Vegan Tacos with Cilantro Lime Sauce

Vegan tacos are gluten-free and oil-free. These healthy, 20-minute vegan tacos are so easy to make! They’re filled with seasoned pinto beans then topped with a tangy cilantro-lime sauce, diced onion, and fresh cilantro.

Vegan tacos with Spanish rice are always a hit with the family.

So on my recent trip to the supermarket, I grabbed a pack of organic tortilla sliders.  I envisioned the cute little tortillas filled with seasoned pinto beans and topped in a creamy sauce. 

Well, last week, I was short and time and in need of a quick and easy lunch.

Looking in the fridge I spotted the tortilla sliders and some leftover brown rice.  The vegan tacos I had envisioned instantly came to mind!

So, I dug around the pantry and came out with 2 cans of pinto beans and some Mexican-inspired seasonings for the taco filling.  

Next, I threw together the sauce by modifying my BBQ Ranch Dressing, and within 20 minutes my family was enjoying these time-saving Vegan Tacos with Cilantro Lime Sauce. 

Vegan tacos are topped with a tangy cilantro lime sauce—made from soaked cashews.   

How to soak cashews 

To quick soak the cashews, start by boiling about a cup of water.  Then carefully add the cashews to the boiling water and turn off the heat.  It will only take about 10 minutes for the cashews to soften, which is enough time to prep the bean filling.

Once the cashews have softened, drain & rinse them.  Then add them to a blender with the remaining sauce ingredients and blend away!

Vegan Tacos with Cilantro Lime Sauce

Let’s talk more about these amazingly quick, yet super delicious vegan tacos.

The tacos are filled with pinto beans and brown rice simmered in veggie broth and seasonings.   The tacos are then slathered in a tangy cilantro-lime sauce and topped with diced onion and fresh cilantro.

These 20-minute tacos will have the whole family coming back for more!

Make these vegan tacos a filling meal and serve them alongside Spanish rice and chips and salsa!

Enjoy!

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20 minute Vegan Tacos with Cilantro Lime Sauce

Yield: 8-10 tacos

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Vegan Tacos with Cilantro Lime Sauce are gluten-free and oil-free. These healthy 20 minute vegan tacos are so easy to make and only take one pan! The filling is made with seasoned pinto beans and rice. Then the tacos are topped with a tangy cilantro lime sauce.

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Ingredients

Tacos:

• 8-10 corn tortillas
• Fresh cilantro
• Fresh onion, finely diced

Pinto Bean Filling

• 2 (15oz) cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 cup rice or grain of choice, precooked/leftover
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 2 teaspoons onion powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 3/4 teaspoon Himalayan pink salt, or to taste
• 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• optional: 1 Tablespoon nutritional yeast
• optional: cayenne pepper for added heat

Cilantro Lime Sauce

• 1/2 cup raw cashews, soaked
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, packed and divided
• 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lime juice, about 3 limes
• 1/4 cup non-dairy milk
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon maple syrup

Instructions

If you haven't presoaked the cashews for at least 2 hours you can easily quick soak them. To quick soak the cashews: Boil 1 cup of water. Once boiling, turn off the heat and toss in the cashews. Allow to soak for about 10-15 minutes.

Pinto Bean Filling:

1. Place the bean filling ingredients into a saucepan. Simmer the bean mix over medium heat for 8-10 min, stirring occasionally.
2. While the beans cook, prep the sauce and dice the onion.
3. Once most of the liquid in the beans has evaporated, mash a few of them to thicken the filing. Continue cooking over low heat until desired thickness. If they become too dry add a bit more veggie broth, or water.
4. Adjust seasonings to taste.

Cilantro Lime Sauce:

1. Set aside half of the cilantro. Place the remaining ingredients into a NutriBullet or equivalent. Blend until the sauce is creamy.
2. Add in the remaining cilantro and pulse a few times. Don’t over blend, you'll want to leave some flecks of cilantro. If needed, add more non-dairy milk to desired consistency. I usually add a bit more for a thinner sauce.

To Assemble Tacos:

1. Place a scoop of bean mix on the tortilla. Top with cilantro lime sauce, diced onion and fresh cilantro. Serve along side chips and salsa or Spanish rice.

Enjoy!

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 16 slider tacos Serving Size: 2 slider tacos
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 115 Total Fat: 3g Saturated Fat: 0g Trans Fat: 0g Unsaturated Fat: 2g Cholesterol: 0mg Sodium: 123mg Carbohydrates: 20g Fiber: 2g Sugar: 1g Protein: 5g

**Nutritional info is provided as an estimate based on the ingredients I used and for convenience and as a courtesy only.**

Note: This recipe makes 8-10 tacos or about 16 sliders.  I’ve found that leftovers make an even quicker lunch.  Just reheat the leftover beans in a small pan with about a teaspoon of water to keep them from sticking.  The filling is also a delicious replacement for the refried beans in my potato tacos.