Kidney Bean Tacos with Ggrapefruit Salsa

Kidney bean tacos, lightly spiced with cumin, smoked paprika, and cinnamon, are quick and hearty and even more delicious with tangy and spicy grapefruit salsa.

This recipe is a new twist on one of our favorite food groups – tacos. Shouldn't they be a food group? Endless combinations of tasty ingredients and toppings placed into the folds of a corn tortilla. You can get complete nutrition with every bite. Would anyone really argue if it was part of our daily recommendation?

You’ll find this kidney bean taco filling an easy fix using standard ingredients, like onions, garlic, and jalapenos. The melding of tomato paste, plus cumin, smoked paprika, and cinnamon adds just the right amount of sweet and smokey to bring out the natural flavor of the beans.

Home-cooked or canned?

The decision to use canned kidney beans rather than cooking them from scratch is entirely yours. You’ll get great nutrition either way provided you are mindful that you opt for canned that are low in salt and don’t have other weird additives.

I cook dry kidney beans a lot without problems. However, we must all be mindful that kidney beans naturally contain a toxin called lectin.  That’s the stuff that can cause digestive problems.

Fear not. It’s easy to get rid of the naughty stuff. First and foremost, it’s super important that you soak kidney beans overnight before you cook them. Once you’ve soaked them, you want to be sure to drain and rinse them. Don’t cook them in the soaking water. Start fresh.

When you cook your kidney beans from scratch, be sure you boil them for 10 minutes before you turn them down to simmer. From there, it will take 45 minutes to an hour until they are tender.

If you are not a fan of the delightful red kidney bean fan, you can use pinto or black beans for this recipe – but please, give the kidney bean its due. They are more than just a pretty chili bean.  

Besides getting all that bean nutrition, bean tacos are fantastic because they are so easy to cook. This recipe is no exception. Once you saute the onions and jalapenos and add the garlic, you’ll just add the spices, tomato paste, a bit of water, and of course, the kidney beans. 

And of course, because we need about 15 minutes for the bean part, there is plenty of time to get to this fun grapefruit salsa. I know, grapefruit? To which I shout 'yes'!

Grapefruit is a perfect match for kidney beans. Seriously, you have to try it.

The sweet-tangy flavor of grapefruit is a perfect match for the slightly bitter taste of raw green pepper. The tomatoes, jalapenos, and onions fill the bowl with texture and even more flavors. Finally, it wouldn’t be salsa without cilantro and lime, so of course, that's included too. 

Make the salsa before the kidney beans. That gives all the flavors time to merge and develop. Give yourself space to sort out the grapefruits. They are honestly best if you take the time to remove the flesh from the membrane.

And yes, that’s a bit messy, but cooking is supposed to be a bit messy, isn’t it? Or is that just my method?

Fix up your g-fruit

Segmenting grapefruit can be a bit tricky. I've discovered an easy way that begins with slicing the top and bottom off and then standing it upright on a cutting board. Cut off the rest of the skin and the pith (the white stuff). Use a bowl or deep plate to catch the juice and then slice down (carefully) between each segment. 

I cut each of the segments into smaller pieces and then squeezed the membrane to get as much juice as possible. Then just add everything else and mix it up. Be sure to taste it and add a pinch of salt if you like

Put that tasty salsa into the fridge and let it do its thing. If you end up with any leftover the next day, break out the chips. Now that’s a treat unto itself!

Just for the crunch of it, take a few minutes and toast up a few pepitas (pumpkin seeds) and sunflower seeds along with red chili flakes (as much as you like). This is my favorite seed blend.

If you’re into seed blends, you might also try toasting pepitas, with sesame seeds. That’s the yummy one I used to reserve for white bean tostadas until I realized that the stuff is far too easy not to just keep the seed mix jar fully loaded at all times. 

Final Thoughts

There are not enough tacos in the world as far as I’m concerned. And the best part? The list of plant-based tacos, varieties that satisfy your taco urges without any boredom that will taste terrific could well be endless. 

Print