062 / 75 · Cupboard to Table

Smoky Black Bean and Corn Tortilla Pan

2 generous portions · Active 15 min · Total 40 min

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Crisp tortilla triangles meet smoky black beans and corn in a quick skillet meal. Toast the tortillas first and keep some aside for the finish so the dish has both softened and crisp pieces. This is a stovetop supper to eat promptly, not a layered oven bake.

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Smoky black bean and corn tortilla skillet.

Crisp the tortillas before the sauce

Cut flour tortillas into small triangles and toast them in batches with a little oil. They should be golden and firm at the edges, not dark and brittle. Set them on a plate before starting the bean mixture. If the skillet is small, rushing all the triangles into one layer will leave some soft and some burned.

Combine only at the end

Beans and corn simmer in tomato with smoked paprika until the sauce thickens enough to cling. Fold in half the tortilla pieces just before serving, giving them only a short turn in the sauce. The rest stay on top for crunch. If preparing ahead, refrigerate the bean base and store cooled tortilla pieces separately in a dry sealed pot. Reheat the base thoroughly, then finish with the tortillas at the meal.

Ingredients

  • 2 flour tortillas, 8-inch (100 g), cut into triangles
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil (15 ml), divided
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped (100 g)
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 can black beans, 15 oz (425 g), drained and rinsed
  • 1/2 cup canned corn, drained (80 g)
  • 1 can chopped tomatoes, 14 oz (400 g)
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice (15 ml)
  • 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro (5 g)

Set out

10-inch (25 cm) nonstick skillet; use extra batches if the triangles will not lie flat, Plate, Spatula

Allergens

Wheat. Check labels and substitutions.

Make it

  1. Use half the measured oil across two tortilla batches over medium heat. Toast triangles in a single layer for 1–2 minutes per side per batch until crisp; transfer to a plate. Use an additional batch if needed for your pan rather than overlapping triangles, allowing more time.
  2. Add remaining oil and onion to the pan. Cook 5 minutes, then stir in paprika and cumin for 30 seconds.
  3. Add beans, corn, tomatoes and salt. Simmer uncovered for 7–8 minutes until thick. Stir in lime.
  4. Fold in half the tortilla triangles briefly. Top with the rest and cilantro and serve immediately.

Use the plate twice

The plate holding toasted tortillas can become the serving plate once they have been added. Keep it away from raw-food preparation and the hot burner.

Timing

Includes two tortilla-toasting batches, the onion and spice stage, heating and reducing the tomato-bean mixture, and final assembly. A smaller usable pan base may require another tortilla batch and several extra minutes.

A useful detail

The tortillas soften quickly once mixed with sauce; keep the final assembly close to eating.

Another way

  • Add 1/4 cup crumbled feta (35 g) at serving time; this adds milk.
  • Use pinto beans in place of black beans.

Keep it well

Refrigerate bean base within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F/32°C, at 40°F/4°C or below for up to 3 days. Store tortilla pieces dry and separate for 1 day. Reheat base to 165°F/74°C before adding tortillas.