Recently I shared how to cook pinto beans using a pressure cooker or Instant Pot. With all the gorgeous potato varieties at farmer’s markets and in the stores right now, I got to thinking about these bean and potato tacos. Hello taco Tuesday!
Soft golden corn tortillas, creamy smashed beans and steamed potato chunks.
Simplicity. Both the beans and potatoes are humbly seasoned with sautéed onions, cumin, salt and pepper, and a smidgen of chipotle chile. The tortillas get sprayed with cooking spray and softened in the oven. Easy, nothing fancy.
You decide which hue goes in your tacos. Try sweet potatoes with black bean tacos–delicious! And colorful. Make these tacos with your choice of beans and any kind of potato.
Click here to PIN Purple Potato and Bean Tacos.
Holy culinary crayons!! Taco potatoes can be orange sweet potatoes, Yukon yellows, new reds, or russets–a palette awaits. Today you’re seeing purple potato and pinto bean tacos, because I found the purple spuds at the farmer’s market and wanted to show them off.
Black beans, white beans, pink pintos, green lentils, you get to choose from the bean spectrum too. Today’s tacos feature pinto beans because I had some homemade and ready.
Vivid, versatile, and vegetarian. You can call them rainbow bean and potato tacos.
Color them with violet shredded cabbage and green avocado and dark green cilantro. Tomatoes and salsa—red, green, or both. Grated white cheddar or–dare I say it—orange cheddar? Again, you choose the colors.
You will like my trick to softening the tortillas–use cooking spray. Mist both sides of the tortillas, arrange them on a baking sheet and pop them in the oven for about a minute. While they’re soft, fill with the hot seasoned potatoes and beans.
Bean and potato tacos details:
- You can steam the potatoes a day ahead. When they are cool enough to handle, slip off the skins.
- Use canned or cooked-from-scratch beans.
- Mi-Rancho corn tortillas are hands-down my faves. They taste like corn!
- If you eat dairy, add grated cheese. I used white cheddar.
- Purple potatoes are not your everyday tuber. Find them at farmer’s markets, and sometimes in Trader Joe’s or high-end supermarkets. If you grow a garden—you might want to plant some purple or blue potatoes.
- Since we make tacos for dinner quite often, like most every taco Tuesday, I finally bought some of these functional stainless steel taco holders (Affiliate link) for molding the soft tortillas and serving at the table.
I made these tacos for friends a while back. When I described them, they gave me a wary eye–potato and bean tacos? They were blown away! Especially with the purple potatoes!
More vegetarian tacos:
- Meatless traditional tacos with tofu.
- Vegetarian mole tacos with arugula and goat cheese.
- Lentil tacos with spicy greens and guacamole sauce.
- These Caramelized Onion and Arugula Tostadas can easily become tacos.
To get my latest recipe posts and newsletters, subscribe here. (I hate Spam too and will never share your email with anyone.)
- Follow me on Instagram!
- Peruse my Pinterest boards for more vegetarian recipe ideas.
- Find daily vegetarian and healthy living ideas on my Facebook page.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. When you purchase products via my links, it doesn’t cost you anything and I earn a tiny commission, which helps me continue to provide free content here on Letty’s Kitchen. Thank you for supporting Letty’s Kitchen!
If you like this recipe, I’d be grateful if you’d give a ✮✮✮✮✮ rating on the recipe card below.
Vegetarian Bean and Potato Tacos
Ingredients
- 1 pound potatoes any color or variety
- 1 medium onion, (2 cups diced onions)
- 2 tablespoons plus 2 tablespoons avocado or olive oil
- ½ teaspoon chipotle chiles en adobo, about 1/2 teaspoon each for potatoes and beans
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon each for potatoes and beans
- fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 ½ cups cooked beans any variety, from scratch or canned (rinsed and drained)
- ¼ cup mild salsa
- 8 corn tortillas
- Cooking spray , as needed
- 1 avocado , cut in cubes or slices
- 3 cups shredded red or green cabbage
- Grated cheese , optional
- ⅓ cup chopped cilantro
- red or green salsa, as desired
- chopped tomatoes
Instructions
- Boil the potatoes in salted water until they are just about tender when pierced with a fork. Remove and let cool until you can hold them in your hand. Slip off the peel. (see note)
- Heat the first 2 tablespoons of oil in a skillet over medium flame. Add the onions and cook and stir until they are translucent, about 5 minutes. Remove half of the onions and set aside.
