Easy Mexican Black Beans Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the tastiest way to eat black beans? ›

Best Black Bean Recipes

Season them with lime juice and zest, chili powder, oregano, and/or cilantro, and serve them as a side dish with Mexican or Latin American-inspired dishes like tacos or taquitos. Paired with some cilantro lime rice, they could also pass as a meal on their own!

The pinto bean is perhaps one of the most common type of beans used in most Mexican dishes. Like the black bean, the pinto bean is also loaded with nutritious elements including high fiber and protein. Pinto beans are served both whole and mashed, which will become the refried bean.

Technically, canned black beans are already cooked, and you can use them right out of the can. Cooking canned black beans will make them taste even better. Here's how to cook beans from a can: Heat a small-sized saucepan on the stovetop over medium-high heat.

In Mexico, black beans usually go with every kind of dish, may it be rice, meat or vegetable, due to their sweet taste that perfectly contrasts with the chili pepper's spiciness.

Using dried beans lets you control the sodium.

Beans are super healthy, full of vitamins and minerals, protein-packed, and fiber-rich. But canned beans can be high in sodium, which is a problem for those with high blood pressure and those who want to avoid it.

To cook dried black beans, add them to a pot with aromatics (garlic, onion, and bay leaf) and enough cold water to cover them by 3 to 4 inches. Slowly simmer your black beans with the lid off until tender, usually taking 1 ½ to 2 hours. (If your beans are older, they may need a bit longer to cook.)

Restaurant-made refried beans honor traditional Mexican culinary practices by adding a hearty helping of lard or bacon fat drippings to their recipe.

Mexican black beans, known as “frijoles negros” in Spanish, are a staple in Mexican cuisine. They are typically cooked with a variety of flavorful ingredients, such as onions, garlic, and spices, then simmered until tender and delicious.

Epazote (pronounced eh-puh-ZOE-tay) is an herb native to Mexico and Central America that is perhaps best known for its carminative, or gas-relieving, properties. Cooked with a pot of beans, this herb can lessen the “negative effects” and adds a distinctive savory, earthy flavor.

Not draining and rinsing them can add viscosity, liquid, and/or flavor to a dish, she says, which isn't always something she wants for a recipe.

What should I add to black beans? ›

Many people wonder if they need to drain and rinse canned beans, and the answer is, “it depends.” It's fine to add the bean liquid to many recipes, but if you want to reduce the amount of sodium, it's best to drain and rinse canned beans.

Black Beans (Frijoles Negros): Hailing from coastal areas like Veracruz, black beans are cherished for their robust flavor. They form the base of classic Mexican dishes like black bean soup and enfrijoladas, where the beans are pureed and used as a sauce to top tortillas filled with various fillings.

Known as Phaseolus vulgaris in scientific circles, they're also called “turtle beans” in English and frijoles negros in Spanish. Black beans have a satisfying texture and mildly sweet flavor. They're also incredibly healthy, providing multiple vital nutrients with minimal fat and sugar.

When eating a Mexican dinner, do you prefer black beans or pinto beans? Both are good. Black beans are more common in the Yucatán and southern Mexico (and Central America); pinto beans are more common in the north.

Enjoy them in your burrito bowls, alongside some fajitas, with fish tacos, or over a bed of hot rice!

Boiling: Boiling the beans for 5-10 minutes in a pot of water can also help remove the bitterness. Discard the water and rinse the beans before cooking. Baking soda: Adding a pinch of baking soda to the soaking water or boiling water can help neutralize the bitterness.

Make burrito bowls with rice, beans, guacamole, corn salsa and your favorite protein. Serve it as a side dish for carnitas. Makes a great side for Mexican Beef Stew. Great with tacos, tortillas, nachos, or tortilla chips.

While lard has been replaced with vegetable oil or shortening in many households, the distinct richness and velvety texture it imparts to a skillet of refried beans is hard to beat. The closest substitute for lard is bacon grease, which is another form of rendered pork fat that's arguably even more flavorful.