Pineapple Black Bean Coconut Lime (Printable Version)

Vegan tacos with spiced pineapple black bean filling and tangy coconut lime cabbage slaw.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pineapple Black Bean Filling

01 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
02 - 1 small red onion, diced
03 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
04 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
05 - 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
06 - 1 cup fresh pineapple, diced
07 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
08 - 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
09 - 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
10 - 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
11 - 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
12 - 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

→ Coconut Lime Slaw

13 - 2 cups shredded green cabbage
14 - 1 cup shredded red cabbage
15 - 1/3 cup canned coconut milk, full fat
16 - 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
17 - 1 teaspoon maple syrup
18 - 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
19 - Zest of 1 lime

→ For Serving

20 - 8 small corn tortillas
21 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
22 - 1 jalapeño, thinly sliced, optional
23 - Lime wedges

# Steps to Follow:

01 - In a large bowl, whisk together coconut milk, lime juice, maple syrup, salt, and lime zest. Add green and red cabbage, toss well to coat. Set aside to marinate while preparing the filling.
02 - Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add red onion and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until softened. Add garlic and bell pepper, cook for 2 more minutes.
03 - Stir in black beans, pineapple, cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring often, for 4 to 5 minutes until the pineapple is caramelized and the mixture is heated through.
04 - Remove from heat and stir in lime juice to brighten the flavors.
05 - Warm corn tortillas in a dry skillet or microwave until pliable.
06 - Spoon the pineapple black bean mixture onto each tortilla. Top with coconut lime slaw, cilantro, and jalapeño slices if desired. Serve with lime wedges.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • The pineapple caramelizes just enough to give you these little bursts of sweetness that play beautifully against the savory beans, making every bite feel intentional.
  • You can have this on the table in under 40 minutes, which means weeknight dinners suddenly feel like you're celebrating something.
  • One bite of that coconut lime slaw and you'll understand why it becomes the star of the show—creamy, tangy, and nothing like typical taco toppings.
02 -
  • Fresh pineapple makes a difference that's almost impossible to overstate—canned pineapple is too soft and won't caramelize the way you want it to, turning your filling into mush instead of something textured and alive.
  • Shaking that can of coconut milk is non-negotiable if you want a slaw that's creamy rather than swimming in liquid, something I discovered the hard way after my first attempt turned into coconut soup.
03 -
  • Don't skip the step of warming your tortillas—cold tortillas will crack and refuse to fold properly, but warm ones feel almost buttery in your hands and hold everything together with grace.
  • If you're making these for a crowd, prep your filling and slaw ahead of time and simply warm everything through before assembly, which means you're actually relaxed when your guests arrive instead of frantically cooking.
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