Vegetarian
An OSR Original Recipe

Black Bean Skillet Tacos

A vegetarian, one-pan meal at it’s finest. It’s a tad kicky from the combination of poblanos and sweet bell peppers, but designed to be a crowd-pleaser (and you can always dial-up the heat for a spice-lovin’ crowd with the addition of a jalapeño pepper or two). In our house, the skillet goes in the middle and everyone brings their own favorite “vessel” and toppings to the table. It’s a delicious free-for-all with chips, tortillas, and bowls of fresh tomatoes, cilantro, and lettuce sliding from one person to the next.

Ellen of Off-Script Recipes shares her Original Recipe for Black Bean Skillet Tacos
Active Prep Time:
30 mins
Cook/Set Time:
40 mins
Total Time:
1 hr 10 mins
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A simmered blend of black beans, rice, sweet peppers and poblanos that's a one-pan taco party main attraction.

Primary Course: Main Course
Primary Cuisine: Mexican
Serves/Makes: 4 to 6
Ingredients
Black Bean Skillet:
  • 2 tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 large white or yellow onion, finely diced
  • 2 medium red, yellow, or orange bell peppers or 6 mini multi-colored sweet peppers (seeds and ribs removed), finely diced
  • 2 medium poblano peppers (seeds and ribs removed), finely diced
  • 1 jalapeño pepper, finely diced (optional)
  • 5 large or 8 small garlic cloves, minced
  • 2.5 tsp. kosher salt, divided
  • 2.5 tsp. chili powder (the mild seasoning blend, not cayenne)
  • 1.5 tsp. ground cumin
  • 1 tsp. sweet paprika
  • 1/2 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
  • 1/2 c. uncooked white basmati rice, rinsed and soaked in room temperature water for 15-20 minutes (see TIP A)
  • 1/2 c. water
  • juice of 2 limes (about 1/4 cup)
  • 2 14-16 oz. cans black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1/2-3/4 c. shredded cheddar cheese (mild or sharp)
Suggested Toppings & Accompaniments:
  • choose as many as you like
  • chopped fresh tomatoes
  • fresh cilantro leaves
  • warm corn or flour tortillas (see TIP B)
  • tortilla chips
  • avocado chunks or homemade guacamole
  • shaved lettuce
Instructions
One: Preheat Oven to 400° & Warm Oil in Skillet:

  1. Set your oven to 400° and let it come up to temperature. Meanwhile, put a large (10-12 inch), high-sided skillet over medium heat and add the 2 tablespoons olive oil to the pan. (This is also a good time to rinse and soak your rice if you have not done so already. See TIP A.)

Two: Add Veggies & Seasonings to Skillet:

  1. Add the finely diced onion, sweet peppers, poblano peppers, jalapeño (if using), and garlic to the pan. If desired, you can reserve a small handful of mini sweet pepper rings to top the skillet later (as shown in image). Stir to coat the ingredients in the oil and let sizzle and cook 3-5 minutes. Meanwhile, add 1.5 teaspoons kosher salt (reserve remaining salt) and all of the seasonings (chili powder through black pepper) to the pan. Stir again.

Three: Add the Rice & Liquid:

  1. Next add the rinsed and soaked rice to the pan. Let the rice toast briefly against the bottom of the skillet (about 1-2 minutes). Then add the water and lime juice. Stir again.

Four: Add the Beans & Remaining Salt and Simmer:

  1. Lastly, add the rinsed and drained black beans and remaining 1 teaspoon kosher salt to the pan. Stir to evenly distribute all of the ingredients and then smooth the top of the mixture so that it is relatively flat. Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid or piece of aluminum foil. Reduce heat to low and let simmer for 20 minutes.

Five: Top with Cheddar (and Pepper Rings) and Transfer to Oven:

  1. After 20 minutes, remove the cover and sprinkle any reserved sweet pepper rings and 1/2 - 3/4 cup cheddar cheese over top. Transfer the skillet to the top rack of a preheated 400° oven for 10 minutes or until the cheese has melted and turned slightly golden.

Six: Finish & Serve:

  1. When done, top the warm skillet with chopped fresh tomatoes and cilantro leaves (if desired). Serve with warm corn or flour tortillas, tortilla chips, and a few of your favorite taco toppings. Enjoy!

Tips

TIP A: For this recipe, it's important to use white basmati rice so that the cook time matches the rest of the dish (brown rice tends to take a much longer time to cook). Before adding the rice to the skillet, be sure to thoroughly rinse it—at least 30-60 seconds under cold, running water. Then give it a headstart by letting it soak in room temperature water for 15-20 minutes. Thoroughly drain the rice before adding it to the skillet.

 

TIP B: Warm—even slightly charred tortillas—make all the difference for any tacos. The easiest method is to wrap the tortillas in foil and put them in a low-heat oven (about 250°) for 10-15 minutes. If you wish to give them a bit of char, then you can put them individually over your stove's gas burner (set to low) for 30-60 seconds per side. Once charred, wrap the tortillas in foil and set them in a low-heat oven until ready to serve.

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