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Double Decker Black Bean and Corn Salad Tacos

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These double-wrapped tacos of the best of both worlds! A soft corn tortilla gets spread with refried black beans, then wrapped around a crispy hard taco shell, all stuffed with a flavorful corn and black bean salad.
Prep 20 minutes
Cook 10 minutes
Total 30 minutes
4.8 from 31 votes

In the great hard-shell-taco vs. soft-taco debate, my advice is simple – why not both?

In these double decker black bean and corn salad tacos, a soft corn tortilla gets spread with refried black beans, which become the โ€œglueโ€ that helps them adhere to an inner hard taco shell.

It’s really the best of both worlds – you get the crispy crunchy goodness of a hard shell tacos without having them fall apart when you take a bite, thanks to the chewy soft taco wrapping.

And the corn and black bean salad filling is so good you could eat it on its own. Add to that an easy cilantro crema and you have a delicious vegan meal that can be on the table in under 30 minutes.

Looking for more fun taco recipes? Try these 20-Minute Chickpea Tacos or these seriously good Lentil Tacos with Avocado Crema!

3 black bean and corn double wrapped tacos in taco holders

Why youโ€™ll love this recipe

Weeknight and Meal Prep Friendly. The corn salad, refried beans and cilantro can all be made in advance to make weeknight dinners a breeze.

Textural Heaven. The combination of the crunchiness from the hard taco shell, creaminess from the refried beans and cilantro crema, chewiness from the fresh corn and juiciness from fresh tomatoes.

Peak Seasonal Ingredients. There are few things more delicious than corn and tomatoes at their peak flavor.

Tips for making this recipe

This recipe is dead simple so I don’t have a ton of advice for you, but here are a couple things to keep in mind.

Thinly slice the red onions and jalapeรฑos. Onion slices and jalapenos get marinated in lime juice and olive oil for 15-20 minutes, which helps mellow out their flavors. By slicing both thinly, the marinade is able to cover more surface area and have a more pronounced effect.

For a nifty technique to shave the corn kernels without them going everywhere, watch the below YouTube video. The segment starts at the 1:00 mark in the video.

More Mexican-ish recipes you might like…

Are you in the mood for even more Mexican inspired recipes? Check out some of my favorites below:

Watch the video!

VEGAN TACOS FOR SUMMER | tacos three ways
VEGAN TACOS FOR SUMMER | tacos three ways

Okay, that’s all for me. If you enjoyed making these tacos, be sure to leave a comment below or tag me on Instagram!

Big Vegan Flavor

Techniques and 150 recipes to master vegan cooking.

Double Wrapped Black Bean and Corn Salad Tacos

4.8 from 31 votes
These double-wrapped tacos of the best of both worlds! A soft corn tortilla gets spread with refried black beans, then wrapped around a crispy hard taco shell, all stuffed with a flavorful corn and black bean salad.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Course: Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine: Mexican-inspired
Diet Vegan
Serving size: 4

Ingredients

Tacos Ingredients

  • Corn Salad (recipe below)
  • Cilantro Crema (recipe below)
  • Refried Black Beans (store-bought, or recipe below)
  • Soft corn tortillas (can substitute flour tortillas if not gluten-free)
  • Hard taco shells (I used these, which are corn-based; you can also try grain-free taco shells such as this; or, try the homemade taco shells in the third recipe below)

Corn Salad Ingredients

  • 1/2 of a small red onion, thinly sliced
  • 2 small jalapeรฑo peppers (or 1 ยฝ medium, thinly sliced into rounds)
  • 3 ยฝ tablespoons lime juice, plus more for serving
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
  • Kosher salt or sea salt to taste
  • Freshly cracked black pepper to taste
  • 4 ears of corn
  • 1 pint of cherry tomatoes ~280g, sliced in half or quarters

Cilantro Crema Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup water (120 mL), more to thin as needed
  • 1 cup (130g) hemp seeds (also known as hemp hearts)
  • 6 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
  • 1 heaping cup (15g) fresh cilantro leaves
  • ยฝ teaspoon ground cumin
  • 3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
  • 1 jalapeรฑo pepper, roughly chopped (remove seeds for mild version, or use 2 peppers for a spicy version)
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • Freshly cracked black pepper to taste
  • 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (optional but adds a nice richness)

Refried Black Beans Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 (15-ounce / 440g) can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2/3 โ€“ 1 cup (160-240 mL) water, vegetable broth, or canned bean liquid
  • Kosher salt or sea salt to taste
  • Freshly cracked black pepper to taste
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Instructions

