Cuban Black Beans
intro
Rich, savory slow-simmered black beans aromatic with garlic, cumin, and bell pepper, a classic comforting staple perfect served alongside rice and roasted meats.
Ingredients
Steps
Prep dried black beans
Place 450g sorted, rinsed dried black beans in a large 5L stockpot, cover with 10cm of cold water, and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Once boiling, turn off heat, cover with a tight-fitting lid, and let beans quick-soak for 1 hour to soften, then drain thoroughly. Discard any floating beans, small pebbles, or debris picked out during sorting.
Sauté sofrito base
Heat 30ml extra-virgin olive oil in the same stockpot over medium heat (175°C/350°F stovetop setting). Add 200g finely diced yellow onion and 150g finely diced green bell pepper, sauté for 7 minutes until soft and translucent, then add 18g minced garlic, 2g ground cumin, and 1g dried oregano, cooking for 30 seconds until fragrant, taking care not to burn the garlic.
Slow-simmer the beans
Add drained soaked beans, 960ml low-sodium vegetable broth, and 1 whole bay leaf to the pot, stirring to fully combine. Bring to a gentle, rolling bubble over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to low to maintain a bare simmer, cover the pot partially with a lid, and cook for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes to prevent beans from sticking to the pot bottom, until beans are tender but hold their shape and are not mushy.
Thicken and season beans
Scoop 120ml (1/2 cup) of cooked beans and broth from the pot into a small bowl, mash into a completely smooth paste with a fork, then stir the paste back into the pot to thicken the broth. Add 9g kosher salt and 15ml white distilled vinegar, stir to combine, and simmer uncovered over medium-low heat for 10 minutes until the broth reaches a light, creamy, soup-like consistency.
Rest and adjust flavor
Turn off the stovetop heat, use tongs to remove and discard the bay leaf, and let the beans rest uncovered for 10 minutes to allow flavors to fully meld. Taste a small spoonful of beans and broth, adding an extra 1-2g of kosher salt if needed to bring out the savory, earthy flavors.
Garnish and serve
Ladle 250ml (1 cup) portions of beans into shallow serving bowls, top each serving with 2.5g (1 teaspoon) of chopped fresh cilantro, and serve hot alongside steamed white rice, fried sweet plantains, or roasted mojo pork as desired.
Tips
2.If short on prep time, substitute dried black beans with 3 (425g) cans of rinsed, low-sodium black beans, reducing the total simmer time to 20 minutes before thickening.
3.These beans develop deeper flavor after resting: store cooled leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, adding a 30ml splash of water when reheating over low heat if the broth thickens too much.
OMG these are SO good! I grew up eating my abuela’s black beans in Tampa and I swear this recipe tastes exactly like hers. I served it over white rice with some roasted pork for our Sunday family dinner and everyone went back for seconds. Total game changer for my weeknight rotation too! Cook time is 2.5 hours but most of that is simmer time right? I didn’t have to stand over the stove the whole time which was perfect while I got other chores done.
Brought these beans to our neighborhood potluck last weekend and people would NOT stop asking me for the recipe! I added a little extra cumin because I’m a cumin fiend, but otherwise followed the recipe exactly. Pairs so perfectly with tacos, nachos, even as a side for grilled chicken. 10/10 will make again for our next Taco Tuesday spread.
My kids loved it!!! I’ve been trying to find bean recipes that aren’t just straight out of a can and this was such a hit. My 7 year old asked for thirds, which never happens. Super easy to follow even with my toddler hanging on my leg the whole time. Will be adding this to our regular meal prep lineup for sure!
Really solid black bean recipe! Flavor was on point, but I found myself adding a little extra salt and a splash of apple cider vinegar at the end to brighten it up. Not sure if my dried beans were older or something, but I had to add an extra 20 minutes of simmer time to get them tender enough. Otherwise, great base recipe!
As a vegan, I’m always hunting for hearty, flavorful plant-based sides that don’t feel like an afterthought, and this absolutely delivers. No weird meat products needed, the sofrito gives it so much depth. I made a big batch on Sunday and ate it for lunches all week with quinoa and roasted veggies. So filling!
I’ve been cooking for my grandkids for 40 years and I’m always looking for new side dishes to add to our Sunday supper spread. Made these beans last night with my famous smoked ribs and potato salad, and even my pickiest granddaughter ate every bite on her plate. Easy recipe, big flavor, can’t beat it.
Wait, can I make these in a pressure cooker to cut down on cook time? I’m hosting a game night this Saturday and want to serve these but I won’t have 2.5 hours to simmer them day of. They look so good I don’t want to pick a different bean recipe!
Meal prep win! These beans freeze so well, I portioned them out into single-serve containers and they reheated like a dream in the microwave all week. Way cheaper and tastier than buying canned seasoned beans, and I know exactly what’s going in them. No weird preservatives, just good flavor.
The flavor was good, but I wish the recipe noted that you need to soak the beans overnight first! I didn’t see that until I was ready to start cooking and had to run to the store to grab canned beans to substitute. Turned out okay with canned, but I was disappointed I couldn’t do the dried bean version as written.
Super easy recipe even for a college kid who barely knows how to boil water! I used canned beans because that’s all I could afford at the campus grocery store, added the sofrito seasonings, let it simmer for 20 minutes, and my roommates are all convinced I’m a professional chef now. Served it with rice and some cheap frozen plantains, 10/10 dorm meal.
I make Cuban black beans all the time but never thought to add the bay leaf and oregano the way this recipe does. It adds such a warm, herby note that my old recipe was missing. My bridge club came over for lunch last week and they all raved about them. Thank you for sharing such an authentic recipe!
Loved the base flavor! I added a diced jalapeño and a pinch of cayenne to give it a little kick because my household loves spicy food. The only reason I’m not giving 5 stars is I wish the recipe had a little note about adjusting spice levels for people who like heat, but otherwise it was fantastic.
Game changer for busy weeknights! I prepped all the sofrito veggies the night before while I was making dinner, so when I got home from work all I had to do was toss everything in the pot and let it simmer while I helped my kid with homework. Served over rice with a quick side salad, done in no time (well, the hands-off time, anyway).
I married into a Cuban family 3 years ago and have been so intimidated to make black beans for my in-laws because my mother-in-law’s are legendary. I made this recipe for our last family gathering and she asked ME for the recipe!!! I almost cried. Thank you for giving me the confidence to nail this dish.
Made these for our backcountry camping trip last weekend, heated them up over the camp stove with some pre-cooked rice, and it was the best warm meal after a 10 mile hike. So hearty, packed with protein, didn’t get all mushy when I stored it in the cooler. Perfect outdoor meal.
Made these for my husband for our first at-home date night after we got back from our honeymoon in Havana, and he said they tasted exactly like the beans we had at the little paladar we ate at every day. It was such a sweet trip down memory lane. We paired it with ropa vieja and fried plantains, just like we had on our trip.
This recipe is so budget-friendly! Dried beans are so cheap, the veggies are all staples I usually have on hand, and it makes enough for 8 servings which works out to less than a dollar per serving. Perfect for anyone trying to cut down on grocery costs without sacrificing flavor.
I’ve tried so many black bean recipes that come out bland or watery, but these were perfectly thick and seasoned all the way through. I served them at my vegan game night with tortilla chips for dipping and the whole pot was gone in 20 minutes. No leftovers for me, but that’s the sign of a good recipe right?
Made these for my son’s soccer team potluck after practice last night, and all the boys were piling them on their plates between hot dogs and chips. So many parents came up to ask for the recipe, even the ones who say they ‘don’t like beans.’ Easy to make in a big batch, travels well, total crowd pleaser.