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How about taking that can of black beans that’s in your pantry to the next level? All you need is a few simple ingredients and a short amount of time to make these Mexican black beans.
If you’ve been following my blog for a while, you probably know by now that my husband is not a fan of beans. This is, however, one of the ways he will eat them. Right in their flavorful juice. It reminds him of the Brazilian national dish of Feijoada, a bean stew served with rice, that he learned to appreciate while working there.
These Mexican black beans are delicious served on top of brown rice (together they form a complete protein), or on their own as a side for any Tex-Mex staple: tacos, fajitas or enchiladas…
Ingredients
I am a big fan of canned beans and always have a variety of them in my pantry. After a few attempts at cooking beans from dry that didn’t satisfy me, I confess that I’ve given up on that. Nothing beats convenience and as long as I can find a brand that only has beans and salt as ingredients, I’m happy to use canned black beans.
I recommend low-sodium canned beans, as the recipe uses the can’s liquid as well. There is no rinsing required, therefore no salt gets removed. You can also opt not to add any salt to the recipe if you are closely watching your sodium intake. As specified, the recipe amounts to about 311 mg of sodium per serving.
If you’re serious about following a Mediterranean Diet, you always have onions and garlic on hand. You should also keep some fresh herbs around. I have parsley and cilantro in my refrigerator at all times (see my post on Keeping herbs fresh). But if you don’t, all you need to buy is some fresh cilantro. In a pinch you could use dry cilantro, but it just doesn’t taste the same…
As an option, you can top these Mexican black beans with a little cheese. Cotija is a good Mexican cheese. Feta or goat cheese will also work. Nutrition facts below do not include any cheese topping.
How to make Mexican Black beans
5 minutes to chop the onion and garlic, a can opener, and a saucepan. That’s pretty much all you need.
Heat up a bit of olive oil in your saucepan, sauté the onion and garlic until they soften. Then, add some cumin, salt and pepper and stir until the cumin is fragrant. Next, pour out the entire content of your can of beans (liquid included). Finally, add some chopped cilantro. Stir, put a lid on it, and cook for 15 minutes.
Serve beans in their juice with the toppings of your choice and enjoy!
Simple enough?
Try these other recipes for your Tex-Mex fiestas:
Spinach and Mushroom Quesadillas
Mexican black beans
Ingredients
- 1 can Black beans (low sodium)
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup onion chopped (about half an onion)
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1/4 tsp Kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp Freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro chopped
Optional toppings
- 1 tbsp cilantro chopped
- 1 tbsp Cotija cheese feta or goat cheese
Instructions
- Heat up olive oil in your saucepan on medium heat
- Add chopped onions and garlic. Cook until they soften.
- Add cumin, salt and pepper and stir until the cumin is fragrant.
- Pour out the entire content of your can of beans into the pan, liquid included.
- Add chopped cilantro. Stir, cover with a lid. Cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Optional: serve topped with chopped cilantro and crumbled Cotija cheese, feta or goat cheese.
