With this healthy black beans recipe, you will learn how to cook the easiest black beans in just 20 minutes.
This simple recipe will turn even a can of black beans into a flavor-filled side dish or meatless meal.
Are Cooked Black Beans Good for You?
Well, this is a question you ought to ask. And, the simple answer to this question is yes. Cooked black beans are good and healthy for you.
The truth is that cooked black beans are great sources of protein and fiber. This is true whether they are canned or made from scratch.
Are Canned Black Beans Already Cooked?
I suggest you go for canned beans if you intend to learn how to cook black beans fast.
This is an excellent pantry staple that you can use to jazz up a fast meal.
The thing is that they are already cooked, and this helps reduce the cooking time, so all you need to do is heat them and relish them with your favorite spices.
So, this brings us to the question, “Are canned black beans already cooked?” and the short answer is yes. Canned black beans are already cooked.
How to Cook Black Beans
- Preparation Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour and 25 minutes
- Yield: 6 cups
- Category: Side dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mexican
- Diet: Vegetarian
This flawless recipe transforms into perfectly soft and delectable black beans. You can make a pot of black beans and enjoy it throughout the week.
Before using, you don’t need to soak the beans. The quick recipe resulted in 6 cups of beans, which is the equivalent of 4 cans.
You can also freeze the leftovers or simply half the recipe.
Ingredients
- 1 pound (16 ounces or scant 2 ½ cups) of dried black beans
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon of fine sea salt
- 4 medium garlic cloves, peeled but left whole.
- 1 medium red onion, chopped
- 1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon of ground cumin
- 8 cups of water; add more if required.
- One strip of orange zest, around 2 inches long by ½ inch wide
- ½ teaspoon of red pepper flakes (if you are sensitive to spice, just skip or reduce)
- 1 tablespoon of lime juice
- 2 tablespoons of finely chopped cilantro (optional)
Laid-Out Instructions
- You start the process first by picking through your black beans for debris, you can sometimes find tiny rocks in them.
- After that, place the beans in a fine-mesh colander or sieve and then proceed to rinse properly.
- Get a large Dutch oven or saucepan (4 quarts or larger in capacity) and pour the beans into it.
- You can now add the garlic, bay leaves, olive oil, onion, salt, cumin, red pepper flakes (optional), and orange zest to the pot.
- After that, pour in the water and cover the pot. Take it to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, as this will help maintain a gentle simmer. Make sure the lid is removed.
- Now, give the beans a stir to ensure that none are stuck to the bottom of the pot. And, then set a timer for 1 hour.
- Leave the pot uncovered and adjust the heat as required to maintain a gentle simmer.
- You should notice a lot of small bubbles showing on the surface at any given time.
- Immediately after the timer goes off, press a couple of beans against the side of the pot with a fork.
- Taste a few to see if they’re plump, soft, and delectable, and if they’re easy to press through. Also, be careful, as they are hot.
- If not, simply continue cooking and testing at 15 to 20 minute intervals until they are done.
- Add water in 1-cup increments if you are running low on liquid. Make sure the beans are covered all the time.
- You can increase the heat a little immediately after the beans are extremely soft and delicious.
- This is to reduce the cooking liquid to a more gravy-like consistency.
- This should go on for around 5 to 15 minutes. It will continue to condense as the beans rest. You can now remove the pot from the heat.
- Also, remove the orange zest and both bay leaves. But, be very careful when doing this.
- And, to break up the garlic, you can use a fork to press it against the side of the bowl.
- In addition, you can add cilantro, but this is based on your preference. Also, add lime juice.
- Then, proceed to stir to combine. With that being done, you can relish to taste, add extra salt if required, use as you wish.
- Before storing the leftover beans in the refrigerator, let them cool to room temperature. Make sure they are covered.
- This way, they can last up to 4 to 5 days. You can also decide to freeze them, which will make them last for several months.
How to Store Black Beans
Although this has been briefly discussed above, let’s go a little bit deeper into it.
You are to get a large jar or container with a tight seal and transfer the black beans into it immediately after they are cooked.
Following that, place and store them in the refrigerator. Normally, I find that they last for up to five days, as well, as previously stated above.
You should know that it is time to send them to the compost immediately after they start to smell a little.
You can also just pack them into a storage container and place them in the freezer for another day. You can do this when you are getting tired of the beans.
However, you need to know that the freezing will affect the texture of your black beans a little bit, but they will still maintain their extremely delicious taste.
And when you are ready to eat them, just thaw them. To do that, all you need to do is leave them on the counter for a few hours or thaw them overnight in the fridge.
Conclusion: Healthy Black Beans Recipe
Well, how do you serve your healthy black beans? You can serve them over rice with your favorite protein.
You can serve this easy black beans recipe as a side dish with enchiladas, or with breaded pork cutlets, or pernil.
They also go well as a side dish for carnitas. Same with tortillas, nachos, tacos, or tortilla chips. You can also make burrito bowls with rice, beans, corn salsa, guacamole, and your favorite protein.
These best black beans will also make a perfect side for Mexican beef stew. This concludes our discussion of the healthy black beans recipe.
Healthy Black Beans Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound 16 ounces or scant 2 ½ cups of dried black beans
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon of fine sea salt
- 4 medium garlic cloves peeled but left whole.
- 1 medium red onion chopped
- 1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon of ground cumin
- 8 cups of water; add more if required.
- One strip of orange zest around 2 inches long by ½ inch wide
- ½ teaspoon of red pepper flakes if you are sensitive to spice, just skip or reduce
- 1 tablespoon of lime juice
- 2 tablespoons of finely chopped cilantro optional
Instructions
- You start the process first by picking through your black beans for debris, you can sometimes find tiny rocks in them.
- After that, place the beans in a fine-mesh colander or sieve and then proceed to rinse properly.
- Get a large Dutch oven or saucepan (4 quarts or larger in capacity) and pour the beans into it.
- You can now add the garlic, bay leaves, olive oil, onion, salt, cumin, red pepper flakes (optional), and orange zest to the pot.
- After that, pour in the water and cover the pot. Take it to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, as this will help maintain a gentle simmer. Make sure the lid is removed.
- Now, give the beans a stir to ensure that none are stuck to the bottom of the pot. And, then set a timer for 1 hour.
- Leave the pot uncovered and adjust the heat as required to maintain a gentle simmer.
- You should notice a lot of small bubbles showing on the surface at any given time.
- Immediately after the timer goes off, press a couple of beans against the side of the pot with a fork.
- Taste a few to see if they’re plump, soft, and delectable, and if they’re easy to press through. Also, be careful, as they are hot.
- If not, simply continue cooking and testing at 15 to 20 minute intervals until they are done.
- Add water in 1-cup increments if you are running low on liquid. Make sure the beans are covered all the time.
- You can increase the heat a little immediately after the beans are extremely soft and delicious.
- This is to reduce the cooking liquid to a more gravy-like consistency.
- This should go on for around 5 to 15 minutes. It will continue to condense as the beans rest. You can now remove the pot from the heat.
- Also, remove the orange zest and both bay leaves. But, be very careful when doing this.
- And, to break up the garlic, you can use a fork to press it against the side of the bowl.
- In addition, you can add cilantro, but this is based on your preference. Also, add lime juice.
- Then, proceed to stir to combine. With that being done, you can relish to taste, add extra salt if required, use as you wish.
- Before storing the leftover beans in the refrigerator, let them cool to room temperature. Make sure they are covered.
- This way, they can last up to 4 to 5 days. You can also decide to freeze them, which will make them last for several months.
