Because one of the all-time greatest foods should not be limited to lunch or dinner: Breakfast Tacos!
Fluffy tortillas wrapped around a quick blend of eggs, black beans, and your toppings of choice (Bacon! Avocado! Salsa!), they’re a yummy, healthy breakfast that merges weekday easy with fun weekend vibes.
Breakfast tacos are not just a Texas thing (despite what a proud Texan might tell you).
You’ll find a medley of breakfast tacos at restaurants all over the U.S.
My favorite place to have them though is right at home!
- They’re filling and healthy. Thanks, eggs and black beans for the abundance of protein!
- You can customize them any which way (see ideas below).
- The filling reheats well, making them meal-prep friendly (just like this freezer Breakfast Quesadilla).
This recipe is also stunningly simple.
You cook all the breakfast tacos ingredients together in a pan, stuff your tortillas with wild abandon, and then wonder how many days in a row it will be until you get tired of them.
^^I can’t advise a specific number, as our leftovers ran out long before our craving for them did.
How to Make Breakfast Tacos
What goes inside a breakfast taco is entirely up to you!
- Breakfast tacos almost always include eggs (the breakfast tie-in), and you can add any combination of bacon, sausage, cheese, and Mexican-inspired ingredients like beans, avocado, and salsa.
- Our favorite healthy breakfast tacos are made with scrambled eggs, refried beans, and at least two toppings.
They’re budget-friendly, super satisfying, and a nice change of pace from our usual bowl of Steel Cut Oats.
The Ingredients
- Tortillas. The all-important shell that holds our breakfast tacos together. You can use either corn tortillas or flour tortillas for breakfast tacos.
- Eggs. Fluffy and flavorful, scrambled eggs are a must-have breakfast taco ingredient in our house. Packed with protein, eggs also help make the tacos more filling and nutritious.
- Black Beans. Black beans are a fantastic addition to breakfast tacos because they’re rich in filling fiber, protein, and pair well with any other taco ingredients and toppings.
- Butter. Adding butter to the skillet before cooking your scrambled eggs helps ensure that they’re creamy and delicious. We’re also adding a little to the refried beans for good measure and real-deal restaurant flavor.
- Spices. A simple mixture of garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and cayenne pepper elevates the flavor of the quick refried black beans.
Toppings
Because part of the fun of having tacos at any time of day is topping them off with your favorite toppings!
- Pickled Onions
- Vegan Queso
- Homemade Guacamole or avocado slices
- Sliced jalapeños
- Lime wedges
- Diced cherry tomatoes
- Pico de gallo
- Sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
- Salsa
- Hot sauce
The Directions
- Warm the tortillas.
- Add the beans and spices to a saucepan with oil. Mash until slightly creamy, then pour in the water.
- Let simmer. Stir in part of the butter. Ta-da! You made refried beans.
- Scramble the eggs and add to skillet with butter.
- Gently scramble the eggs, being careful not to overcook them.
- Once cooked but still creamy, remove the scrambled eggs from the heat and add salt.
- Assemble the tacos, starting with a layer of beans.
- Finish with the eggs and other desired fillings and toppings. ENJOY!
Recipe Variations
From breakfast classics like bacon or ham, to more creative ideas (pulled pork!), there are as many types of breakfast tacos as your imagination desires:
- Bacon Breakfast Tacos. Add a few slices of Baked Bacon in the Oven or Air Fryer Bacon.
- Pork Breakfast Tacos. Top off your taco with Slow Cooker Carnitas or Slow Cooker Pulled Pork.
- Mushroom Breakfast Tacos. Sautéed Mushrooms are a scrumptious addition to breakfast tacos.
- Verde Breakfast Tacos. Add Green Chili or Chili Verde Pork.
- Breakfast Tacos with Sausage. See Chorizo Breakfast Tacos for a stellar recipe.
- Breakfast Tacos with Veggies. Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Grilled Corn are excellent additions to breakfast tacos.
Storage Tips
- To Store. Refrigerate cooked refried beans and the egg mixture in separate airtight storage containers for up to 3 days. Refrigerate assembled tacos in an airtight storage container for up to 2 days. Store any toppings separately.
- To Reheat. Rewarm leftovers in a skillet on the stovetop over medium-low heat or in the microwave.
- To Freeze. Tightly wrap assembled tacos with plastic wrap, then freeze them in an airtight, freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator and unwrap before reheating.
Meal Prep Tip
Up to 1 day in advance, prepare the refried black beans as directed. Refrigerate them in an airtight storage container until you’re ready to assemble the tacos. Warm before serving if desired.
Leftover Ideas
- Make more tacos! This is an obvious and delicious choice. Warm the filling and tortillas separately, stuff, and devour.
- Breakfast quesadillas. Layer the filling with cheese and grill on your stove for pan fried breakfast tacos. See Breakfast Quesadilla for more ideas.
- Breakfast taco bowls. Warm the filling and mix it with brown rice (try Instant Pot Brown Rice) or cauliflower rice, with a generous topping of more avocado and Greek yogurt.
What to Serve with Breakfast Tacos
Recommended Tools to Make this Recipe
- Skillet. Perfect for making the scrambled eggs.
- Potato Masher. Not only is this tool great for mashing potatoes, but it can mash black beans too.
