin as when it’s heated.
Just letting you know – I loved it! I left out the coriander (didn’t have any) and the chili powder. Didn’t have a lime, but did use some dehydrated lime juice. I was hesitant to make this – nut cheese is very foreign to my household. But I loved it!
I have never heard of cashew cheese, or cashew sauce of any kind for that matter. Looking at the recipe for it sounds delicious for some reason. I need to make that and see. Very unique.
Thanks John! Cashew sauces are my favorite non-dairy alternative. Hope you try it! let me know what you think!