Black Bean Chalupas with Avocado Cream

It’s Cinco de Mayo week! Let’s celebrate with some Mexican food!

Mexican themed dinners are probably the type of cuisine most often eaten in my house. It’s so easy to throw together rice & beans, veggie & cheese quesadillas and burritos, Mexican salads… and the list goes on.

Today’s recipe uses some of my favorite Mexican dish ingredients: black beans, avocado, warm tortillas, shredded Monterey Jack cheese, sautéed peppers and more.

Avocado is a definite staple in my house. My hubby likes to dice some up in his omelets, I enjoy mashing avocado with a sprinkle of sea salt & squeeze of fresh lemon on a slice of wheat toast, and I throw it into so many of my Mexican style dinners. A perk of living in San Diego is randomly passing produce stands that sell avocados grown just south of the border for dirt cheap. A bag of 10 avocados for $2? Yes please!

These chalupas are topped with an avocado cream, made by combining avocado with sour cream, fresh lime juice and sea salt in my beloved food processor. 

This recipe is lightened up a bit from classic chalupas by using less cheese and by “frying” the tortillas in just a bit of oil. I also used whole wheat tortillas to make the recipe more wholesome. You can also use corn tortillas to make the recipe gluten free.

Whip em up on this Cinco de Mayo, and all you’ll need to make your fiesta complete is a margarita!

….that is, unless you’re like me and are not friends with tequila. In that case, a mojito will pair well with one of these black bean chalupas!

Black Bean Chalupas with Avocado Cream

Foodie Loves Fitness

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Servings 4 chalupas

Calories 480 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 4 whole wheat tortillas*
• 1-15 oz can black beans drained & rinsed
• 1/2 red onion
• 1 jalapeño pepper
• 1 red bell pepper
• 4 oz shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 1 medium avocado pitted
• 1/2 cup light sour cream
• 1 1/2 TBSP olive oil
• 1/4 cup packed cilantro leaves roughly chopped
• Juice from 1 small lime
• 1 cup packed chopped iceberg lettuce
• 1/2 vine ripe tomato chopped
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 TSP sea salt
• 1/4 TSP chili powder

Instructions

 

• Warm 1 TBSP of the olive oil in a skilled over medium heat. Mince red onion and chop peppers.
• Add red onion to skillet, and cook until lightly browned. Add in red bell and jalapeño peppers, and cook for 5 minutes, or until slightly tender.
• Add in black beans, cilantro, chili powder, 1/4 TSP of the sea salt, and the 1/4 cup water. Simmer until liquid is absorbed and beans are softened, stirring frequently.
• Meanwhile, preheat oven broiler to high heat and warm a pan over medium heat with remaining olive oil. Add one of the tortillas to the pan, and cook for 1-2 minutes, or until browned. Flip and cook other side. Repeat with remaining tortillas, placing browned tortillas on a large baking sheet.
• Spoon black bean mixture evenly onto each tortilla. Add shredded cheese to each tortilla. Broil chalupas for 3-5 minutes, or until browned to your liking.
• While the chalupas are broiling, make the avocado cream by combining the avocado, sour cream, remaining 1/4 TSP sea salt and lime juice in a food processor. Pulse until smooth and creamy.**
• Once chalupas are done broiling, remove from heat. Top with shredded lettuce & tomato. Spoon avocado cream onto each chalupa. Use any leftover cream for chip dipping! Enjoy!

Notes

*Use corn tortillas to make the recipe gluten free.
**If using a large food processor, use your processor's smaller bowl option to make the cream if available.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 480kcalCarbohydrates: 48gProtein: 19gFat: 23gSaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 35mgFiber: 8g

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Tell me… What type of cuisine do you most often eat for dinner? Anyone else loath tequila? 

PS – Don’t forget to enter my Amazing Grass Protein Superfood giveaway! It ends on Wednesday.