This week has been a doozy. Big decisions have been clamoring for my verdict and, as usual, I’ve been struggling to make up my mind. I like possibilities, you see. I like the feeling of unlimited potential. Narrowing down my options makes me nervous. So nervous that I find myself clicking through page after page of J. Crew’s final sale and reaching for extra-large glasses of wine in attempts to escape it all. I see what you’re trying to do there, unconscious self.
Another strange form of escapism? Making a mess of leftovers in the kitchen. I like to absentmindedly throw a bunch of different leftovers in a bowl and hope that I’ll happen across a magical combination. These tacos are one of the rare combinations worth sharing.
At the time of discovery, I had just gotten back from the grocery store but most of my ingredients were destined for future recipes. I grabbed some arugula, warmed some black beans, and threw in some feta and quick-pickled radishes. I tossed all of that in jalapeño-lime dressing and took a bite. Eureka! I was onto something.
Then I warmed up a corn tortilla and stuffed it full of salad. Who knew that arugula would make such a perfect taco? It’s spicy, crisp, peppery—I should have known.
I honestly hadn’t intended to turn my quick-pickled radishes into a two-part series, but those crisp, vinegary, spicy sliced radishes are the perfect complement to warm black beans and arugula. The resulting tacos are fresh and light, yet filling. This is a 30-minute meal (pickled radishes excluded) that I’ll be revisiting often. I’m hoping it becomes a staple in your house, too.
A couple of notes before you get started: If you’re planning to have leftovers, only dress the amount of arugula you intend to consume in one sitting. The vinegar in the dressing breaks down the leaves and you don’t want wilty arugula in these tacos. Also, if you don’t have time for pickled radishes (they are super quick to make!), just use thinly sliced fresh radishes and add some hot sauce.
And hey, if you make this recipe at home, will you make me a happy blogger and snap a photo? Tag it #cookieandkate so I can see it on Instagram! I LOVE to see what you’ve been cooking. You can check out what other readers have made making over here!
Vegetarian Arugula and Black Bean Tacos with Pickled Radish and Feta
- Author:
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 15 mins
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Main
- Cuisine: Mexican
Fresh, light yet filling tacos made with cumin-spiced black beans, topped with lime and jalapeño dressed arugula, quick-pickled radishes, avocado and feta. Recipe as written below yields 8 tacos.
Ingredients
Jalapeño-lime dressing
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice (about 1 large lime)
- 1 tablespoon chopped jalapeño (about 1 medium jalapeño), membranes and seeds removed
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon honey (or agave nectar)
- ¼ teaspoon ground coriander
- Freshly ground black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon fine grain sea salt
Spicy black beans
- 2 cans black black beans, rinsed and drained (or 4 cups cooked black beans)
- 1 small yellow or white onion, chopped
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- ⅓ cup water
- Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
Everything else
- 8 corn tortillas
- 4 to 6 cups baby arugula
- 1 avocado, pitted and sliced into thin strips
- ⅔ cup crumbled feta
- Quick-pickled radishes or chopped fresh radishes
- Optional garnishes: freshly ground black pepper, red pepper flakes and/or hot sauce like Cholula
Instructions
- To make the dressing: In a small bowl, combine all of the listed dressing ingredients. Whisk until emulsified.
- To prepare the black beans: Warm the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and a sprinkle of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions have softened and are turning translucent, about 5 to 8 minutes. Add the cumin and cook for about 30 seconds while stirring. Pour in the beans and ⅓ cup water. Stir, cover and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for 5 minutes, then remove the lid and use the back of a fork to mash up about at least half of the beans. Remove from heat, season with salt and pepper, and cover until you’re ready to serve.
- To warm the tortillas: Heat a cast iron or non-stick skillet over medium heat and warm each tortilla individually, flipping occasionally. Alternatively, you can warm them directly over a low flame on a gas range.
- Put it all together: Just before serving, toss the arugula with enough dressing to lightly coat the leaves (you will probably have leftover dressing). Spread black beans down the middle of each tortilla. Top with sliced avocado, pickled radishes, a small handful of dressed arugula and a sprinkle of crumbled feta. Finish with a couple dashes of freshly ground black pepper, red pepper flakes and/or hot sauce.
Notes
Black beans adapted from my sweet potato and black bean tacos. Dressing adapted from my kale and black bean burrito bowl.
Make it vegan: Skip the feta and add extra pickled radishes to make up for feta’s salty punch.
