Tacos originate from Mexican cuisine and are considered a favourite dish of Mexicans. In fact, tacos are very popular throughout North and Central America. A taco consists of a small corn tortilla traditionally filled with meat, onions and cilantro and seasoned with fiery hot salsa and lime juice. The taco is folded only once and served half-open. Traditionally, it is eaten out of the hand.
Today I'm sharing my recipe for absolutely delicious vegan and gluten-free tacos filled with chickpeas, black beans and salsa roja - a red sauce made with tomatoes, jalapeño and coriander. As always, you can find out how to make your tacos low FODMAP below the recipe.
A dear friend of mine recently told me about the tacos he used to eat as a child and young adult in the USA. When he visited us afterwards, he brought us these delicious organic corn tortillas from Tlaxcalli, which are not only vegan and - judging by the ingredients - also gluten-free and low FODMAP, but are also made from locally grown corn. In the traditional method of nixtamalisation, first developed in Mesoamerica by the Aztecs and Mayans, the maize is soaked in an alkaline solution and cooked. Interestingly, this method not only makes the maize easier to process, but also increases its nutritional value and improves its flavour and aroma.
But now back to our tacos: we filled the tortillas with our homemade Salsa Roja (see recipe), chickpeas and black beans, crunchy lettuce, diced tomatoes and peppers, and fresh coriander. Topped off with the sweet and tangy taste of lime juice, the tacos were simply delicious. The great thing about tacos is that everyone can use their favourite ingredients for the filling. Use this recipe as inspiration and adapt it to your preferences.
PORTIONS: 2 (6 TACOS) | PREPARATION: 45 MIN | COOKING TIME: 10 MIN
INGREDIENTS
Corn tortillas e.g. from Tlaxcalli – 6 Pieces
For the Salsa Roja (medium hot, makes about 400g salsa)
- Tomatoes (fresh or canned) - 400 g (about 5 medium tomatoes)
- Coriander leaves - 30 g (about 20 stalks)
- Jalapeno (fresh or jarred) - 20 g or more, depending on how hot you like it
- Frying oil - 3 tbsp
- Paprika, hot - ½ tsp
- Cumin, ground - ½ tsp.
- Asafoetida (optional) - 2 tsp.
- Oregano - ½ tsp
- Salt - ½ tsp or to taste
- Lime juice, freshly squeezed - 20 ml
For the taco filling
- Canned chickpeas - 40 g (approx. 2 tbsp)
- Canned black beans - 40 g (approx. 2 tbsp)
- Salsa Roja - 60 g or as desired
- Tomatoes - 2 pieces
- Pepper - ¼ piece
- Lettuce leaves - 4 pieces
- Coriander stalks - about 10 stalks
- Jalapeno (optional) - according to taste
- Vegan mayonnaise (optional) e.g. from Byodo - according to taste
To serve
- Tortilla Chips
PREPARATION
- To prepare the salsa, heat the frying oil in a non-stick pan and roast all the spices at a low temperature for three to four minutes.
- Meanwhile, wash and dice the tomatoes and jalapeno (if using fresh). Add both to the pan. Add the oregano and cook for a few minutes.
- Wash and roughly chop the coriander. Juice the lime and measure out 20 ml. Put everything together with the cooked salsa in a blender jug and puree finely with a hand blender. Season to taste with salt.
- For the chickpeas and beans, return about 60 g of the salsa to the pan. Remove the chickpeas and black beans from the tin, rinse and drain. Then simmer with the sauce for a few minutes.
- For the taco filling, wash the fresh ingredients (tomatoes, peppers, lettuce leaves, coriander) and finely chop or dice them.
- Place the tortillas in a dry hot coated/cast iron pan and heat on both sides for about 20 seconds. For extra soft tortillas, wet both sides of the tortilla with a little water before heating. Fill the tortillas with all the ingredients and drizzle with salsa roja and vegan mayo, e.g. this delicious one from Byodo.
- Serve with the remaining salsa roja and tortilla chips and enjoy with the tacos.
Low FODMAP Tips
This recipe makes 2 servings with 3 tacos per serving. According to the Monash FODMAP Diet App, up to three corn tortillas are low in FODMAP.
42 g (about 2 tablespoons) of preserved chickpeas or 40 g of preserved black beans are low in FODMAP, provided the water is removed and the chickpeas/beans are rinsed. Divide the 20 g chickpeas and the 20 g black beans between your three tacos.Use green peppers instead of red peppers, because 75 g of green peppers are low FODMAP, while only up to 43 g of red peppers are low FODMAP.
Peppers contain the natural ingredient capsaicin, which can cause heartburn and abdominal pain in some people with IBS. Limit intake if you experience symptoms after eating.
29 g jalapeno is low in FODMAP. Lettuce and cilantro are low FODMAP in large quantities.
