Simmered with a standard onion-pepper sofrito, this smokey Cuban black beans recipe with a splash of vino seco may have you serving up scorching bowls like those in Havana. Paired with rice and creamy avocado, they’re a hearty protein-packed meal.
Why You’ll Love This Cuban Black Beans Recipe
This Cuban black beans recipe would possibly change into your new favourite of all time.
- Genuine. Made with conventional Cuban components like vino seco, cumin, and oregano, this easy recipe is as genuine because it will get.
- Handy. Whenever you simply don’t have time to cook dinner beans from scratch, use canned ones. Nobody will inform the distinction.
- Freezer-friendly. Pop them out of the freezer for a straightforward meal all through the week. Simply reheat it and serve.
- Plant-based. Swap the rooster bouillon for a veggie one and also you’ve bought a totally vegan and/or vegetarian meal!
Recipe Components
Hints of vino seco, tomato paste, oregano, and cumin actually give these Cuban black beans their authenticity. Verify the recipe card on the backside of the put up for actual ingredient quantities.
To Make the Beans
- Dried Black Beans
- Water
- White Onion: You can even use yellow onion, however they’re sweeter.
- Garlic
- Salt
- Bay Leaves
For the Seasoning
- Vegetable Oil: Corn and canola oil are nice swaps.
- White Onion
- Inexperienced Bell Pepper – Any shade of bell pepper is ideal, however inexperienced is extra historically used.
- Vino Seco: Yow will discover it in a Latino grocery store. Be at liberty to swap it for a dry white wine like Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc. White vinegar or apple cider vinegar work too.
- Rooster Bouillon: I want the unfastened granules of rooster bouillon, however you may as well use bouillon squares.
- Salt
- Tomato Paste
- Oregano
- Floor Cumin
- Black Pepper
- Garlic: Please don’t use garlic powder.
- Sugar: I exploit granulated sugar, nevertheless mild and darkish brown sugar work too. It’s simply sufficient sugar to assist reduce the acidity and spherical out the flavors. The beans won’t be candy!
Topping Concepts
- White Onion
- Cilantro
- Lime Wedges
Are Black Beans Good For You?
Sure! Black beans are a wonderful supply of plant-based protein. They’re additionally filled with fiber, nutritional vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. These assist help coronary heart well being, lower the danger of diabetes, shield you in opposition to most cancers, and assist the digestive system. They’re additionally gluten-free, so load up on them!
Methods to Make Cuban Black Beans
Sofrito is only a fancy phrase for a mixture of components which are typically cooked collectively in a delicacies and supply a flavor-base for many dishes. Cuban sofrito consists of onions and inexperienced bell peppers.
- Prepare dinner the beans. Place all the components for the beans in a big pot. Prepare dinner till the beans are tender.
- Make the sofrito. Warmth the oil in a small pan. Prepare dinner the onions and bell pepper till they start to melt. Add them to the beans.
- Add the spices. Pour the vino seco into the pot. Add the rooster bouillon, salt, tomato paste, oregano, cumin, and black pepper. Stir and simmer for half-hour.
- Add the garlic. Place the garlic and brown sugar. Stir and simmer for one more quarter-hour. Take away from the warmth and serve instantly.
Ideas & Variations
Whether or not you wish to spice them up or reduce a couple of corners, listed below are all the guidelines it’s essential to make this Cuban black beans recipe:
- Kind them. Earlier than cooking the beans, unfold them out on a baking tray and select any rocks, particles, or damaged beans. After that, all the time rinse the beans to eliminate any dust.
- Soak in a single day. Locations the beans in a bowl and canopy them with chilly water. Allow them to soak in a single day to hurry up the cooking course of the following day.
- Use canned. For a fast, handy meal, use 3 cans (15 oz every) of canned beans. Skip the primary 6 components within the recipe and solely cook dinner the beans for half-hour.
- Make it smokey. Add a ham hock to your beans because the simmer for excellent taste. Or, you’ll be able to cook dinner 3-4 diced bacon strips till crispy. Use the rendered fats to cook dinner the onions and bell pepper in. You can even add 1/2 cup of Chorizo and cook dinner it till browned, whereas not conventional in Cuban dishes, chorizo offers nice taste! All of those choices will add tons extra smokiness to the dish.