Make it gluten free: Be sure to use gluten-free tortillas.
Storage suggestions: Store individual components separately. Gently warm beans in the microwave or on the stovetop (add a splash of water if they seem dry). Toss arugula with dressing just before serving.
If you love this recipe: You’ll also love my kale and black bean burritos and summer squash tacos.
Vegetable enthusiast. Dog lover. I'm probably making a big mess in my Kansas City kitchen right now. 
Kristine @ Kristine's Kitchen
Kate, these tacos look so full of flavor! I love the peppery bite that arugula adds to dishes, and what a great idea to add it to steak tacos. I bet the combination of the steak, arugula, and feta is just amazing!
Kristine @ Kristine's Kitchen
Why did I say steak? I totally meant black beans! (Of course, for meat-eaters I’m sure steak would be awesome too.) :)
Kate
I bet they would be good with steak! ;)
Allison
These look fantastic! I love the flavour and texture combo happening here. Can’t wait to try those radishes! I looooove pickled anything :) I’m a vinegar fanatic!
Melissa @ Nourish By Melissa
Oh my yum! Now that I’m on summer break I have more time to cook full meals and I am definitely adding these tacos to the list :D
anne
ohmyword! this looks amazing!!! can’t wait to try it! : )
Beth @ Tasty Yummies
yes yes yes these are my kind of tacos, right down to the pickled radishes. SWOON!
Maria
My kind of tacos! Love!
John
This looks great, a perfect filling but light summer meal. My wife is gluten free and vegetarian and I’m always on the lookout for recipes that fit those stringent qualifications. I’ll be sure to post a pic when (not if) I make this. Thanks!!
Kate
Please do, thanks John!!
Erin | The Law Student's Wife
Your kitchen is a place of leftover magic! LOVE these babies! (And totally w/ you on the Jcrew sale decisions. I always order too much, telling myself I will “take it back”. HA)
J.S. @ Sun Diego Eats
Tacos can seem to take all manner of food and easily incorporate them into something yummy. I’ve seen a lot of Asian fusion-y tacos but never arugula and feta! Love both of those and with the crunchy pickled radishes and creamy black beans sounds pretty yummy. You’ll have to share more of your oddball leftover creations!
Tatum | EATS FROM THE OIL PATCH BLOG
summer-y perfection. I absolutely LOVE arugula.
Abby @ The Frosted Vegan
I have arugula hanging out in my fridge and black beans in my cabinet, so this is happening tonight, for sure! Love!
erin {yummysupper}
Yum! This is just the kind of odds and ends meal I love to eat too! Radishes, beans, and arugula are staples for me as well.
Good luck with your decision-making Kathryne. I look forward to hearing what is next for you.
xoxox from Berkeley,
E
Eileen
Hooray for tacos! Especially with a handful of pungent radish pickles — so classic and delicious. Also, I made your orange poppyseed cake yet again a few nights ago — it’s fast becoming one of my go-to cakes! Thank you!
Kate
Woohoo! Glad you love that poppyseed cake, Eileen.
maria tadic
These look so delicious! I really need to make those pickled radishes! They look so delicious and I love anything pickled!
cheyenne
oh my, these look delicious!
xo, cheyenne
Kelly
They look so good. I can’t wait to try them. I love your photos too!
Courtney @ The Fig Tree
Oh, goodness! These look delicious. What a great combination of flavours. I’m excited to try out the radish pickles. What a great topping for tacos!
Amy @ Thoroughly Nourished Life
We just had tacos for dinner last night! Nothing quite as fancy as these though. I love playing around with taco flavours (I make a balsamic mushroom version :) ) but the ‘rents tend to be quite traditional in their taco flavourings.
I love the thought of making the pickled radishes and incorporating them into this dish! Thanks for the dinner idea Kate!
laurasmess
Hahaa.. I was just talking with a friend of mine about the J.Crew sale last night! Indeedy, very big decisions to be made (I am seriously needing to save cash at the moment so I am trying to avoid online sales at all costs, argh!). As for leftovers in tacos? Awesome. I never thought to try rocket in a taco either but it makes perfect sense after reading this. I NEED to make those radishes. Quick smart, yes please!
Kate
The J.Crew final sale always gets the best of me! I bought a beautiful royal blue winter coat on super sale a few weeks ago and I can’t wait to wear it next winter! I think you would love these arugula and radish tacos, Laura.
Bri | Bites of Bri
I love fresh light tacos ideas for summer. These will definitely be on our dinner table soon.