- Cut the peeled and cooked potatoes into ½ inch cubes. Add a tablespoon of the remaining oil to the onions in the skillet. Add the potato cubes, cumin, and chipotle chile. Cook and stir about 10 minutes, making sure the potatoes are tender. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from the skillet and keep warm.
- Add the remaining oil to the skillet. Stir in the reserved onions and the beans along with the cumin and about 1/2 teaspoon chipotle chile. Cook and stir about 10 minutes. making sure the potatoes are tender. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from the skillet and keep warm. Mash the beans with a fork or a potato masher, adding about 1/4 cup of water and the salsa to moisten the beans. The beans should be moist like refried beans but not soupy. Keep warm.
Soften the tortillas:
- Heat oven to 350° F.
- Mist both sides of the tortillas with cooking spray. Arrange them without stacking on two baking sheets. Put the first tray in the oven and heat until soft, far from crisp. Remove from oven.
To assemble and serve:
- Spread about a tablespoon of smashed beans down the middle of each tortilla. Add a couple spoonfuls of potatoes. Repeat with the second tray of tortillas.
- Arrange the avocado, cabbage, cilantro, salsa, tomatoes and cheese garnishes in separate bowls. At the table, let guests add garnishes to their liking.
They’re certainly colorful. I’ve been enjoying potato tacos from Guerrilla Taco Truck here in LA. There’s nothing better than sitting on the curb eating one of these artful tacos. Except of course if you’re eating them in Baja. As I suspect you are. GREG · 16 January, 2016
Purple potatoes are so beautiful! I have two potato taco recipes on my blog. People are always surprised that potatoes are good in tacos. I love surprising people-haha! These look great! · 12 February, 2016
Thanks Linda. I’m making them with sweet potatoes and a tri-color bean mix tonight! So many possibilities. · 12 February, 2016
Purple potatoes are so pretty! And I love a taco pretty much no matter what the filling. So yummy1 · 12 February, 2016
Thanks Jenn–tacos are such an easy meal! Tostadas too. Same idea, different shape… · 12 February, 2016
Well anything purple is my thing, so these tacos are a must make! · 12 February, 2016
Yes, purple is one regal color and it tacos–surprise them! · 12 February, 2016
Oh yeah… I love the idea of the different colored potatoes. What a gorgeous taco bar this would make! · 12 February, 2016
Oh great idea–rainbow taco bar! · 12 February, 2016
Oh my gosh, potatoes in tacos? I can’t believe I’ve never tried that before!! It sounds (and looks) SO good! I’ll be returning for this recipe ASAP. · 14 February, 2016
Oh potatoes in tacos–all kinds! So easy too! · 14 February, 2016
Oh I love these! That purple colour is so pretty, I think my little one would be sure to eat all her dinner up without a word if I served these up (obsessed with everything purple). I will have to keep my eye out at the farmers market today! · 14 February, 2016
I hope you find them at your farmer’s market. Ask them to plant some for you! · 16 February, 2016
Poatatoes are just the most awesome ingredient ever. I can’t believe that I have never tried them in tacos. i need to change that! · 14 February, 2016
These look so beautiful! I pretty much always put potatoes in my tacos and burritos and all my recipes contain them too, to me, they make the taco so much more filling! These are just wonderful! · 14 February, 2016
Yum! Love the color of these tacos. Really beautiful! Sharing now 🙂 · 15 February, 2016
Thanks for sharing Vanessa! · 16 February, 2016
These are GORGEOUS Letty! I’m like so many other commenters who haven’t tried taters in tacos yet but want to. YUM! 🙂 · 15 February, 2016
Thanks Gin. · 16 February, 2016
Purple potatoes?? I need to try them! Wow, I didn’t know they existed. That looks soo cool! I’m stunned a little I have to admit, haha · 15 February, 2016
Aren’t they the wildest? The color means lots of phytonutrients too. · 16 February, 2016
These Taco’s look so delicious and I absolutely love using naturally colored ingredients in my recipes. The purple potato makes the dish so pretty. · 16 February, 2016
Thanks Molly. The purple potatoes are so fun! · 16 February, 2016
Made these tonight, and they were amazing. Best tacos ever. Maybe my favorite. Thanks! · 1 December, 2020
Thank you Jessica! I’m delighted you enjoyed the tacos. Coincidentally, I made these 2 nights ago with chickpeas as the beans. 😉 · 2 December, 2020