Vegetarian Taco Bar features tons of toppings like black and pinto beans, cheese, pico de gallo, veggies, salsa and more for a delicious meal in 20 minutes!

We love taco night at my house and I'm excited to share one of my family's favorite go-to meals: vegetarian taco bar! We love making a vegetarian taco bar with tons of toppings where everyone can make what they like. I am super pumped to announce my new partnership with CannedBeans.org. We use canned beans at least a few times a week and they are one of my kid's favorite things to eat. Keep reading to learn more about why we choose to eat canned beans.

September is National Family Meals Month. I am a huge supporter of eating meals together with your family. Family time at the table is so important to us to have time to talk about our days, laugh, be silly, learn about nutrition, etc. Now I'm not going to sugar coat it for you, we have 3 kids- ages 7, 4 and 2 and family meals can certainly be CRAZY! I can't tell you how many times we say "sit down", "please eat your food", "don't touch your sibling" or "put down the toy" each meal. Despite wild and crazy family meals, they are very worth it and I love them. This vegetarian taco bar is perfect for a family meal.

How to setup a taco bar

Setting up a vegetarian taco bar is super easy! Just heat up your beans or other protein. Then, set out all of your toppings in bowls with spoons. Heat your tortillas on the stove (don't skip this part- it takes little time and adds so much flavor to the tortillas!). Everyone can make their own tacos which is always so fun.

Vegetarian Taco Bar Ingredients

There are endless topping ideas for a vegetarian taco bar. We put out whatever we have on hand and it changes a little bit each time based on what we have, how much time we have until we need to eat and the season. We always do a few veggie options, beans, ground meat or chicken, salsa, plain Greek yogurt and shredded cheese. So easy yet so delicious and very kid-friendly. The kids always build their own vegetarian tacos. Adalyn goes heavy on the beans. Oliver goes heavy on the yogurt and Lily loves everything. This was one of the most fun dinners we have had. Everyone was very happy and got to eat exactly what they like.

low-sodium black beans
low-sodium pinto beans
Lime juice
chili powder
onion powder
garlic powder
cumin

Vegetarian Taco Bar Toppings

Pico de gallo
Sharp cheddar cheese
Fajita veggies
Black olives
Shredded lettuce
Green onion
Diced avocado
Cilantro
Plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
Tomatoes
Jalapenos
Corn
Salsa- green and red
Guacamole
Chopped radishes
Red onion
Red cabbage
Tortillas of choice

Vegetarian Taco Bar Ideas

There are many times that a vegetarian taco bar would be a great idea! Here are some times that I would make a vegetarian taco bar.

Cinco De Mayo
Birthday parties
Easy dinner at home
Christmas

Benefits of Eating Canned Beans

We eat canned beans often because we truly love them. My kids will snack on half of the can before I even get the chance to add them to my recipe if I don't watch them closely. Beans are packed with nutrients which makes them a great meal option. They are loaded with protein, fiber and iron. I choose low-sodium or no-added salt bean varieties whenever possible. I have made beans from scratch before but it never turns out as delicious as canned beans so I mostly stick to the canned bean varieties.

Canned beans are a super easy addition to your diet. They are great for meat eaters and for people who follow a plant-based diet. I love that you can just open a can, rinse and your beans are ready to go. This is one of the big reasons that we turn to beans so often. A lot of times, I need to get a meal on the table in 10-15 minutes and it is super simple to do so with canned beans.

By using beans in recipes, you can help lower your total and LDL cholesterol levels. Despite a healthy diet and a lot of exercise, my husband Troy has high cholesterol levels. We are always adding foods to his diet such as oatmeal and beans that can be beneficial to controlling cholesterol levels.

I will talk more about the benefits of canned beans soon because honestly, I could go on and on! Beans are a huge part of our lives and I love how versatile they are! Learn more about canned beans here.

Vegetarian Taco Bar

Yield: serves 6 Author: Amanda Hernandez

Vegetarian Taco Bar

Vegetarian Taco Bar features tons of toppings like black and pinto beans, cheese, pico de gallo, veggies, salsa and more for a delicious meal in 20 minutes!

Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook time: 5 minutes Total time: 20 mins

INGREDIENTS

Mexican Seasoned Beans
1 can low-sodium black beans
1 can low-sodium pinto beans
1 tablespoon lime juice
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon cumin
Topping Options
Pico de gallo
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1/2 chopped medium onion
1 finely diced jalapeno
1 diced green pepper
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Juice from 1/2 lime
1/2 teasooon salt
Sharp cheddar cheese
Fajita veggies- sautéed peppers and onions with chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder
Black olives
Shredded lettuce
Green onion
Diced avocado
Cilantro
Plain Greek yogurt
Tomatoes
Jalapenos
Corn
Salsa- green and red
Guacamole
Chopped radishes
Red onion
Red cabbage
Tortillas of choice

INSTRUCTIONS

Drain and rinse canned beans. Dump each can of beans into a bowl and toss each with half of the spices and the lime juice. Stir well.
Cut up all of the toppings for the taco bar. If making the pico de gallo, mix all ingredients together. If making the fajita veggies, stir- fry veggies in a pan for about 3 minutes until veggies are halfway cooked and onions are soft. Arrange everything in bowls on your table or on a counter to serve.
Toast tortillas by heating tortillas directly on your stove burner for about 30 seconds on each side. Heat beans in the microwave (or on the stovetop if you like) until hot.
Assemble your tacos with whatever ingredients you like!

Enjoy!