Black Bean Tacos with Chipotle Slaw

# Black Bean Tacos with Chipotle Slaw

There's a reason black bean tacos keep appearing on meal prep lists and weeknight dinner rotations — they're fast, filling, and genuinely delicious without any fuss. This version adds a smoky chipotle slaw that takes the whole thing up a notch.

The Recipe

Serves: 2 | Prep time: 15 minutes | Cook time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

For the black beans:

• 1 × 400g tin black beans, drained and rinsed
• ½ tsp smoked paprika
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• ¼ tsp garlic granules
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

For the chipotle slaw:

• 150g white or red cabbage, finely shredded
• 1 medium carrot, grated
• 2 tbsp Greek yoghurt
• 1 tsp chipotle paste
• 1 tsp lime juice
• Salt to taste

To serve:

• 6 small corn or flour tortillas
• 1 ripe avocado, sliced
• Fresh coriander
• Lime wedges

Method

1. Make the slaw first so the flavours can meld. Combine the shredded cabbage and grated carrot in a bowl. Mix the Greek yoghurt, chipotle paste, and lime juice together, then toss through the vegetables. Season and set aside.

2. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the drained black beans along with the smoked paprika, cumin, and garlic granules. Cook for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the beans are warmed through and slightly crispy at the edges.

3. Warm your tortillas — either directly over a gas flame for 20–30 seconds each side, or in a dry pan.

4. Assemble the tacos with a spoonful of beans, a generous heap of chipotle slaw, and a few slices of avocado. Finish with fresh coriander and a squeeze of lime.

What Makes This Work Nutritionally

Black beans are one of the more underrated protein sources in a plant-based kitchen. A 400g tin provides roughly 24g of protein and a substantial amount of dietary fibre — both of which contribute to keeping you fuller for longer after eating.

The combination of beans and a corn tortilla also gives you a more complete amino acid profile than either would alone, which matters if you're not eating much meat.

Avocado brings healthy unsaturated fats into the mix, which help your body absorb the fat-soluble vitamins present in the other ingredients. And the yoghurt-based slaw keeps the creaminess without the heavy calorie load of a traditional mayo dressing.

Approximate macros per serving (3 tacos):

• Calories: ~520 kcal
• Protein: ~20g
• Carbohydrates: ~58g
• Fat: ~18g
• Fibre: ~14g

Easy Swaps and Variations

If chipotle paste isn't in your cupboard, a pinch of cayenne and a dash of smoked paprika in the slaw dressing does a similar job. It won't have quite the same depth, but it works.

Flour tortillas will give you a softer, slightly chewier wrap. Corn tortillas are more traditional and naturally gluten-free if that matters to you — just warm them properly or they'll crack when you fold them.

For extra protein, scrambled egg or crumbled feta stirred through the beans both work surprisingly well. If you're making this for meal prep, keep the slaw separate until you're ready to eat so it doesn't go soggy.

Practical Takeaways

• The slaw improves after 20–30 minutes in the fridge — make it ahead if you can
• Crispy-edged beans come from not stirring too often and using a reasonably hot pan
• This recipe scales easily — double the beans and slaw for four people with minimal extra effort
• Leftover beans keep well in the fridge for two days and work great in a wrap or grain bowl the next day

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