These Charred Veggie & Refried Bean Tacos make a strong case for firing up the grill tonight. They also make me wonder why we haven’t been spreading refried beans on all of our tacos our whole lives. Refried beans have a deep, rich flavor, a creamy, satisfying texture and they’re a good source of inexpensive plant based protein.
Feel Good Vibes
- Pinto beans bring the plant based protein and fiber, helping make the tacos more satisfying.
- Bell pepper, zucchini and onion give us vitamin C and antioxidants.
- Corn tortillas provide carbohydrates for energy, and because they are made from nixtamalized corn, also contribute calcium and fiber.
Ingredient Substitutions
- Avocado oil: any high heat, expeller pressed oil such as grapeseed.
- Zucchini & Yellow Squash: eggplant, portobello or button mushrooms.
- Bell pepper: poblano peppers or half a jar of roasted bell peppers, drained and sliced.
- Red onion: yellow onion, white parts of scallions or cebollitas (Mexican spring onions).
- Berbere spice: blend of ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, pinch of ground cumin, pinch of cayenne pepper.
- Refried pinto beans: refried black beans.
- Guajillo: dried New Mexico chilis.
- Corn tortillas: cassava or almond tortillas, flour if tolerated.
- Cilantro leaves: thinly sliced green onions.
- Yucatecan salsa: your preferred hot sauce.
Recipe Tips & FAQs
- Where to find
- El Milagro corn tortillas: at your local tienda or supermercado, or online through Instacart.
- Berbere spice: online at Burlap & Barrel or Amazon.
- Guajillo chilis: at your local tienda or supermercado, or online through Instacart.
- Tips for dry heat grilling
- Clean the preheated grill with a grill brush before starting.
- Drizzle a little oil on a paper towel and wipe the grates down. Hold the paper towel with tongs.
- Don’t season or oil the grilled ingredients until they come off the grill. Season and use a post-marinade to deliver the best flavor.
- It’s recommended to wear gloves when handling fresh or dried chilis and to avoid touching your face, eyes, and other sensitive skin.
Veggie Taco Serving Suggestions
- Make it a bowl: skip the tortillas and serve the beans and veggies with a bowl of Carolina Gold Rice or quinoa.
- Make it crispy: get some fried tortilla chips and turn it into nachos.
- Make it a quesadilla: melt some Oaxacan cheese on the tortillas before you add the toppings.
Storage and Shelf Life
Make Ahead: All components can be made up to 4 days ahead of time and stored in an airtight container. The tortillas can be bought up to a week ahead of time.
Refrigerate: All ingredients should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Tortillas will last a week or so, beans and grilled veggies up to 4 days.
Freezer: nope!
Reheat Instructions
Store ingredients separately. Preheat a cast iron skillet to low heat. Spread a spoonful of refried beans on the tortilla and top with leftover grilled vegetables. Place the tortilla in the skillet and reheat for 3-4 minutes. Sprinkle any desired additional toppings and eat immediately.
Final Thoughts
I’ll admit it, I’ve been watching beef prices go through the roof the last few years and it’s got me thinking about how to incorporate cheaper sources of protein into my family’s diet. And I’ve finally broken my husband of the notion that he’s going to be eating a steak once a week. It took some retraining, and lots of bargaining on his part, but we finally got there. (Not before he brought home lots of “interesting” cuts of beef…)
Pair that with my desire to eat more plant based meals anyways, and here we are. Taco Tuesday’s gone vegan. Wahoo! With this charred veggie & refried bean tacos recipe he doesn’t miss the steak, and I don’t miss the cheese. It’s enough to make us do our special high five and shout “all we do is win” as we toss our plates on the coffee table and dive into yet another episode of Law & Order. Lennie Briscoe, Claire Kincaid and Jack McCoy, we love ya ♡
Have you tried this recipe yet? If so, tell us how it turned out in the comments below. I hear that leaving positive comments on recipe websites is an easy way to bank some good karma. And don’t forget to sign up for the Everyday Alchemy newsletter here.
Charred Veggie & Refried Bean Tacos
Special Equipment
- grill or grill plate (preferably charcoal)
- disposable gloves
Ingredients
- 1 guajillo chili optional
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 1 zucchini sliced into ½ inch rounds
- 1 yellow squash sliced into ½ inch rounds
- 1 orange or red bell pepper cored and sliced into 3rds
- 1 red onion sliced into ½ inch rounds
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon berbere spice
- 1 ½ cups vegan refried beans store bought
- Sea salt to taste
- Freshly cracked black pepper to taste
To Serve:
- 8 corn tortillas El Milagro
- ¼ bunch cilantro leaves washed and picked
- ¼ cup Yucatecan salsa or preferred hot sauce
Instructions
- Preheat the grill to 425˚F. Wipe the cleaned grates with 2 tablespoons of avocado oil. This can easily be done by drizzling the oil on a paper towel then rubbing the towel on the hot grates.
- Prep the guajillo chili and beans: If using the guajillo pepper, bring a quart of water to a boil, then remove from heat and add 1 guajillo chili. Cover with a lid and steep for 8 minutes. Wearing gloves, remove the chili from the water and remove the stem and seeds. Slice the guajillo into thin ribbons and reserve.
- Warm 1 ½ cups of refried beans in a small covered pot over low to medium heat on the stove. Stir every 3 minutes until warmed through and check for seasoning.
- Prep the veggies: Slice 1 zucchini and 1 yellow squash into ½ inch rounds, core 1 orange or red bell pepper and slice into thirds, and slice 1 red onion into ½ inch rounds.
- Grill the veggies in a single layer, working in batches if needed. Everything should be tender and slightly charred, but not burnt. You’ll season the veggies once they have finished grilling.
- Zucchini and squash: 2-3 minutes on both sides.
- Bell pepper: start skin side down, 3-4 minutes on both sides.
- Red onion: 3-4 minutes on both sides.
- Once cooked, cut the peppers and onions into bite size pieces then transfer to a bowl along with the squash and zucchini. Season with ½ teaspoon of berbere seasoning, sea salt, freshly cracked black pepper and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Toss gently and reserve.
- Warm 8 corn tortillas on the grill, just until tender and malleable. Transfer to a platter and spread a spoonful of refried beans on top of each tortilla. Then divide the grilled veggies, sliced guajillo and ¼ bunch cilantro leaves between the tortillas. Serve with a ¼ cup of Yucatecan salsa on the side.
Hi, I’m Julia.
I’m a chef and wellness advocate passionate about helping others live well through nourishing food. I trained at the Culinary Institute of America and now work as a personal chef and community food advocate in Atlanta.
Want to know what inspired me to start Everyday Alchemy? Click the link icon below to read more.