comment icon 161 more comments Smoky chipotle black beans, sautéed with kale and garlic and spices, tucked into charred corn tortillas, topped with fresh, crisp sweet corn cut right off the cob, and smothered with too much (and yet never enough) aji verde. As of lately I have been affectionately calling these guys “beans and greens tacos”, and OH MY GOODNESS, they are just so delightful. They appear humble with the black bean / kale vibes and a cutesy little name, but seriously, don’t sleep on these. They are a top summer recipe for me this year. Over the last few weeks these have been repeatedly served to myself, my husband, my toddler, and a random sampling of friends who happened to be over at dinnertime. Everyone has given them two thumbs up, and more importantly, everyone has confirmed what we all know in our hearts: that the real star here is the aji verde.
You Need To Know About Aji Verde
Aji verde is a spicy Peruvian green sauce, and it came into my life last year when I made it as a little drizzley drizzle for this plantain stew (um, incredible). Now here we are in the summer, when stew is out and tacos are in, so I’m revisiting the beloved aji verde for these beans and greens tacos. Because what’s a taco without a good sauce? Sad. That’s what it is. And we don’t do sad tacos. Enter: more aji verde.
What To Pile On Top Of These Tacos
As with all tacos, please, by all means, go big with your toppings. You know I will approve of the more-is-more mentality here. For one, I can confirm that avocado is killer. Slaw or some kind of pico would be excellent. Pickled red onions would truly make the angels sing. And the sweet corn that I generously scooped all over my tacos was a peppy nod to summer and all things sweet, fresh, and a little bit crunchy. But really, all you NEED need for the base of these are:
Chipotle black bean and kale mixture (pictured in the pan below, looking spicy, mysterious, and delicious) Aji verde x10
Holy smoke show, these were so good. Three cheers for vegetarian tacos that you can look forward to eating and feel proud to serve to friends (aka self). YUM.
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Source notes: Aji verde is a Peruvian green sauce. I based this version off the recipe from A Cozy Kitchen, which is my all-time go-to for this amazing, punchy, fiesty green sauce (with a few swaps based on what I usually have in my fridge). So yummy!
More Over-The-Top Delicious Black Bean Recipes
Couscous Salad with Lime Basil Vinaigrette (a strange and beautiful and completely delicious combo) Chipotle Quinoa Burgers (veggie burgers you’ll want to make again and again) Migas (a quick and easy meal for any time of the day) Healthy Chipotle Sweet Potato Skins (so good and incredibly filling – you need these in your life ASAP!) Plantain and Pinto Stew with Aji Verde (a little sweet, a little savory – 10/10 delicious)
4.9 from 68 reviews
1 tablespoon olive oil 2–3 cups shredded kale (no stems, please) one 14-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed 1 cup enchilada sauce (I like this one) 1 chipotle pepper, minced (or a sprinkle of ground dried chipotle spice) salt to taste
Aji Verde
2 tablespoons olive oil 1/2 cup mayonnaise 3 ounces of queso fresco (optional) 1 jalapeño pepper, with seeds and ribs to keep it spicy (remove for a mild version) 1 bunch cilantro 2 cloves garlic juice of 1 lime pinch of salt (to taste)
Taco Extras
8 corn tortillas 1 1/2 cups fresh sweet corn, cut off the cob (frozen corn works too – just sauté in a hot pan for a few minutes or cook in microwave) anything else you like on your tacos
