EASY Black Bean Chalupas with Crispy Buttery Shells

One of my favorite things to do for our family dinners is to make them fun and interactive. Easy Black Bean Chalupas are always a hit! They have that indulgent fast food/take-out feel while being healthy and fresh with a no-fry shell. And who can resist a build-your-own toppings bar?! The paratha shell is crispy on the outside and soft and supple inside. Rather than just a carrier for the spicy beans, refreshing veggies, and creamy sauce–the shell adds so much flavor and texture to the dish!

What Are Chalupas

Chalupas are Mexican street-food snacks with a crispy boat-shaped shell made from masa harina dough. They can be topped simply with salsa, lettuce, and cheese or hold heartier toppings like beans or meat.

The Best Twist on Chalupa Shells

If you’ve followed my blog for a while, you’ll know that I love using Kawan frozen parathas for wraps in place of pitas, tortillas, or other Indian flatbreads. They are buttery, flakey, and puff up beautifully in the pan, golden and crispy with a soft chewy center. 

The best part is that they cook straight from the freezer in minutes. A quick turn in the pan and flash in the Air Fryer creates the most delicious homemade chalupa shells! This is a taco game-changer and we are hooked! 

My Favorite Freezer Hack and a Few Pantry Staples

All you need to make these amazing chalupas are our favorite Kawan frozen parathas, some pantry staples, and a few basic fresh ingredients. At a moment's notice, you can be ready to make a quick dinner, fun after-school snack, or game night party food for friends.

Make It Your Own

We love easy vegetarian dinner ideas with filling plant-based protein like these Black Bean Chalupas. But you can make this healthy take on Taco Bell Chalupas your own. Use leftover grilled chicken or roasted veggies and make a completely new meal out of leftovers. Love fish tacos? Stuff chalupa shells with grilled, pan-fried, or breaded white fish with fresh slaw and Baja sauce for an unforgettable meal!

That Sauce!

This addictingly creamy and spicy sauce is similar to the Taco Bell Baja Sauce that was discontinued. If you’ve been missing it, now you can make it at home! I skipped diced jalapenos, but add them if you like more spice! This sauce is so good you’ll want leftovers. Use it as a dip for Air Fryer Potato Wedges, Air Fryer Zucchini Chips, or drizzle over nachos to take them to the next level.  

Step by Step Instructions

• Baja sauce - Combine all of the sauce ingredients in a bowl and whisk well. Refrigerate until ready to use.

• Black Bean Filling - Heat oil in a medium pan, add onion, red pepper, green pepper, jalapeno, and saute until the veggies start to soften about 5 minutes. Add beans, taco seasoning, salt, and mix well. Add water and mix. Lightly mash with a potato masher, Garnish with cilantro. Reserve the filling

• Shells - Add Kawan paratha on a preheated skillet and book about 80%. Repeat with the second paratha. Fold both in the middle to form a semi-circle and place in a preheated air fryer. Cook at 350 F for 5 minutes. Carefully take out the crispy air-fried paratha shells with a silicone spatula.

• Assemble - Take one of the folded parathas and evenly spread about ¼ cup of bean filling in the middle. Spread lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and cheese on top. Drizzle 1 to 2 tablespoons of sauce on top and serve.

Storing

Black bean chalupas is a perfect make-ahead recipe. The filling and the Baja sauce can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 5 days. I always double the filling in this recipe as it makes for a perfect protein packaged vegetarian quesadilla filling and is an easy meal prep idea!

Here are some more easy dinner recipes using frozen parathas:

• Chicken Shawarma
• Paneer Kathi Rolls
• Chicken Kathi Rolls
• Corn and Cheese Samosas

Hungry For More Tacos?? Try These!!

• Turmeric Roasted Cauliflower Tacos
• Blackened Fish Tacos with Pineapple Salsa
• Instant Pot Chicken Tinga Tacos

Recipe

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EASY Black Bean Chalupas

A fun twist to the classic, these chalupas use parathas for the outer shells and are filled with a delicious spicy black bean filling, creamy baja sauce topped with lettuce, tomatoes and cheese

Prep Time20 mins

Cook Time20 mins

Total Time40 mins

Course: Brunch, dinner, Lunch

Cuisine: American

Servings: 6

Calories: 257kcal

Author: Archana Mundhe

Equipment

• Air Fryer

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 tablespoon oil
• ▢ ½ cup yellow onion finely diced
• ▢ ½ cup red pepper finely diced
• ▢ 1 jalapeno pepper finely diced
• ▢ 1 can black beans rinsed and drained
• ▢ 1 tablespoon taco seasoning mix
• ▢ ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ▢ 2 tablespoons water
• ▢ ¼ cup cilantro finely chopped optional

Baja Sauce

• ▢ ½ cup mayonnaise
• ▢ 2 garlic cloves grated
• ▢ ½ tablespoon white vinegar
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon onion powder
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon red chili powder

To Serve

• ▢ 6 Kawan parathas **
• ▢ 1 cup lettuce finely chopped
• ▢ ½ cup tomatoes diced small
• ▢ ¼ cup red onion diced small
• ▢ ½ cup shredded Mexican cheese

Instructions

• Baja sauce - Combine all of the sauce ingredients in a bowl and whisk well. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• Black Bean Filling - Heat oil in a medium pan, add onion, red pepper, green pepper, jalapeno, and saute until the veggies start to soften about 5 minutes. Add beans, taco seasoning, salt, and mix well. Add water and mix. Lightly mash with a potato masher, Garnish with cilantro. Reserve the filling
• Shells - Add Kawan paratha on a preheated skillet and book about 80%. Repeat with the second paratha. Fold both in the middle to form a semi-circle and place in a preheated air fryer. Cook at 350 F for 5 minutes. Carefully take out the crispy air-fried paratha shells with a silicone spatula. Continue to cook and air fry the remaining parathas.
• Assemble - Take one of the folded parathas and evenly spread about ¼ cup of bean filling in the middle. Spread lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and cheese on top. Drizzle 1 to 2 tablespoons of sauce on top and serve.

Video

Notes

1. The Nutrition facts do not include frozen Kawan Parathas. Each Plain Parathas is 280Kcal, 35 g carb, 14 g fat, and 5 g protein. You can also use their low GI parathas, wheat parathas which vary in nutrition. 

Nutrition

Calories: 257kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 17mg | Sodium: 417mg | Potassium: 297mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 825IU | Vitamin C: 24mg | Calcium: 88mg | Iron: 1mg

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