If you love the fresh and vibrant flavors of Mexican food, these Charred Corn & Black Bean Tacos are the meal for you. Easy, tasty, colorful, budget friendly, family friendly, meat free - the list goes on. Topped with sweet mango and a tangy lime mayo these veggie tacos are the perfect antidote to midweek dinner blues.
You can't go wrong with meat free tacos and these are a perfect way to use summer corn, charred to add a smoky sweetness.
The lime mayo is not to be missed but is also super speedy to make. The whole recipe can be on the table in under 20 minutes - ideal for busy week night dinners.
Everyone loves a toppings bar - so get creative with your favorite taco fixings and let people load up their own.
Why You Should Make These Vegetarian Tacos:
- When it comes to serving children, wrapping up food in a tortilla is a sure way to get them to eat everything on their plate.
- Feeding a crowd? No problem! This recipe can be doubled and doubled again so its easy to host your own taco party.
- Mexican food is often simple to cook, but always packed full of flavor. For another winning vegetarian dish try my Oven Quesadillas with Black Bean & Sweet Potato.
- This recipe for gluten free tacos is suitable for coeliacs or anyone following a gluten free diet. Just make sure that the tortillas you use are corn or gluten free flour based.
- Serving dairy free or vegan diners is also no problem. Simply remove the cheese and make the lime mayonnaise using an egg-free vegan mayonnaise.
How to Make Corn & Black Bean Tacos
Find a full printable recipe with measurements below.
Season the corn and rub with olive oil then griddle or grill until the corn is cooked and charred - around 10 minutes.
Meanwhile warm the tortillas through in the oven.
Mix together the black beans and feta with lime juice and salt/pepper. Add chili powder if you like, for a kick of heat. Cut the corn off the cob and add this to the bean mixture.
Make the simple lime mayonnaise dressing.
Serve the warm tortillas piled high with the corn, feta and bean mixture. Drizzle with lime mayonnaise, and add diced mango, jalapeno slices and pickled onions.
What is the difference between Corn and Flour Tortillas?
The real difference between corn and flour tortillas is the main ingredient. Corn tortillas are made with ground corn and are usually yellow in color. Whereas flour tortillas are made with wheat flour, are slightly more pliable and are white in color.
In terms of nutrition, corn tortillas are sometimes seen as the healthier option as they contain more whole grain and fibre than a wheat flour alternative.
Corn tortillas are also suitable for coeliacs or anyone following a gluten free diet. However you must check that they are 100% corn as some contain a mix with wheat flour despite the name.
You can also buy gluten free flour tortillas from most stores.
How to char corn indoors?
We all love to char corn outside on the grill, but it's also really simple to do indoors.
You can char corn using either the broiler or a griddle pan on the stove. Pre-heat to medium/high heat, rub the corn with a little oil and season, and place it either under the broiler or onto the griddle pan on the stove.
Keep an eye on the corn, you want it to cook and char a little, but not burn. Keep turning the cob with tongs until it is cooked, which will take approximately 10 minutes.
What is the best way to cut corn off the cob?
Stand the corn stalk side down on a chopping board and hold the tip with one hand.
Carefully hold a sharp knife in the other hand, start at the top and cut downwards with a gentle sawing motion.
Try to cut just in front of where the corn meets the cob so you get nice even sized pieces of corn.
Rotate the corn and continue cutting until all the corn is removed.
Variations of Charred Corn & Black Bean Tacos:
Use small sized tortillas, either corn or wheat - whatever your preference.
Black beans can be substituted for other canned beans like kidney, pinto or cannellini beans.
Feta cheese is great for crumbling over the top of these corn and bean tacos. You can substitute with another crumbly cheese or some grated cheddar if you prefer.
The chili powder adds a nice hint of spice. You can substitute with fresh chili if you prefer or leave the chili out altogether if you don't like too much heat.
Tips For Making Corn & Black Bean Tacos:
- To make these tacos dairy free or vegan, leave the feta cheese off the taco. Also replace the mayonnaise with a suitable egg-free vegan mayonnaise.
- When charring the corn, ensure that you season with sea salt and black pepper before grilling, as this will really enhance the flavor.
- Remember to oil the corn and not the grill or griddle pan. If you oil the grill (or pan) itself, it's more likely to smoke.
- Take time when charring the corn, don't cook it at too high a temperature or it might burn. You just want to tinge the edges.
How To Serve Corn & Black Bean Tacos?
What I love most about serving corn and black bean tacos is how easy it is to adapt the toppings. I like to place all the toppings into bowls in the middle of the table. That way everyone can help themselves and build the tacos exactly how they like them!
Here are some quick and simple topping ideas to make the dish your own:
- diced mango
- jalapeno peppers
- quick pickled onions
- lime wedges
- tomato salsa
- chopped cilantro
- shredded lettuce
- sour cream
- sliced fresh red chilis (for a real kick of fresh heat)
- guacamole (or try my alternative Pea Guacamole)
- hot sauce
- lime or chili mayonnaise
- crumbled feta cheese
- grated cheddar cheese
How To Reheat Corn & Black Bean Tacos?
This is a really easy make-ahead dish. Simply prepare all the individual components, including the lime mayonnaise, and set them aside in the fridge until you are ready to serve.
You can make the corn and black bean tacos mix ahead of time and simply put it into the fridge. Bring it up to room temp before serving. Don't add the feta if you plan to heat it later.
If you'd rather eat it warm, heat up the corn and black bean mix in a pan over a medium heat until warmed through, add a splash of water if the mix looks a little dry.
Warm up the tortillas in the oven and serve the tacos with the various toppings.
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More Easy Recipe Ideas
Printable Recipe
Grilled Corn & Black Bean Tacos with Feta
Ingredients
- 8 Small Tortillas - corn or wheat, gluten free if required
- 3 Ears Corn - husks removed
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 15 oz Cooked Black Beans - drained
- ½ cup Feta Cheese - crumbled
- 1 Lime - juiced, divided into 2
- Sea Salt and Black Pepper
- ½ tsp Chili Powder - optional
- ½ cup Mayonnaise
To serve - optional
- ½ Mango - ripe, finely diced
- 4 Pickled Chili Peppers - sliced
- 4 tbsp Quick Pickled Shallots
- 4 tsp Hot Sauce
- 2 Limes - cut into wedges
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 350ºF/175ºC to warm the tortillas.
- Pre-heat your grill or a griddle pan.
- Season the corn with sea salt and pepper and rub with olive oil.
- Griddle or grill the corn on a medium high, turning until the corn is cooked and charred - around 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile wrap the tortillas in foil and warm them in the oven for around 10 minutes.
- In a medium bowl, mix the drained black beans, crumbled feta, and half the lime juice together and season well with more sea salt and pepper. Add the chilli powder if using.
- Once the corn is charred, carefully cut the corn off the cob and add this to the bean mixture.
- In a small bowl mix the remaining lime juice with the mayonnaise to make the dressing.
To Serve
- Pile the corn, feta and bean mixture onto the warm tortillas.
- Dress with the lime mayonnaise and top with the diced mango, jalapeno slices and quick pickled onions (if using).
Notes
Nutrition
This recipe was shared with the #cookblogshare community which was hosted this week by SewWhite.com
Kate - Gluten Free Alchemist says
I'm with you! Mexican food is so full of flavour and colour... what's not to love?! And these sound utterly delicious. Thanks for sharing xxx
Jo Keohane says
Thanks so much for your comment Kate! Hope you make these and enjoy!
Sisley White - Sew White says
These are so beautiful and absolutely calling out to me. The whole family will adore them!