Are black beans Cuban or Mexican?

Black beans are native to South and Central America. Black beans are commonly used in Caribbean, Spanish, Mexican, and South American dishes.

The flavor is so much better! They are deeper and richer when cooked and infused with salt, spices and seasoning. Dried beans are far less expensive. You can make a large quantity and freeze in meal-sized portions.

Can I make this with canned beans?

Yes! For a quick shortcut, add the drained canned beans after sautéing onions, spices, garlic and bell pepper. Simmer a few minutes, mash a few and they are ready to serve!

Do cooked beans freeze well?

Yes, they freeze beautifully. We like to make a big batch and freeze in meal-sized portions.

Cuban cuisine is very mild. The flavors are simple and fresh, relying on seasonings such as citrus, garlic, bay, cumin and oregano.

Cuban Black Beans

Name: Cuban Black Beans
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Total time: 1 h 45 min
Cuisine: Cuban
Ingredients: 1 pound dry black beans (scant 2 1/2 cups) see notes for making with canned beans; 3 tablespoons olive oil; 1 small onion, diced; 1 green bell pepper, diced; 6-8 garlic cloves, roughly chopped (alternatively you could leave the garlic whole and mash in at the end); 2 teaspoons oregano; 2 teaspoons cumin; 1/2 teaspoon black pepper; 2 teaspoons salt (see notes if using canned beans); 2 tablespoons tomato paste; 4 cups water; 2 bay leaves; 1 tablespoons red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar (this is optional but recommended)

Description

Full of savory flavor, these Cuban Style Black Beans are made with dry black beans ( or canned black beans) and simple seasonings. A healthy side dish that freezes beautifully. Includes instructions for Stove Top, Instant Pot, and for using canned beans. Vegan!

Ingredients

Units

1 pound dry black beans (scant 2 1/2 cups) see notes for making with canned beans
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
6–8 garlic cloves, roughly chopped (alternatively you could leave the garlic whole and mash in at the end)
2 teaspoons oregano
2 teaspoons cumin
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons salt (see notes if using canned beans)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
4 cups water
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoons red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar (this is optional but recommended)

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Instructions

Soak the black beans in water, covering the beans at least 3 inches, leave this overnight or at least 6 hours. Drain off any excess water.
Sauté onion with olive oil for 15 minutes on low medium heat, stirring every so often. The onions will be soft and melty. (Yes this is a generous amount of olive oil, it really adds to the flavor of the beans.) Add oregano, cumin, black pepper, salt and tomato paste along with green bell pepper and garlic stirring to mix. Add the drained beans, water and bay leaves.
Stove top method: bring to a boil then simmer with lid vented for an hour. Give a stir once or twice. Continue cooking for about another 30 minutes, stirring more often to prevent sticking as the beans cook and the liquid is absorbed. Keep the lid vented and simmer until beans are soft but mostly whole. Pressure cooker: Set to 30 minutes high pressure. Manually release. Use sauté function to further reduce liquid if desired.
Stir in vinegar and serve! (The vinegar will brighten and elevate, taste first and add to your preference.)
Beans get even more flavorful over time, and will keep up to 4 days in the fridge, or freeze for later!

Notes

Canned Beans: Use 4 15-ounce cans of whole black beans. (Adjust the salt in the recipe depending on if the canned beans are salted.) Follow step two in the instructions, after adding the garlic and bell pepper sauté about 5 minutes. Lightly drain the beans don’t rinse, you want some moisture but not all of it. Simmer together 5 minutes.

If you don’t have time to soak your dry beans, you can still follow the recipe. Your beans may take longer to cook, add more water as needed. I find the beans cook more evenly and faster when soaked.

The amount of cooking time is going to depend on the freshness and quality of your beans.

Hard water, or heavily mineralized water can impede the cooking process.

Cuban food is generally not spicy. This recipe stays true to the mild flavored cuisine. Feel free to add a fresh jalapeño in with the green pepper if you like an extra kick!

To Freeze: Beans freeze beautifully! Allow them to cool and package up in meal-sized containers.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 cup
Calories: 152
Sugar: 2 g
Sodium: 716.2 mg
Fat: 7.5 g
Saturated Fat: 1.1 g
Carbohydrates: 17.5 g
Fiber: 6.4 g
Protein: 5.5 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg