Skip the takeout and whip up this easy Mexican-inspired meal. Easy Black Bean and Beef Tacos can be enjoyed with taco shells or fajita wraps and any of your favorite toppings.

Tacos are always a hit. Whether it’s Tuesday or any day of the week, it’s hard not to love tacos.

While many tacos recipes are filled with variety of herbs and spices. This meal is all about being quick, easy and delicious. In fact, it’s made with only 5 ingredients. Chances are, you may even have some of these ingredients in your house.

How great is that!!

And there are only 5 easy steps to make this meal. Talk about an easy dish!

A One Pot Beef Taco Dish

Beef tacos are quick, easy, and always a hit. What makes these tacos even more special is the black beens. It adds flavor and it make the dish less expensive to make. You still get the protein with the beef and beans, but canned blacked beans are inexpensive and easy to find.

You have to love a dish that tasty, easy to make, and inexpensive. That’s a total win-win-win!! And it’s ready in only 20 minutes.

So, the only left to ask yourself is when you are going to make Easy Black Bean and Beef Tacos?

How to Make Easy Black Bean and Beef Tacos

Step 1: Cook the beef.

In a large pan, you’ll want to brown the beef. This means that you want to cook the beef until it turns brown and it is no longer a pink color. It will take about 4 to 6 minutes for the beef to cook throughly.

Even if you are using lean or extra lean beef, you’ll notice some liquid will form at the bottom of the pan. A lot of the liquid is fat. You’ll want to remove as much of it as you can, so you don’t end up with extra drippy tacos. Of course tacos can be a bit of messy meal, but you don’t want liquid dripping down your hand as you’re eating it.

An easy way to discard this extra liquid is with a spoon. Gentle tilt the pan to one side. (Not towards you, because you don’t want to risk it spilling on you). Using a spoon, carefully remove excess fat and discard it into a bowl.

Step 2: Stir in the salsa.

This is where the beef gets a punch of flavor. Even if you are using mild salsa, it gives the dish a flavor boost.

The salsa gives the beef a mix of tomato, onion, pepper, garlic and chili flavor. And it is so easy. You don’t need to cut, dice, or prep anything. You simply add in some salsa.

It’s as easy as measure and adding it the beef.

When you mix in the salsa. Let it begin to bubble and boil and then you can reduce the heat to a simmer.

Step 3: Let it simmer!

Simmering lets the flavors grow and makes your dish even yummier. Plus, the excess liquid from the salsa evaporates and the sauce thickens.

You want to let it simmer for 6 to 8 minutes, or until the liquid evaporates.

Step 4: Stir in the black beans.

Since you are using canned beans, they don’t need to be cooked. You’ll simply want to drain and rinse them first. After that, they’re ready to be added to the beef mixture.

Now that the beef mixture is complete, you will cook it for 2 minutes, until the beans are heated through.

Step 5: Serve and Enjoy!

Tacos are so much fun because you can add any topping that you want. To amp up the bean flavor in these Easy Black Bean and Beef Tacos, spread refried beans over the soft taco shells. This can add some spice (if you’re using a spicy refried beans) or it can just add more flavor (if you are using mild refried beans).

Then, you can add the beef mixture. And top it with your favorite tacos topping. I love adding tomatoes, lettuce, sour cream, and guacamole. My kids love adding tomatoes, lettuce and cheese. However you top it, these tacos are a tasty fiesta.

If you prefer letting everyone make their own tacos. You can serve this as a family style taco bar – with everything in separate bowls. And everyone can build their own dinner. That’s my family’s favorite way to enjoy our tacos nights. The kids have so much fun making and then eating their meals. It’s always a hit!

How do you know when the beef is ready?

When your Easy Black Bean and Beef Tacos is finished cooking, you’ll want to make sure that it is fully cooked and safe to eat. The best way to do this is by using a meat thermometer. The recommended internal temperature of ground beef is 160°F (71°C).

Can this Dish Be Made Vegetarian and Meatless?

In one word – YES! You can make Easy Black Bean and Beef Tacos without any meat. Simply use a meat alternative. Follow the package directions to cook the meatless beef on the stove and then follow the remaining steps of the recipe. (Adding in the salsa and the black beans).

We’ve made this recipe with beef and with a meatless ground beef. It tastes delicious both ways. In fact, when it’s cooked and in a taco, it’s hard to tell which one is which. And sometimes my family finds that it’s hard to taste which is which, too.

In fact, in the picture below, we have both meat and meatless tacos. Can you tell the difference? The tacos in the front are meatless and the ones in the back are made with beef. When they’re all dressed up, they look a lot alike. Making this a perfect recipe for Meatless Monday or Taco Tuesday!!

How Spicy are Easy Black Bean and Beef Tacos?

Since the beef and bean mixture is made with salsa, you can make it as mild or as spicy as you like. If you like a lot of heat, make it with spicy or extra hot salsa.

If you are sensitive to heat and prefer things on the mild side. You can prepare it with mild salsa. My kids aren’t big on the spicy meals, so we usually make it with mild salsa. But, when my husband wants to amp up the flavor, he tops his tacos with hot sauce.

The refried beans are another place where you can adjust the heat of the tacos to your liking. You can use mild, traditional, or even spicy refried beans. The spicier the beans, the spicier the tacos. And without the spice, traditional or classic refried beans still add a lot of flavor.

Even though Easy Black Bean and Beef Tacos are made with only 5 ingredients, you can easily customize it to your taste.

What to serve with Easy Black Bean and Beef Tacos?

Sure, tacos can be a complete meal unto itself. But, you can always add a little guacamole to make this dinner even more of a fiesta! We love guacamole and it can be made so many different ways from smoky Roasted Red Pepper Guacamole to exotic Pineapple Guacamole and fruity flavored Strawberry Guacamole  to a delicious classic Guacamole.

You can serve these guacamoles with tortilla chips for a tasty side or appetizer. Or you can switch up the flavors and add it to your taco. However you eat, it is YUMMY!

Lighten up your tacos

Looking for a lighter, carb-free way to enjoy your tacos night? Instead of eating your Easy Black Bean and Beef Tacos in a taco shell, you can enjoy it on a bed of lettuce as a salad. There is so much flavor in the beef and beans, your salad won’t need any dressing.

But, you can always top it with refried beans, tomatoes, and guacamole for a little added flavor. And of course any of your other favorite taco toppings like cheese, sour cream, or hot sauce. It’s so filling and satisfying. It’s sometimes one of my favorite ways to enjoy my tacos.

What’s your favorite way to eat a taco? In a tortilla, on a salad, or something else?

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