Phi @ The Sweetphi Blog
oh yuuuuummmmm! These look so delicious! I actually just had a black bean taco at a restaurant and it was out of this world yummy, I’m thinking I need to make this one and I’ll have the same experience :)
kristie @ birchandwild.com
Radish in a taco?! I never would have thought of it, but I will for sure try it! And love the arugula addition. I always add arugula to my tacos. And to pretty much everything else I eat.
Sophie
I have been meaning to make your pickled radishes (slightly obsessed with radish at the moment), so this looks like a perfect excuse for tonight – yum to the combination of black beans, rocket and radish -will try to remember to instagram it!
Joanne
Now you’ve got ME paging through that J. Crew sale! Instead of doing blog work. Sigh. I love/hate procrastination.
Yay for fun-ing up leftovers! These tacos look like summer.
Jenny @ BAKE
I love when experimental meals work! I will definitely be trying these out
Sini | my blue&white kitchen
I love absolutely everything about this dish. Major summer food alert!
Elizabeth
I stumbled on your blog not long ago and I love it! I made the pickled radishes the other day (they are fabulous) and I made this tonight for dinner, only I didn’t actually have tacos, I just had it all in a bowl on some warm quinoa. It was really, really gorgeous. Thank you for your blog, I really do enjoy it.
★★★★★
Kate
Elizabeth, thank you! I’m delighted to hear that you’re enjoying the recipes. Your quinoa bowl sounds delicious.
bev @ bevcooks
Good heavens I need these.
Becky
I’m a sucker for pickled radishes so these tacos easily caught my eye. And I love their simplicity :)
★★★★★
Sarah
These are to-die-for. The pickled radishes were easy and are excellent as a garnish (or even by themselves). I ate leftovers from this dish twice this week– just as delish as the first time! Warmed corn tortillas are key.
Kate
Hooray! So glad you’re loving the tacos, Sarah! Thanks for letting me know. :)
Allee
I made these with goat cheese instead of feta and they were de-licious.
Kate
Awesome! Thanks, Allee!
Kate Ryan
Absolutely delicious! Loved the added touch of the radishes.
Jen
Hi Kate! What can I say, WOW. I follow your blog all the time and absolutely love your recipes. I am, by no means, a vegetarian but I do appreciate a meatless meal! My boyfriend and I LOVED this recipe and will make it again. Those radishes. MMM. I work for a Canadian wine company and take care of the social media for two wineries. I’m definitely going to be posting this on their accounts! It paired perfectly with the Gewurztraminer. Thanks so much. Can’t wait to try more!
★★★★★
Mona
These took a fair amount of work and time, but the results were CRAZY DELICIOUS!!!! :)
I added coriander seeds and garlic cloves to the pickles in addition to the required red pepper flakes and mustard seeds (I used black mustard seeds).
I finished the tortillas with Sriracha.
Yummm……
Kate
Thank you, Mona! Your pickle spices sound delicious.
Mona
Sorry, forgot to rate this in my earlier comment. It’s yumdelicious.
★★★★★
Kerry
This was a hit with the whole family including the non-veg husband and the growing, picky 13 year old boy. He came back for seconds and just asked me to add this to the rotation for next week. (He and I have also polished off 2 batches of your toasted muesli. haha!)
You’ve fed me all week! :) I love your recipes so much.
★★★★★
Kate
Awesome! Thanks again, Kerry. Your comment made my day.
Nikki Hull
This looks so delicious! My go-to easy quick meal lately has been corn tortillas with mashed avocado, salad greens and slices of grilled halloumi, but I’ve been craving a black bean variation, can’t wait to make this! Thank you so much!
★★★★★
Kate
Oooh, that sounds delicious! Thanks, Nikki!
Beth
I love pickles & don’t know why it took me so long to try making a quick pickle…but omg they were divine in these tacos. (And I don’t even really like radishes.) I added some pineapple mango hot sauce to the tacos & wow! Delicious, healthy & fits so well into my diet. Others are eating plain Jane low cal food or small amounts of packaged crap. I’m eating tons of your gourmet food & still losing weight because it’s veg/whole-food focused. I can’t tell you how wonderful that is.
★★★★★
Kate
Ooh, pineapple mango hot sauce sounds like a really fun, fruity addition. Thanks, Beth!
Kristin
Made these for dinner tonight- they were SO good!!
Kate
Perfect! Thanks, Kristin.