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))

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.

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41 Comments

Recipe is pretty good. This blog post however is NOT user friendly. There are SO many ads, plus banner ads, plus pop up ads, I can’t even get to the words. A sentence or two and another ad. As a result, the page loads slowly. There’s also no jump to Recipe button. It makes it incredibly difficult to find the recipe because of the ads on mobile view. Please make the mobile view experience more user-friendly, without so many ads,
Pop ups and delays. And please add a jump to Recipe button.

Sara says:

May 7, 2024 at 10:31 am

Thank you for letting us know! We are looking into it and we have added the jUmp to recipe link. Thanks for your feedback 🙂

Reply

This recipe is easy and delicious.

Such a fantastic idea! I'm always looking for new ways to cook with pinto beans!

Sherri Hall says:

April 17, 2020 at 9:04 am

Thanks Christie! Beans are just the best! 🙂

Reply

These look so delicious - I could eat them for breakfast!

Sherri Hall says:

November 27, 2018 at 12:55 pm

Thanks so much, Jillian! 🙂

Reply

We are having a Taco Tuesday party with friends over the holidays and this will be a great meatless option.

Sherri Hall says:

November 27, 2018 at 12:42 pm

Awesome! That sounds like fun! Hope you enjoy! 🙂

Reply
Sireesha Atluri says:

May 2, 2024 at 6:38 pm

Hope you enjoyed them!

Reply

Since my daughter can't really have meat anymore, this is a great alternative to one of her favorites!

Sherri Hall says:

November 27, 2018 at 12:42 pm

I hope she enjoys them! 🙂 Thanks Sandi!

Reply

These tacos look great. I don't always eat meat and my wife is a vegetarian anyway. I will totally be making these tasty little tacos.

Sherri Hall says:

November 26, 2018 at 6:03 pm

Thanks Ben! I hope you and your wife enjoy them! 🙂

Reply

These smashed pinto bean tacos look like the perfect meatless Monday meal that everyone will enjoy. Quick and easy but tasty is perfect for a weeknight meal.

Sherri Hall says:

November 26, 2018 at 5:37 pm

Thanks Kelly! Mondays definitely need more easy meals. 🙂

Reply

This is a great meat alternative for tacos! Yum!

Sherri Hall says:

November 26, 2018 at 5:17 pm

Thanks Katie! Love using beans in tacos! 🙂

Reply

I love a good meatless meal and this looks like something my family would thoroughly enjoy! xo, Catherine

Watch Learn Eat says:

April 21, 2016 at 3:42 pm

Thanks so much Catherine!

Reply

These sound SO good! I love this as a meatless dinner idea, thanks for sharing!! 🙂

Watch Learn Eat says:

April 21, 2016 at 3:42 pm

Thank you Sarah! 🙂

Reply

Love the simplicity of this dish - it would be an easy, satisfying meal any Meatless Monday -- or Taco Tuesday night!

Watch Learn Eat says:

April 21, 2016 at 3:42 pm

Thank you Lisa! 🙂

Reply

What a genius idea! I love pinto beans and they would totally rock in taco form! Delicious!

Hehe, I read the first line and thought 'Ah... no, Friday' No taco Tuesday here... you spoke words of music... everyday is a good taco day and now I am craving tacos! They look delish!

Watch Learn Eat says:

April 21, 2016 at 3:42 pm

Thanks Kirsten! Tacos are the best! 🙂

Reply

I totally agree- you won't miss the meat with these tacos. They sound nice and hearty and I love pinto beans and avocado together.

Watch Learn Eat says:

April 21, 2016 at 3:41 pm

Thanks Kit! The flavors come together really nicely! 🙂

Reply

Great idea for the pinto beans. LOVE tacos.

Watch Learn Eat says:

March 16, 2016 at 9:49 am

Thank you! 🙂

Reply

THE best thing about this delicious looking recipe? I have every single ingredient to make it! And the fact my non meat eating sister is joining us for dinner Im taking as a sign I HAVE To make this tonight! Thanks!!