Smashed Black Bean Tacos with Creamy Jalapeño Slaw

I have a hard time knowing what to eat this time of year. There are so many feasts to be had between Thanksgiving and New Years that it feels like you're either prepping for the next big meal, or chipping away at the leftovers from the last big meal.

Woe is the day that you look in the fridge and discover there are no more leftovers: No gravy to throw in with some noodles; no pie to eat for breakfast; no potatoes waiting to be grilled into crispy pancakes.

These tacos are quickly becoming a staple for this time of year. They're quick to whip up (so you hopefully don't feel like your entire life is spent in the kitchen), make use of ingredients with a longer-than-average shelf life (our meal schedule is pretty unpredictable this time of year, so not having to work around chicken's ticking clock is valued), and are a nice break from the hams and turkeys and stuffing and gravy (I won't say this often, but it is sometimes nice to have a break).

Time: 30 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
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Corn tortillas filled with a spicy black bean and cheese mixture, crisped in a skillet, and topped with spicy homemade slaw. The easiest tacos, perfect for busy weeknights.

Ingredients

For the tacos:

2 (15.5) ounce cans black beans, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons cumin
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup olive oil, plus additional for tortillas
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
16 corn tortillas

For the slaw:

4 cups thinly sliced green cabbage
1/4 red onion, sliced thin
1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 cup cilantro leaves
1 large jalapeño, seeded and roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled
Juice of 1 lime
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions

For the tacos:

Combine black beans, chili powder, cumin, and salt in a large bowl. Mash together with a fork until almost no whole beans remain.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the bean mixture. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture is hot and beginning to crisp - about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the cheese. Set aside.

Wipe skillet clean, and heat a teaspoon of additional olive oil over medium heat. Add a tortilla and flip to coat both sides in oil. Flip frequently until both sides begin to brown - about a minute. Add about 3 tablespoons of the bean mixture to one half of the tortilla, and fold tortilla in half. Flip a few more times while pressing the sides of the tortilla together so the taco holds its shape.

Remove to a platter and continue until all of the bean mixture has been used, adding additional oil to pan as needed.

For the slaw:

Combine cabbage and onions in a large bowl. Set aside.

In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment, combine yogurt, cilantro, jalapeño, garlic, lime juice, and salt. Blend together. Pour over cabbage and onions and toss to coat. Set aside.

Lift the top of each grilled taco and put a few tablespoons of the slaw in each. Serve immediately, with additional slaw on the side.

Smashed Black Bean Tacos with Creamy Jalapeño Slaw