- Hold it native. Swap the bell pepper for a Cubanelle pepper. Cubans like to cook dinner with it! Don’t fear concerning the warmth, it’s thought of a candy pepper.
Methods to Serve Cuban Black Beans
This Cuban black beans recipe makes the right primary dish when served over rice. On the lookout for some good rice choices? Listed below are a couple of of our favorites: Genuine Mexican Rice, Arroz Blanco, or Cilantro Lime Rice. You can even high it with sliced avocado or Platanos Maduros for a very genuine meal.
My Tostones or Jalapeño Cornbread Muffins additionally make an incredible aspect for the beans. In the event you’re serving them as a aspect dish, be certain that to pair them with my Lechon Asado.
Storing and Reheating Extras
As soon as absolutely cooled, refrigerate the beans in an hermetic container for as much as 4 days. Hold them away from warmth and daylight when on the counter for reheating or serving. To reheat them, microwave the beans for as much as a minute or till heat. You can even warmth them in a pot over medium warmth for 6-8 minutes.
Can I Freeze This Recipe?
Completely! Switch the cooled beans right into a freezer-friendly bag or container in serving-size parts. That is so that you don’t have to fret about thawing and consuming an enormous quantity of beans later. Freeze for as much as 3 months. Pop them into the fridge an evening earlier than serving and reheat as common.
Extra Cuban Recipes to Strive
Yield: 8 servings
Cuban Black Beans
This smokey Cuban black beans recipe with vino seco and garlic is ideal over white rice for a wholesome protein-packed dinner.
Components
For the Beans:
- 1 pound dried black beans, rinsed and drained
- 4-5 cups water
- 1 white onion, reduce into 4 items
- 2 entire garlic cloves
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 bay leaves
Seasoning:
- 2 tablespoons oil
- ½ cup chopped white onion
- 1 inexperienced bell pepper, seeded and diced
- 2 tablespoons vino seco, (dry white wine), or vinegar
- 1 teaspoon rooster bouillon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon tomato paste
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- ¼ teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic, or 2 garlic cloves crushed
- ½ teaspoon granulated sugar
Optionally available Toppings:
- White onion
- Cilantro
- Lime wedges
Directions
-
Place the beans, water, 4 massive items of onion, 2 garlic cloves, salt and bay leaves in a heavy-bottomed pan. (You could want to soak your beans for an hour or in a single day earlier than cooking.)
-
Simmer over medium warmth for 1.5 to 2 hours, or till the beans are tender. (It will go quicker should you soak your beans earlier than hand.)
-
In a small sauté pan, warmth the oil and cook dinner the onions and inexperienced pepper for 3 minutes, then add them to the beans.
-
Add the wine, rooster bouillon, salt, tomato paste, oregano, cumin and pepper to the beans and simmer over medium low warmth for one more half-hour.
-
Add the garlic and brown sugar and simmer for one more quarter-hour.
Notes
Sugar: I exploit granulated sugar, nevertheless mild and darkish brown sugar work too. It’s simply sufficient sugar to assist reduce the acidity and spherical out the flavors. The beans won’t be candy!
Kind them. Earlier than cooking the beans, unfold them out on a baking tray and select any rocks, particles, or damaged beans. After that, all the time rinse the beans to eliminate any dust.
Soak in a single day. Locations the beans in a bowl and canopy them with chilly water. Allow them to soak in a single day to hurry up the cooking course of the following day.
Use canned. For a fast, handy meal, use 3 cans (15 oz every) of canned beans. Skip the primary 6 components within the recipe and solely cook dinner the beans for half-hour.
Make it smokey. Add a ham hock to your beans because the simmer for excellent taste. Or, you’ll be able to cook dinner 3-4 diced bacon strips till crispy. Use the rendered fats to cook dinner the onions and bell pepper in. You can even add 1/2 cup of Chorizo and cook dinner it till browned, whereas not conventional in Cuban dishes, chorizo offers nice taste! All of those choices will add tons extra smokiness to the dish.
Vitamin
Serving: 1serving, Energy: 238kcal, Carbohydrates: 38g, Protein: 13g, Fats: 4g, Saturated Fats: 0.5g, Polyunsaturated Fats: 1g, Monounsaturated Fats: 2g, Trans Fats: 0.01g, Sodium: 600mg, Potassium: 905mg, Fiber: 9g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 81IU, Vitamin C: 14mg, Calcium: 85mg, Iron: 3mg
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