- Rubber Spatula. My go-to tool for cooking scrambled eggs.
Stainless Steel Skillet
This high-quality skillet has been artfully designed for functionality and longevity. It can even be used in the oven.
Tacos: not just for Tuesdays, not just for dinners…and thank goodness!
When a recipe is as quick, easy, nutritious, and delicious as this breakfast tacos recipe, we need them all day, any day.
Frequently Asked Questions
Swap the eggs in this recipe for sautéed vegan sausage; be sure to check out these Tofu Tacos and Tempeh Tacos too.
We top our homemade breakfast tacos with avocado, because if we can find an excuse to add avocado to anything around here, we generally do (plus avocado’s healthy fats make the breakfast tacos filling). We also like to add salsa, cheese, and a dollop of plain Greek yogurt (which has a similar taste and texture to sour cream) for additional protein.
Any melty cheese that blends well with eggs and refried beans is perfect for this recipe. Try cheddar, pepper jack, Monterey Jack, or for even-more-Mexican breakfast tacos, use cotija.
If you’d like to make gluten-free breakfast tacos using grain-free taco shells (like almond, chickpea, or cassava), you certainly can! Corn tortillas are also gluten free, though not grain free (corn is a grain).
Breakfast Tacos
Ingredients
- 8 small corn or flour tortillas look for street-size
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 can reduced-sodium black beans 15 ounces rinsed and drained
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt plus a few pinches
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter divided
- 8 large eggs
Your Favorite Toppings (pick at least 2):
- Shredded cheese
- Salsa
- Diced avocado
- Baked Bacon chopped
- Cilantro chopped
Instructions
- Warm the tortillas in the oven or microwave (see below).
- Heat the 1 tablespoon oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Once it is hot, add the beans, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and cayenne. With a potato masher or sturdy spoon, lightly mash and stir until the beans are creamy but still have a good amount of texture. Pour in the water. Let simmer, stirring constantly, until most of the liquid cooks off and the beans are super creamy. Stir in 1/2 tablespoon butter until it melts. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired. Cover and set aside to keep warm.
- In a large mixing bowl, briskly whisk the eggs until they are very well combined and an even pale yellow. Heat a medium-large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the remaining 1/2 tablespoon butter. As soon as it begins to foam and sputter, reduce the heat to low, swirl to coat the pan, then pour in the eggs. As soon as the eggs’ edges are barely beginning to set (this will happen almost immediately), with a rubber spatula, gently push the setting edges towards the center of the pan. Let cook, using the spatula to gently and continually move the set eggs towards the center and break up big clumps, until the eggs look about three-fourths of the way done (they should still be too wet to eat). Remove from the heat, then continue using the spatula to move them gently, until they are cooked but still soft. This entire process will take 3 to 5 minutes. After the eggs are done cooking, season them with a pinch of salt.
- To assemble the tacos, spread a layer of beans, scoop of eggs, and then your toppings of choice: cheese, salsa, and avocado are our faves. Enjoy immediately.
Notes
- TO WARM THE TORTILLAS: Place a rack in the center of your oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Divide the tortillas into two stacks of 4 and wrap each stack in foil. Place the stacks on an ungreased baking sheet and heat in the oven for 8 to 10 minutes, until warmed through. Or, you can warm them 3 to 4 at a time gently in the microwave; place a damp towel on top to keep them from drying out and heat for 30 seconds (note, that they will be gummier when microwaved, but it still works!).
- TO MAKE AHEAD: Up to 1 day in advance, prepare the refried black beans as directed. Refrigerate them in an airtight storage container until you’re ready to assemble the tacos. Warm before serving if desired.
- TO STORE: Refrigerate cooked refried beans and the egg mixture in separate airtight storage containers for up to 3 days. Refrigerate assembled tacos in an airtight storage container for up to 2 days. Store any toppings separately.
- TO REHEAT: Rewarm leftovers in a skillet on the stovetop over medium-low heat or in the microwave.
- TO FREEZE: Tightly wrap assembled tacos with plastic wrap, then freeze them in an airtight, freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator and unwrap before reheating.
Nutrition
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Breakfast tacos are so versatile and ingredients can be varied depending upon what is available at the time or what may be in one’s pantry. Happy for you that you discovered good old Texas tacos! They can be enjoyed at any time of the day or night!
I am HOOKED now Pegg, thank you!
I forgot to say that I will be pinning this recipe of yours also. Yummy!
<3 Hope you enjoy!
What an awesome breakfast to wake up to!
Thank you!
Tacos for breakfast! Yes, please!
Erin can you use the soy chirizo from Trader Joe’s?
Angela, is it crumbly similar to a ground turkey meat? If yes that would be delicious!
Yes! Tacos for breakfast!!! These look delicious.
I bought turkey chorizo a few days ago and wasn’t sure what to do with it. I was so happy to find this recipe when I searched your website for “turkey chorizo.” I did not have tortillas so just made them with a side of scrambled eggs. So good! Leftovers will be for dinner and I may send some home with my daughter later today. Delicious and so healthy and versatile!! Thanks Erin!!
I’m so happy that you enjoyed them, Donna! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
Can I use any canned beans? Pinto?
Hi Marcia! You can customize them in any way! That’s the beauty of them!