Black-Eyed Pea Tacos (Printable)

Seasoned mashed black-eyed peas in warm tortillas topped with fresh cilantro, onion, lime, and salsa for a protein-packed vegetarian meal.

# What You Need:

→ Black-Eyed Pea Filling

01 - 2 cups cooked black-eyed peas (about 1 can, drained and rinsed)
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
06 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
07 - ½ teaspoon chili powder
08 - ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
09 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper
10 - 2 tablespoons water (as needed)

→ Taco Assembly

11 - 8 small corn or flour tortillas
12 - ½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
13 - ½ cup white onion, finely diced
14 - 2 limes, cut into wedges
15 - 1 cup salsa (red or green)

# Directions:

01 - Heat olive oil in skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook 3–4 minutes until translucent.
02 - Stir in minced garlic and cook 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add black-eyed peas, cumin, smoked paprika, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Stir well to coat. Mash with potato masher or fork, adding water as needed for chunky spreadable consistency. Cook 2–3 minutes.
04 - Heat tortillas in dry skillet or microwave until soft and pliable.
05 - Spoon mashed pea mixture into tortillas. Top with cilantro, onion, lime juice, and salsa. Add optional toppings if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The texture becomes creamy and hearty without any dairy, making it incredibly satisfying even for confirmed meat eaters who might raise an eyebrow at vegetarian tacos
  • You probably have everything in your pantry right now, and the whole assembly takes about as long as it would to order delivery
02 -
  • Do not overmash the beans or you will lose the satisfying texture that makes these tacos feel substantial
  • Warm your tortillas properly because cold tortillas will crack and make everything fall apart
03 -
  • Mash the beans right in the skillet so they absorb all those flavorful spices while still hot
  • Squeeze fresh lime over the finished tacos just before eating to brighten all the flavors
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