If your family loves Taco Night, or you’re looking for a super easy family meal, these Refried Bean Taco Roll Ups are a great option. They’re easy to make, are packed with protein and fiber, and are super easy for everyone in the house to eat!
Bean Taco Dinner Idea
We have some sort of Mexican food every Tuesday, which is both because it makes it easier for me to plan meals when I have a consistent theme and because my girls love the flavors. Bean tacos have been a staple and while we do a lot of black bean tacos and quesadillas, we’ve been loving these roll-ups lately.
This is a fun, yet easy way to vary up how we serve the basic ingredients of a quesadilla and refried beans. (I use refried beans here since they are mashed smooth and hold the quesadilla together well.)
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Ingredients You Need
These bean tacos are super simple AND they hold together much better than a classic taco—which is just a recipe for a giant mess when it comes to toddlers. You only really only need tortillas and refried beans to make this recipe.
You can also customize it with a range of other toppings including cheese, chopped tomatoes, salsa, sour cream, or sliced avocado. You could even add a little cooked ground beef if you want!
Step-by-Step Instructions
Here’s a look at the simple process involved in making these bean tacos. Scroll down to the bottom of this post to see the full recipe.
- Spread warm refried beans onto one warmed tortilla at a time.
- Roll up, starting at one side. Cut in half, if desired, and repeat to make the remaining roll ups.
- Serve with salsa, sour cream, chopped tomatoes, and/or cheese on the side as desired.
TIP: You can use either corn or flour tortillas, though corn tortillas marked “soft” will hold together better.
Easy Taco Idea
The beauty of this easy toddler meal is that you don’t need to plan much in advance to make them and you can have the ingredients sitting in the pantry and fridge for a few days before you need them. This is a great backup dinner when you realize you have no other idea, or even a nice toddler lunch option.
Vegetarian Bean Tacos
Pairing beans and tortillas in these vegetarian tacos offers a complete source of protein and is a balanced way to fuel little bodies. And, the beans are really filling given their high fiber content, so this is also a budget-friendly way to satisfy appetites for just a few dollars a meal! If you keep the beans on hand in the pantry, you can pull this off even without any advance planning.
What goes well with these vegetarian bean tacos?
We like these bean tacos with an assortment of traditional taco toppings including diced tomatoes, shredded cheese, shredded lettuce, sour cream, avocado, salsa, and/or hot sauce for the grown ups. You could also do a simple side of fresh fruit alongside to round things out.
Which refried beans are best?
We love this method of making Homemade Refried Beans in the slow cooker, which is both super easy and makes enough for 2-3 meals. (You can freeze future portions.) I also like the 365 Whole Foods Brand or Amy’s Refried Beans. (The Whole Foods one doesn’t have BPA in the lining which is a nice plus.) You can look for ones that say “no salt” or “low salt” and season to taste yourself.
Do you have a favorite type of tortilla for this bean taco idea?
Since I can’t tolerate gluten, I buy corn tortillas for our bean tacos. I like the ones that say “soft” on the label and buy organic when I can to avoid GMOs. My local grocery stores don’t always have organic corn tortillas though, so I sometimes buy the white or yellow corn options from Mission. Whole wheat tortillas can work here too, though I’d still opt for the smaller size if possible to avoid offering a too-large portion for your toddler’s appetite.
Best Tips for Success
- You can use either corn or flour tortillas, though corn tortillas marked “soft” will hold together better.
- Warm the tortillas slightly before rolling up.
- Add salsa or sour cream for dipping.
- Cut into rounds if that makes them easier for your child to eat.
- Add mashed sweet potatoes to get a veggie in the mix.
- Season the beans with cumin and a little salt as needed to taste.
Related Recipes
Please leave a comment if you try this recipe. I’d love to know what you think!
Refried Bean Taco Roll Ups
Ingredients
- 14.5- ounce refried beans (or about 1 ½ cups homemade refried beans)
- 6 small tortillas (corn or flour)
- salsa, cheese, sour cream, and assorted taco topping as desired
Instructions
- Warm the beans for about 30 seconds in the microwave.
- Warm the tortillas: I find that it usually works best to wrap a small stack in a damp paper towel and warm for about 30 seconds in the microwave, flipping them over halfway through.
- Working with one tortilla at a time, spread with about 2 tablespoons to ¼ cup refried beans.
- Roll up, starting at one side.
- Cut in half and repeat to make the remaining roll ups.
- Serve with salsa, sour cream, chopped tomatoes, and/or cheese on the side as desired.
Notes
- Store any leftover beans in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- You can use either corn or flour tortillas, though corn tortillas marked “soft” will hold together better.
- Warm the tortillas slightly before rolling up.
- Add salsa or sour cream for dipping.
- Cut into rounds if that makes them easier for your child to eat.
- Add mashed sweet potatoes to get a veggie in the mix.
- Season the beans with cumin and a little salt as needed to taste.
- Use dairy-free cheese to make these dairy free.
Nutrition
This post was first published April 2018.
