February 14, 2021
updated
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These crunchy Black Bean Taco cups recipe will make any packed lunch delicious and exciting! Load them up with guacamole, salsa, and sour cream for a taco-inspired lunch.
Who am I kidding?! The only reason I’m sharing these with you in a lunchbox is that I made one too many for a party and I packed the leftovers for lunch.
And then, the kids wanted some. So I made more. And they loved them. In the end, anything that makes a happy plate is a good thing, right?
These taco cups are party food for school or the office.
How to Make Taco Cups
For these epic mini tacos, you’ll need a muffin tin, wonton wrappers, and taco toppings.
First, place the wonton wrapper in a muffin tin, bake until crispy and then it’s time to load em up!
If you do weekly taco night, this recipe would be a great idea to use up the leftover taco night toppings. While the taco cups themselves are vegetarian, if you have leftover taco meat, you can add that too.
How to Top Vegetarian Mini Taco Cups
Treat these just like you would an All American Beef Taco and top them with all your favorites:
- Easy guacamole
- Salsa
- Sour cream
- Black olives
- Green onions
- Cheddar cheese
Flavorful Vegetarian Taco Cups
The combo of black beans, cheese, and guacamole packs a ton of flavor in a mini taco shell and make a satisfying lunch.
To make these taco cups vegetarian, I use refried black beans since they have more flavor and the texture reminds me of a seven-layer dip in a crispy shell. Can’t pass up that opportunity.
Wonton Taco Cups
Wonton wrappers are the right size for the muffin tins and crisp up beautifully, making the perfect base for this recipe. Plus we can’t overlook that satisfying crunch they give with each bite.
Just a little tip if you’re having trouble hunting down the wonton wrappers, often you’ll find them near the tofu section of the grocery store.
In case you need a substitute you can use a biscuit cutter to cut circles out of leftover flour tortillas, place them into the muffin tin, and carry on with the recipe.
Baked Wonton Tacos
Wonton wrappers make a healthier substitute to the usual crispy tortillas because they’re baked and not fried. They’re also smaller than taco shells which makes eating multiple wonton tacos perfectly acceptable!
What Makes Taco Cups a Kid-Friendly Lunchbox Idea
Finger food lunches are always a fun switch from the usual sandwich/wrap lunches. Like mini quiches and chicken nuggets, these can also be baked ahead of time and yield enough for 4 to 6 lunches. It’s an easy way to plan ahead and pack several lunches with one recipe, which are always my favorite recipes.
If your kids love finger foods and bento-style lunches, they will love the ideas inside the 101 Packed Lunches eBook. It has plenty of options for sandwiches, wraps, hot lunches, along with simple recipes like this one.
Grab your copy of 100+ lunch ideas below:
101 Packed Lunches eBook
All my best kid-friendly lunches from over a decade of creating meal plans. Add some variety to your child’s lunchbox with these epic lunches, plus receive my Pack Meals Like a Pro ebook, free with purchase!
More Vegetarian Lunch Ideas
If you need simple vegetarian lunch ideas that are easy to make and packed with both flavor and protein, I hear you! Here are eight ideas that pack easily into a lunchbox to get you started:
- Carrot & Zucchini Mini Quiches
- 7 Layer Greek Cups
- Apple & Cheddar Grilled Cheese
- Strawberry Cheesecake Yogurt Parfait
- Tex Mex Bento Box
- Zucchini Taco Boats
So whether you have an intense taco craving or need a fun, healthy lunch idea, these taco cups will do the trick.
Vegetarian Black Bean Taco Cups
Ingredients
- 40 wonton wrappers
- 1 can refried black beans, warmed
- 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
- ¾ cup pico de gallo/salsa
- Sour cream, for topping
- Guacamole
- 2 green onions, sliced
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375F. Grease 2 muffin tins with cooking spray. Line each cup with 2 wonton wrappers and lightly spray with cooking oil.
- Transfer the muffin tins to the oven and bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until the wonton wrappers are golden brown and crispy.
- Meanwhile, in a microwave-safe bowl, warm the beans.
- Remove the taco cups from the oven and fill each with warmed black beans, cheese, pico de gallo/salsa, sour cream, guacamole, and green onions.
Marci
i have the same freezing question but I’m also wondering if I could make these a day ahead and warm them up and melt cheese in them. Or could they be eaten cold in a lunch box?
Dawn Little
OMG, I just made these for son’s party. We were actually a bit glad nobody showed so we could eat them all ourselves!!!! We topped them with some salsa and plain Greek yogurt and couldn’t get enough!!!! I have the same question about freezing them (so that they’ll last more then a day). I replaced the flour with some chicken soup mix and protein powder, though I’ll probably add in some type of flour for making big batches.
Kristina
Can I make a big batch and freeze? Not sure how they would come out after defrosted.
TIffany
I love that you are thinking about vegetarians and those that need a gluten free diet. I am neither, but you never know when my boys will have a playdate and i would need to make a snack that works for their friends. Great idea!
josie
genius! I make black beans in the crockpot every couple months and stock my freezer. My 20 month old loves black beans…will need to try this soon!!