Tacos Directions

  • Place a few corn tortillas on a damp paper towel and fold up the towels to seal the tortillas. For three tortillas, microwave for 20 to 25 seconds.
    NOTE: This step is important to soften up the tortillas and make them more pliable; otherwise, they can be too dry and crack when wrapping them around the hard taco shell. If using flour tortillas, you can probably skip this step.
  • Spread some of the Refried Black Beans on one side of a soft corn tortilla. Place a hard taco shell, upright, in the center of the soft corn tortilla. Fold up both sides of the soft tortilla and gently press the refried beans onto the hard taco shell to seal, starting at the bottom and working your way up to the top. The refried beans should stick and help hold the double taco together.
  • Fill the tacos. Using a slotted spoon (to prevent getting a lot of the liquid from the corn salad into the tacos), add some of the Corn Salad into each hard taco shell. Generously dollop the Cilantro Crema on top. Serve and enjoy!

Corn Salad Directions

  • In a large bowl, mix together the sliced red onions, sliced jalapeรฑos, 3 ยฝ tablespoons lime juice, and 2 tablespoons of the extra virgin olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and let marinate for at least 20 minutes (or up to 1 hour), until the onion is softened.
  • Meanwhile, shave the corn kernels from the ears of corn. To see how I do this, watch the video. Set aside half of the kernels.
  • Heat a cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Once hot, add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the remaining half of the corn kernels. Cook for 3-5 minutes, tossing once or twice, until the corn is charred in some spots.
  • Add the charred corn and the raw corn to the large bowl with marinated onions. Add in the sliced cherry tomatoes. Season to taste with salt and pepper and a squeeze of extra lime juice.

Cilantro Crema Directions

  • Pour the water into a high-powered blender. Add in the remaining crema ingredients and blend until smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides as you go. Taste for seasonings, adding more salt or lime juice as needed.

Refied Black Beans Directions

  • Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the garlic. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently, until golden brown.
  • Add the oregano, chili powder, and cumin and cook for 30-60 seconds until fragrant, stirring frequently. Add in the drained beans, bay leaves, and water or broth. Cook for 5-10 minutes, or until the beans are warmed through.
  • Using an immersion blender or a potato masher, mash most of the beans, but leave some beans whole for texture. If the beans appear dry, add more water or broth as needed to moisten. Continue to cook the beans, stirring often, for 2-4 more minutes.
  • Season the beans with salt and pepper to taste. Turn off the heat, and stir in the lime juice.

Calories: 514kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 15g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 1g | Sodium: 349mg | Potassium: 551mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 885IU | Vitamin C: 41mg | Calcium: 123mg | Iron: 7mg

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4.84 from 31 votes (13 ratings without comment)

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45 comments on Double Decker Black Bean and Corn Salad Tacos

  1. heather shumard

    5 stars
    I made these tacos today and they were perfect for a hot summer day. They have a ton of flavor! I had extra corn salad so I added some whole black beans and will use it for taco salad. Excellent recipe!

    1. Kaitlin @ Rainbow Plant Life

      Hi Heather, Thank you so much for such a fantastic review! Appreciate you taking the time!

  2. Jeana Albers

    5 stars
    Outstanding!!! I was so excited to try these and they exceeded my expectations! Will be bringing these ui to rotation from here on out :)

    1. Kaitlin @ Rainbow Plant Life

      Thanks for the lovely feedback, Jeana!

  3. Brenda

    5 stars
    I am fortunate to have a co-worker who has abundant produce and gave me 5 ears of corn so I quickly roasted it outside on my electric grill when I got home and put the onions to work. I was too lazy to make the refried beans (maybe tmrw ;) so just put it in some blue corn tortillas my mom made and threw avocado on top. Yummy! If I’m not too tired from work tmrw, I will attempt the beans, Oh and I was going to make the crema but didn’t have cilantro; could I replace it with basil though as I have that in my garden? Thanks nisha and this is a great summer recipe as the 100 degree days are coming!

    1. Kaitlin @ Rainbow Plant Life

      Yum!! Sounds great, Brenda! :) And you could definitely give the basil a shot if you don’t have anything else, and get back to us!

  4. Kara

    5 stars
    I loved these! The recipe was so simple that I thought I needed to add some roasted sweet potatoes to the mix which was actually quite lovely but definitely not needed! I didnโ€™t make the crema and it was wonderful on its own! I will definitely be making again. Thank you!

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