Refried Beans Tacos are about the fastest weeknight meal you can imagine! We use premade refried beans and pile our corn tortillas high with all kinds of veggies. Top them with a little salsa or Greek yogurt for a delicious, simple, and lightning quick Taco Tuesday!
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This is my weeknight taco "hack." Everyone in my family loves them, so they're on the weekly menu rotation in one form or another. They're highly customizable, so I use the veggies I have that needs used up.
If you're looking for another taco option, you might like my Crumbled Tofu Tacos. Be sure to make some delicious Guacamole, and some Charred Corn and Poblano Salad to go with your tacos, too.
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Heart Health Benefits of Refried Beans Tacos
Tacos are one of the top 10 contributors of sodium in the American diet. The flour tortilla is usually high in sodium, and then we just fill it with high sodium ingredients, like meat with high sodium sauces, cheese, salsa, and a whole variety of other salty toppings. Delicious to be sure! But not so great if you have high blood pressure.
That's why I love these tacos. Overall, they are high in protein and fiber, but low in total fat and cholesterol free. They're also high in iron, vitamin C, vitamin K, folate, magnesium, and potassium. They aren't low enough in sodium to be considered low sodium by definition, but with 382 mg sodium in 2 of our tacos, they are FAR below the sodium content of average tacos - one popular chain serves regular beef tacos with cheese at 500 mg sodium PER TACO.
Macronutrients
Our refried beans tacos are moderate in carbohydrates, and an excellent source of fiber. That fiber can help moderate blood sugar, lower cholesterol, and may help in weight management. Using corn tortillas helps increase the fiber content, as it is a whole grain, plus the refried beans and veggies. We know beans are a heart healthy addition - consuming more of them can help lower LDL cholesterol and blood pressure, improve immune function, and reduce inflammation overall (1, 2), as well as reduce the risk for metabolic syndrome, ischemic heart disease, and diabetes (3).
This recipe is high in protein, with 12 grams of protein in a serving of two tacos. This mainly comes from the refried beans, which is a heart healthy plant protein. Plant based diets are consistently linked to longevity, and less incidence of chronic diseases, both for healthy people and those living with cardiometabolic disorders (4).
The tacos are also low in total fat. While we know that it's important to eat healthier types of fats, rather than an overall low fat diet, it is easy to eat too much, because fat is tasty and very calorie dense. This can make it more challenging for weight management, which can impact overall health, including heart health.
Micronutrients, Phytonutrients, and Antioxidants
Our delicious combination of ingredients makes for a dish high in iron (from refried beans), vitamin C (from tomatoes, salsa, and greens), vitamin K (mainly from the greens), folate (refried beans), magnesium (beans again), and potassium (tomatoes, greens, and beans).
Kaempferol is one of the main phytonutrients in pinto beans (used to make refried beans usually), and it seems to have antioxidant and anti inflammatory properties (5), as well as cardioprotective and antihypertensive effects (6). It is one of the most widely distributed flavonoids in foods.
The greens mix I'm using is called Cruciferous Crunch from Trader Joe's, and it's a combination of kale, cabbage, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts. This group of veggies, known as brassicas, and their special bioactive compounds - glucosinolates and isothiocyanates - are well known for their anticancer benefits, as well as reducing inflammation, lowering cholesterol and blood pressure, normalizing heart rates, reducing atherosclerosis, and stimulating the immune system (7, 8). Those are some mighty greens!
Ingredients
Refried Beans Tacos are so simple, with a handful of simple ingredients.
- Corn tortillas
- Refried beans
- Black olives
- Tomato
- Greens
- Jalapeño
- Salsa
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
This is my favorite part of these tacos. Don't blink or you'll miss the prep!
- Step 1: Toast the tortillas on your gas burner, or in a pan over medium heat, about 1 minute on each side.
- Step 2: Heat the refried beans and prep the rest of the ingredients. Assemble the tacos any way you like. I like to start with the refried beans.
- Step 3: Then add tomatoes and olives.
- Step 4: Top with greens, jalapeño, and salsa.
Hint: this works well as a build-your-own-taco meal. Serve all the ingredients in individual bowls and let everyone make their own!
Substitutions
- Tortilla - gluten free tortillas can be used, or whole wheat flour tortillas
- Refried beans - use refried black beans, or another bean puree you prefer
- Greens - any lettuce variety, spinach, kale, cabbage, or even sautéed veggies like peppers and onions, zucchini, or broccoli will work
Equipment
You'll probably need a cutting board and knife, and maybe some tongs. Simple prep; simple tools!
Storage
Store all ingredients separately, in airtight containers in the refrigerator. Ingredients have different shelf lives. Cut tomatoes will be good 1-2 days only, while the olives will be good for 1-2 weeks. The greens will last a few days. Refried beans will last up to 5 days. Follow the use by date on the tortilla package.
Pro tip
When buying tortillas, make sure to check out the sodium content on the nutrition label! Corn tortillas are usually low sodium, but flour tortillas are often made with a lot of salt!
FAQ
For most tacos, the answer is no. High in salt, fat, and refined grains. Our refried beans tacos ARE healthy for you, though! Enjoy!
I like a super crunchy mix of kale, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts. A coleslaw mix would work great, too. Otherwise, choose romaine lettuce, spinach, shredded iceberg lettuce, or really any green you like.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Refried Beans Tacos:
📖 Recipe
Refried Beans Tacos
Ingredients
- 8 Corn Tortillas
- 1 ½ cups Low Sodium Refried Beans or 1 can vegetarian refried beans
- 1 cup sliced Black Olives
- 1 large Tomato chopped or diced
- 1 cup Greens of your choice (I prefer an ultra-crunchy mix of cruciferous veggies like cabbage, kale, and shredded Brussels sprouts)
- 1 Jalapeno, sliced (optional)
- ½ cup Salsa low sodium if available
- Other toppings as desired, like avocado, plain Greek yogurt (instead of sour cream), pickled onions, sauteed veggies, etc.
Instructions
- Toast corn tortillas on a gas stove grate, or in a pan over medium heat, for about 1 minute on each side, to increase pliability and prevent breakage. Wrap in a clean kitchen towel until ready to use.
- Meanwhile, heat refried beans in a small pot over medium-low heat, or in a microwave safe dish in the microwave for about 1-2 minutes.
- Prepare the other toppings as desired.
- Toss the greens with a drizzle of olive oil and lime juice for a little something extra! This is optional, but highly recommended.
- Assemble tacos any way you like and enjoy!
Nutrition
*Nutrition information is an estimate, and will change based on the brand and individual ingredients and amounts you use. This is provided for your convenience only.
Food safety
We HATE food poisoning! These are important tips to avoid it!
- Do not use the same utensils on ready-to-eat food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands often, before beginning, between tasks, and after touching hair, face, raw meat, etc.
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
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