Baked Ground Turkey and Black Bean Tacos
These crispy baked ground turkey tacos are filled with seasoned turkey, black beans, green chiles, and melted Monterey Jack cheese, then finished with a creamy avocado lime sauce. They are easy to make, packed with flavor, and perfect for a simple high protein dinner
Ingredients
Creamy Avocado Lime Sauce
Turkey and Black Bean Filling
Taco Seasoning
Tacos
Instructions
Make the Avocado Sauce
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Add the avocado, Greek yogurt, lime juice, cilantro, garlic, salt, and water to a small food processor or blender. Blend until the sauce is smooth, creamy, and light green in color. If the sauce looks too thick, add an extra tablespoon of water and blend again until pourable. Place the sauce in the refrigerator while preparing the tacos.
Cook the Onion and Turkey
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Heat the avocado oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook for about 3 minutes until softened and fragrant. Add the ground turkey and break it apart with a wooden spoon as it cooks. Continue cooking for about 5 minutes until the turkey is fully browned and no pink remains.
Season the Filling
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Stir the cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, chili powder, salt, and cayenne pepper into the skillet. Add the tomato paste and stir well until the turkey mixture looks evenly coated and slightly glossy. Cook for 1 minute to deepen the flavor of the spices.
Simmer the Filling
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Add the black beans, green chiles, cilantro, and water to the skillet. Stir until everything is evenly combined. Let the filling simmer over medium-low heat for about 8 minutes until thickened and warm throughout. The mixture may look slightly loose at first, but it will thicken as it cooks.
Prepare the Tortillas
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Preheat the oven to 425 F and lightly spray a large baking sheet with avocado oil. Arrange the tortillas in a single layer on the baking sheet. Sprinkle a layer of Monterey Jack cheese over one half of each tortilla. Bake for 2 minutes until the cheese begins to melt and the tortillas feel soft and flexible.
Fill and Fold the Tacos
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Remove the baking sheet from the oven and spoon the turkey and black bean filling evenly over the melted cheese. Carefully fold each tortilla in half to form tacos. Lightly spray the tops of the tortillas with avocado oil to help them turn crisp and golden in the oven.
Bake the Tacos
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Return the baking sheet to the oven and bake the tacos for 10 to 12 minutes. The tortillas should become golden brown and crisp around the edges, and the cheese should look melted and bubbly. Let the tacos cool for 2 minutes before serving.
Serve the Tacos
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Transfer the warm tacos to serving plates and drizzle with the creamy avocado lime sauce. Serve immediately while the tortillas are crisp and the filling is hot and tender.
Note
Store leftover tacos in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reheat the tacos in a 375 F oven or air fryer for 5 to 7 minutes until crisp and heated through.
Keep the avocado sauce stored separately to maintain the best texture.
If the taco filling becomes too dry while simmering, add 1 tbsp water and stir gently until warmed through again.
