Mexican black beans

Mexican Black Beans

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:

Cilantro lime cabbage slaw

Top-shelf Guacamole

Pico de gallo

Cilantro jalapeño hummus

Spinach and Mushroom Quesadillas

Mexican black beans
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5 from 1 vote

Mexican black beans

These Mexican black beans are an easy upgrade to a can of beans. Made in no time, they are rich in protein, fiber, potassium and iron.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Servings: 4
Author: Veronique Eichler

Ingredients

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.
    Mexican black beans
  • Add cumin, salt and pepper and stir until the cumin is fragrant.
    Mexican black beans
  • 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.
    Mexican black beans
  • Optional: serve topped with chopped cilantro and crumbled Cotija cheese, feta or goat cheese.

Notes

Nutrition facts do not include cheese topping.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Mexican black beans
Amount per Serving
Calories
143
% Daily Value*
Total Fat
 
4
g
6
%
Saturated Fat
 
1
g
6
%
Sodium
 
311
mg
14
%
Total Carbohydrate
 
21
g
7
%
Dietary Fiber
 
8
g
33
%
Total Sugars
 
1
g
1
%
Protein
 
7
g
14
%
Vitamin A
 
86
IU
2
%
Vitamin C
 
6
mg
7
%
Calcium
 
53
mg
5
%
Iron
 
2
mg
11
%
Potassium
 
385
mg
11
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

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