TacosEasyFree

Bean and Cheese Tacos

Name: Bean and Cheese Tacos
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 3 Serrano chile; 4 Tomatillos; 150 g Queso fresco; 1 tbsp Lard; 12 Corn tortillas; 0.5 tsp Salt; 400 g Refried beans; 4 sprigs Cilantro

25 min (10 prep + 15 cook) Easy 4 servings Nacional

Edmond Bojalil

Recetas Mexas

Published: Mar 26, 2026 · Updated: Jun 2, 2026

Refried beans with fresh cheese on a corn tortilla. Mexico's most comforting everyday taco.

About this recipe

Refried beans with crumbled fresh cheese on warm corn tortillas - the simplest and most comforting taco in Mexican cooking. Well-seasoned black or pinto beans, crumbled queso fresco and a punchy tomatillo salsa. Humble and genuinely delicious.

History & Origin

The bean and cheese taco is probably the most humble and beloved taco in all of Mexican cooking. In households with limited means, it has been the meal that never runs out for centuries - and it still is. This simplicity is not poverty but accumulated culinary wisdom spanning millennia. Beans have been a pillar of Mesoamerican diets for more than 7,000 years, grown alongside maize and squash in the sacred milpa system - a combination that forms a complete protein. Cheese arrived with the Spanish in the sixteenth century but integrated so naturally that it now seems inseparable. Every region has its version: northern Mexico uses bayo beans and melted asadero cheese; Oaxaca favours black beans with tasajo; the centre uses black beans and crumbled queso fresco. The one constant is a freshly warmed tortilla and a sharp chile salsa that elevate something simple to something extraordinary.

Estimated cost

$5.00

Total cost

$1.25

Per serving

* Approximate prices based on US supermarkets

Nutritional information per serving

280

Calories

14g

Protein

40g

Carbohydrates

Fat

Fiber

480mg

Sodium

* Approximate values. May vary depending on ingredients used.

Method

1
If using canned beans, drain and rinse them. To make them creamier, heat the lard in a pan over medium heat and add the beans, mashing with a potato masher or the back of a ladle until you have a rough purée.
💡 Add a little water to adjust the consistency - they should be creamy but not runny.
2
Make the salsa: toast the tomatillos and serrano chiles on a dry griddle until lightly charred. Blend with cilantro and salt. Set aside.
3
Heat the corn tortillas on the griddle, 30 seconds each side. For softer, more pliable tortillas, pass each one over a lightly damp surface before heating.
💡 The tortilla should be very hot so the cheese softens against the warm beans.
4
Spread a generous spoonful of hot beans over each tortilla. Crumble the fresh cheese on top. Add a little cilantro and salsa verde.
5
Fold the tortilla and serve immediately. Accompany with pickled jalapeño slices for those who want extra heat.
💡 The contrast between hot beans, cool fresh cheese and tangy salsa is what makes this simple taco great.