Crispy Sheet-Pan Black Bean Tacos

Our Crispy Sheet-Pan Black Bean Tacos might become your new favorite way to make tacos. Fiber-rich black beans quickly become a creamy filling, thanks to a few flavorful and time-saving ingredients: taco seasoning, canned chipotle peppers and salsa. Wrapped in a warm corn tortilla, the filling is mixed with calcium-packed pepper Jack cheese, which forms a crispy lacy cheese skirt. The smoky chipotle crema pulls double duty, in the filling and as the tacos’ creamy sauce. This easy and delicious dinner is perfect for a weeknight or as crowd-pleasing party food. Keep reading for our expert tips on how to prep your filling, smart ingredient substitutions and more!

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Tips from the EatingWell Test Kitchen

These are the key tips we learned while developing and testing this recipe in our Test Kitchen to make sure it works, tastes great and is good for you too! 

• Feel free to use any type of corn tortillas, or flour tortillas if you prefer, warming them before adding the filling to help prevent them from cracking.
• Pulsing the bean filling creates a mixture that is more malleable and holds together better than using whole beans. Adding crema to the bean mixture helps keep it moist. 
• If you prefer a spicier filling, finely chop more chipotles and sprinkle them over the bean mixture when assembling the tacos.
• For a healthier crema option, you can substitute Greek yogurt for the sour cream. You can also use any kind of beans—pinto beans would work just as well as black beans.

Nutrition Notes

• Black beans pack most of the plant-based protein in these tacos. They are also the heavy-hitter for helping you reach your fiber goals. The recipe calls for no-salt-added canned beans. But if you can’t find those, choose the lower-sodium variety and give them a good rinse to help reduce the sodium further—important to keep your heart healthy. 
• Corn tortillas are a gluten-free way to enjoy tortillas for individuals who have celiac disease, gluten intolerance or those who simply choose to reduce gluten in their diet. Ounce for ounce, corn tortillas are lower in total carbs and slightly higher in fiber than flour tortillas.
• Pepper Jack cheese is Monterey Jack cheese studded with pepper flakes, which maintains its creamy texture, but with a kick of heat. Pepper Jack is a good source of calcium—great for bone health and muscle contraction, and you’ll get additional protein to ensure you stay satisfied from this vegetarian meal.