Ingredients
Method
- Sweat the onion: Add the olive oil to a medium pan(with lid) over medium heat. Once hot, add the onion. Season with 1 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent & fragrant, about 3-4 minutes.
- Toast the aromatics: Stir the garlic into the pan. Cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add in the spices (chili powder, cumin, paprika) & tomato paste. Stir to coat the onion & garlic. Cook for 1-2 minutes more, until very fragrant.
- Cook the quinoa: Add the quinoa to the pan, stirring to combine with the onion mixture. Let the quinoa toast for about 1 minute before adding in the vegetable broth. Increase heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling, add in the black beans. Cover the pan and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes. Once the quinoa cooked, remove the pan from the heat – but let it stand covered for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, remove the lid. Squeeze the lime juice over top and fluff the mixture with a fork. Set aside for taco assembly.
- Prep the coriander lime crema: Meanwhile, as the quinoa simmers, prep the coriander lime crema. Add all listed coriander lime crema ingredients to a food processor or blender. Blend to combine, adding a tablespoon or two of water as needed to reach your desired consistency. Set aside, or transfer to an airtight container & store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
- Assemble & serve: Add some of the quinoa & black bean mixture to a tortilla with sliced avocado. Top with a drizzle of coriander lime crema. Finish with some chopped coriander, a spritz of fresh lime juice, & any salsas or toppings your taco-lovin’ heart desires. Enjoy!
Notes
Make it vegan:
These tacos are easily made vegan & dairy-free since the quinoa black bean taco meat is vegan. To make your tacos vegan, simply swap the Greek yogurt for your favorite vegan/dairy-free alternative when you make the coriander lime crema. Prep tips: Once you get cooking, these tacos come together very quickly! I suggest starting by getting all your chopping, measuring & other prep odds & ends out of the way so cooking is a smooth process: dice the onion, mince the garlic, grab your spices & tomato paste, measure the quinoa & veggie stock, & rinse the black beans. Place everything within an arm’s reach from the stovetop. Modifications:
These tacos are easily made vegan & dairy-free since the quinoa black bean taco meat is vegan. To make your tacos vegan, simply swap the Greek yogurt for your favorite vegan/dairy-free alternative when you make the coriander lime crema. Prep tips: Once you get cooking, these tacos come together very quickly! I suggest starting by getting all your chopping, measuring & other prep odds & ends out of the way so cooking is a smooth process: dice the onion, mince the garlic, grab your spices & tomato paste, measure the quinoa & veggie stock, & rinse the black beans. Place everything within an arm’s reach from the stovetop. Modifications:
- Spice it up: While super flavorful, the quinoa black bean taco meat is pretty mild in terms of spiciness. Amp it up with chipotle flakes or cayenne pepper!
- Make it meaty: Adding meat to this recipe is super easy. Brown up your favorite minced meat (beef, chicken, chorizo, etc.) in the pan before you start sweating out the onions. Transfer the browned meat to a plate & set aside as you cook the black bean & quinoa mixture according to recipe directions. Once the black bean & quinoa mixture is cooked, carefully stir the cooked meat into the mixture.