Nutrient-filled Garbanzo Beans and Antioxidant-filled Fresh Corn pair up together in these sensational and healthy tacos! No need to spend hours over the stove preparing meat for your tacos when you can make these hearty, delicious tacos in a matter of minutes!
The process is quite simple. You grill the corn cobs on a grill pan or outside grill while you are sautéing your garbanzo beans on the stove. I use canned organic garbanzo beans from Trader Joe’s, but you can also make your own from dried beans if you have the time. When I first made these tacos, I filled them with the garbanzo beans whole and found that those roly poly little buggers were sneaking out of my tortilla left and right. Requiring a slight alteration, I decided to smash them a bit so they would stay put and make for a much more satisfying experience. Aha, that worked quite well!
I decided to alter a few other things from my first try and found them to be successful additions in creating a much tastier taco. I decided to add avocado for some creaminess and used the same theory as with the garbanzo beans. Mashing it up and adding it to the bottom of the taco worked much better than putting chopped pieces or slices on top. I added some chipotle crema to offset the dryness of the beans and corn and to add some extra heat based on individual preference.
So here is the order in which I now make the tacos. Start with a lightly charred tortilla, spread a bit of chipotle crema and then add some mashed avocado. Top that with lightly smashed garbanzo beans and the corn and cheese mixture. Make sure that you serve the tacos with some lime wedges and tell your guests, they aren’t just pretty accompaniments, but rather a necessary ingredient that should be squeezed on top of their tacos before eating! Trust me, you’re going to love these tacos!!
Garbanzo Bean & Corn Tacos
Yield – 8 tacos
- 2 ears fresh corn, husked
- 1 can organic garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 chipotle chile, chopped & 1 1/2 teaspoons adobo sauce, separated
- 1/2 cup crumbled Cotija cheese
- 1/3 cup chopped cilantro
- Juice of 1/2 lime plus wedges for serving
- 1/3 cup crema or sour cream
- 1 avocado, peel, pitted and lightly mashed
- 8 corn & whole wheat blend Artisan tortillas, or other variety
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat. Brush the corn with 1 teaspoon olive oil and grill, rotating until all the kernels are tender with a few char marks, about 8-10 minutes. When the corn is cool enough to handle, slice the kernels off the cob with a knife. Place in a medium bowl.
- Add the crumbled cheese, cilantro, lime juice and salt & pepper to taste. Mix gently.
- In a small skillet, heat the other remaining teaspoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the chickpeas with a pinch of salt and pepper. Saute until golden brown, about 5 minutes, shaking the pan to rotate them occasionally. Remove to a bowl and lightly smash them so they will be easier to manage in the taco.
- In a small bowl mix the crema and as much of the chopped chipotle chile as needed to taste.
- Over a low gas flame, in a pan or on the grill, lightly heat the tortillas one at a time. Wrap in foil to keep warm while finishing the whole batch.
- With a rubber spatula, spread some of the chipotle crema on one side of the tortilla, top with some mashed avocado, mashed garbanzo beans and corn-cheese mixture. Serve immediately with lime wedges.
(click here) for printable recipe