March 17, 2014

Crockpot Barley and Bean Tacos

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Hearty and healthy crockpot barley and bean tacos! With a veggie packed barley bean filling and finished with a delicious avocado chipotle cream, this meatless meal will have you coming back for more. Vegetarian with dairy free / vegan option.

A Crockpot Barley Bean Taco on a white plate with beer and avocado cream to the side.

I made you some tacos.  

And they involve the crockpot so they are super duper easy.  Dump in everything for the filling, walk away and return to a delicious dinner.  

Or if you are like me and make it when you are home all day, you can be tortured by the awesome smells wafting from the kitchen that are making you crazy hungry and wanting to eat everything in sight.

And this recipe makes a ton of food.  So you can have as many tacos as you want, which is always a very good thing, yes?

I think I like mexican food a little too much for my own good.

Two Barley Bean Tacos on a wooden surface.

About These Barley Bean Tacos

These tacos are nice and filling, as they are packed with barley, beans and veggies.  

Plus, you can then top them off with a creamy, slightly smoky avocado chipotle cream, some feta and lots of chopped cilantro.

Please excuse the fact that the avocado cream isn’t actually on the tacos in the pictures.  

I meant to top them right before I started shooting and then apparently completely forgot.  

In my defense I am constantly swatting away one hungry little beagle who likes to try to steal the food off the table while I’m taking photos.  She thinks she’s so sneaky but that snout is hard to miss.

A Barley Taco on a white plate with avocado cream in the background.

Additional Taco Recipes You Might Enjoy:

Did you make this recipe? Rate and review it down below! I’d love to hear from you.

Crockpot Barley and Bean Tacos with Avocado Chipotle Cream | cookiemonstercooking.com

Crockpot Barley and Bean Tacos

Yield: filling for 20+ tacos
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 6 hours
Total Time: 6 hours 15 minutes

Hearty and healthy crockpot barley and bean tacos! With a veggie packed barley bean filling and finished with a delicious avocado chipotle cream, this meatless meal will have you coming back for more. Vegetarian with dairy free / vegan option.

Ingredients

For the filling:

  • 1 medium red onion, chopped
  • 1 cup frozen corn kernels
  • 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 (14 ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
  • 1 cup barley*
  • 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
  • juice of ½ a lime
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder

For the avocado chipotle cream:

  • 1 medium ripe avocado
  • 1 ½ tablespoons plain greek yogurt or plain dairy free yogurt
  • 1 tablespoon milk of choice**
  • 1 teaspoon minced chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt, or more to taste

For serving:

  • flour or corn tortillas
  • chopped fresh cilantro
  • crumbled feta***

Instructions

For the filling:

  1. Add all of the filling ingredients to a crockpot. Give it a good stir then cover and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours. You want most of the liquid to be absorbed and the barley to be nice and tender and chewy.

For the avocado cream:

  1. Remove the pit from the avocado and scoop the flesh into a medium bowl. Mash well with a fork.
  2. Add in the greek yogurt, milk, minced chipotle and salt. Mix until well combined.

To serve:

  1. Spoon some of the filling onto a tortilla. Top with some of the avocado cream, cilantro and feta.

Notes

*I use hulled barley for this recipe (I buy it from the bulk bins at whole foods). If you can’t find hulled barley and use pearled barley instead, you will likely be able to reduce the cooking time by about an hour or so since pearled barley cooks quicker.

**To keep these dairy free / vegan - use a non dairy milk of choice.

***To keep these dairy free / vegan - omit the feta cheese for serving.

The filling that you cook in the crockpot makes a ton of food (i.e. enough for at least 20 tacos). For the avocado cream, the amounts listed are enough for about 8 to 10 tacos, depending on how much you use. I just make another batch of the avocado cream when we are ready to eat the rest of the filling.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 20 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 85Total Fat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 166mgCarbohydrates: 13gFiber: 4gSugar: 3gProtein: 3g

Nutrition data shown is an estimate provided by an online calculator and is for informational purposes only. It should not be considered a substitute for a medical professional’s advice. Nutrition info is ONLY for the barley filling and avocado cream - it does not include the tortillas, feta or cilantro for serving.

© Ashley / Cook Nourish Bliss
Cuisine: Mexican / Category: Main Dish
Crockpot, Dairy Free, Main Dish, Meatless, Recipes (ALL), Vegan, Vegetarian
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