Tropic-Like-Its-Hot Pineapple Black Bean (Printable)

Zesty tacos featuring pineapple, black beans, and a creamy coconut lime slaw with a tropical twist.

# What You Need:

→ Pineapple Black Bean Filling

01 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
02 - 1 small red onion, diced
03 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
04 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
05 - 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
06 - 1 cup fresh pineapple, diced
07 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
08 - 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
09 - 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
10 - 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
11 - 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
12 - 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

→ Coconut Lime Slaw

13 - 2 cups shredded green cabbage
14 - 1 cup shredded red cabbage
15 - 1/3 cup canned coconut milk, full fat
16 - 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
17 - 1 teaspoon maple syrup
18 - 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
19 - Zest of 1 lime

→ For Assembly

20 - 8 small corn tortillas
21 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
22 - 1 jalapeño, thinly sliced (optional)
23 - Lime wedges for serving

# How-To:

01 - In a large bowl, whisk together coconut milk, lime juice, maple syrup, salt, and lime zest. Add shredded green and red cabbage, toss well to coat. Set aside to marinate while preparing the filling.
02 - Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add diced red onion and sauté for 2-3 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and diced bell pepper, cooking for 2 additional minutes.
03 - Stir in drained black beans, diced pineapple, ground cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, sea salt, and black pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, for 4-5 minutes until the pineapple begins to caramelize and the mixture is heated through.
04 - Remove from heat and stir in fresh lime juice to balance the flavors.
05 - Heat corn tortillas in a dry skillet over medium heat or warm in the microwave until pliable, approximately 1-2 minutes.
06 - Distribute the pineapple black bean filling evenly among tortillas. Top each with a portion of coconut lime slaw, fresh cilantro, and jalapeño slices if desired. Serve with lime wedges.

# Expert Hacks:

01 -
  • The sweet-salty-spicy balance hits every craving at once, and you'll keep reaching for more without feeling heavy.
  • Comes together in 35 minutes, which means you can have something restaurant-worthy on the table faster than delivery would arrive.
  • Naturally vegan and dairy-free, but nobody eating these will feel like they're missing anything.
02 -
  • Don't skip the step of rinsing the canned black beans—this prevents the filling from turning into a dark paste instead of staying bright and discrete.
  • Fresh pineapple makes an enormous difference here; canned tastes muted by comparison and won't develop those caramelized edges.
  • The slaw needs time to marinate into the coconut dressing, so make it first while you're prepping everything else.
03 -
  • Make the slaw up to four hours ahead and let it marinate in the refrigerator, which actually improves it by giving the cabbage time to soften slightly while staying crisp.
  • Keep your pineapple chunks bigger than you think you should—they'll dice down during cooking and you want them to stay distinct enough to caramelize, not disappear into the beans.
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