BY
Remember on Monday I was talking about having to choose just one food to eat every day for the rest of your life? The closest I’ve come to that is actually eating one thing every single day for 18 months of my life. Now this sort of thing will usually have one of 2 effects. 1) Cause severe aversion to the food so the very thought of it makes you want to hurl, or 2) Create some subconscious need that makes it impossible for you to ever live without it. For me, it was the latter, and that is why at our house we eat black beans- in some form- at least once a week! I have a lot of different ways to make them, depending on how they’re being served. But this is one of those “recipes” that I get asked for all the time. My usual response is “a little of this and a little of that” since I don’t use a recipe. But just as with the lime-cilantro rice, this blogging thing has given me a reason to actually record some of my measurements so I have actual recipes to share. So to all of my friends out there who have been asking me how I make these- here you go! These beans are great alone as a side dish, or (all my Brazilian friends plug your ears now) topped with shredded cheese and sour cream, served over rice (they’re great on top of the aforementioned lime-cilantro rice minus the pineapple), or in fajitas and tacos. When I made them for these pictures, I spooned them on top of taco chicken, and then topped it with slices of creamy avocado and a squeeze of fresh lime juice. It was DiViNe. Enjoy!
Quick and Easy Black Beans
Ingredients:
2 Cans Black Beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 T olive oil
2/3 C diced onion
2-3 garlic cloves, pressed or finely minced
2/3 C chicken broth (or water, I use broth for extra flavor)
1/4 t cumin
1/4 t coriander
1/4 t oregano
1/2 t salt
1/4 t pepper
1 lime
Instructions:
In a saucepan on the stove, heat the olive oil to med-high heat. Saute onions for about 3 minutes or until they just start to become translucent. Add garlic and saute abut 30 seconds more. Add beans, broth, and remaining seasonings and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a low simmer and simmer for about 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. When they are done cooking, remove from heat and add in a few squeezes of fresh lime juice. Then use the back of a spoon or rubber spatula so smoosh (yes, that’s a technical culinary term) some of the beans. You don’t want to pulverize them, but you want to take a bunch of good smooshes so that some of the beans are smashed, which will thicken the sauce. I like mine on the thicker side so I smoosh quite a bit. They will thicken more upon standing.
If you want a more soupy consistency, just add a little more broth.
Serve as a side dish, or on top or rice, in fajitas or tacos, or on top of chicken or steak.
Makes 6 1/3 C servings
Nutrition Facts (per 1/3 C):
Calories: 70
Protien: 4 g
Carbs:13 g
Fat:1.5 g
Related Recipes:
Fajitas
Tortillas
Taco Chicken
Guacamole
Lime-cilantro rice
gotta love the feijão!
I’m definitely going to try this, since we love black beans at our house. I have a question: have you ever tried using hard, uncooked black beans in the bag and letting them sit all day in the crockpot? I have a friend who makes refried beans similar to this, but she uses the pinto beans in the bag and lets them sit all day in her crockpot. Just curious. (And yes, I know opening cans is way easier than using a crockpot.)
We ONLY ever make our own “re-fried” beans (without the fry part) in the crockpot. Much healthier and tastes so much better! I’ve never made these in the crockpot but am going to give it a shot tomorrow while I’m at work! Don’t know why it wouldn’t work since pinto beans work great and we’ve done 1/2 pinto and 1/2 black beans in our refried beans before
I remember asking you for this “recipe” and getting the general amounts, then making it for my Brazilian roommate. She thought they were better than her mom’s! That is, until she saw me pu cheese and sour cream on them. Then she said I was crazy and had turned them into Mexican food. She wouldn’t even stay in the room to watch me eat them. Hehe. I thought they were delicious!
I think I fall into the latter category as well!
Erin, there’s a reason this recipe is called “quick and easy” !
I actually wrote all about this in my original post and then took it out because it was way too long, lol. I fell in love with black beans in Brazil, where no one would ever consider even using canned beans! So yes, for years I made them the traditional way soaking dry beans and then cooking them in a pressure cooker. But then I discovered that canned beans can seriously taste just as good and I can make them in 5 minutes. Thus the birth of the “quick and easy” black beans. If you want, some time I’ll post my “long and sort of easy” recipe for dry beans!
Suzanna-please don’t tell any Brazilians this…but I actually like them with cheese and sour cream! lol. I know, it’s blasphemous! I don’t do it that often, but when I do, I hide in shame in the closet. 🙂
Thanks for this recipe! I grew up in Brazil but left before I learned how to cook. I was jiat looking to get rid of some canned beans, but turns out these taste just like home! Will add some sausage next time for that extra oompf.
I can’t wait to try these cooked this way.
ok,,, these beans were stink’n fantastic!!!! the best black bean I have ever made!! I added a bit of fresh cilantro and it made it even better!
I actually did a “best bites” dinner night,,, but our favorite on the whole table was the beans!!! I am sooo going to have to make them again this week.
Camille- I’m glad you loved them as much as I do! Whenever I create things totally suited to my own personal tastes I have a secret fear that no one else will agree with me, lol. I love to put cilantro in mine too!
I made these beans last night and my two little boys (ages 3 and 1) and I scarfed ’em down and left none for poor hubby. I didn’t have any chicken broth so I had to make them without, but they were still delish. I got some broth today and am excited to try them again in a few days–they’ll be even better, I’m sure! Also, I like that they’re not spicy (but still flavorful) so my boys can eat them. Thanks Sara!
Lindsay- my toddler loves these too, so sometimes I’m sneaky and I chop up cooked veggies and smother them in the beans. He totally scarfs ’em down!
These were so good! I grew up eating beans (Colombian family) and these are right up there with the all-day-pressure-cooker beans my mom and grandmas make. My boys loved them, too! And of course, Marcelo served in Brazil, so he was in heaven.
I made these tonight and they were yummy! Thank you!
These are so yummy! The lime makes all the difference. I almost ate the whole batch myself the first time I made these.
I'm interested in in the "long and sort of easy" recipe, just because I have a bucket of black beans in my food storage I need to use…
I was just telling someone the other day how much (many?) black beans i eat! My quick and easy way involves 1 can of black beans, a heaping scoop of Goya Recaito (this onion, cilantro-y paste), some hot sauce, a half a cup of dry rice, a half a cup of water: combine all in a sauce pot, 8-10 min on med-high, and 8-10 min on med-low…voila! my absolute favorite dinner.
(my bf has gotten sick of it, but the more i have it the more i crave it!)
^^the saucepot is covered, of course
This is so delicious. My family loves it, including my 1 year old who is just getting used to real foods. It's a hit! Much better than just plain ol' black beans (which is what I used to make before I tried these). These have flavor 🙂
I made these for dinner tonight with tostadas, They were amaizing! My husband and I loved them, and my 7 month old did too! I am also interested in the "long and sort of easy" recipe.
This is probably a dumb question, but do you prefer red onion or yellow onion in this recipe?
Not a dumb question- I prefer whichever is on my counter at the moment, lol. Honestly, doesn’t matter! If I had to pick, then yellow.
Thanks! I made these last night (I used red onion b/c I didn’t have yellow.) with the cilantro rice and the grilled fish tacos. They were all amazing. I discovered your site last week and have cooked your recipes every day for the past week. Thanks so much!
Made these tonight. LOVED them!!!!! I got your cookbook for my birthday and have been in heaven trying all of your delicious recipes. Thanks!
Yummy. I made these tonight and impressed my husband (who also lived in Brazil for a couple of years). His comment “Wow….these taste Brazilian”. Success! I did pair them with the Brazilian style rice that you have on your white rice tutorial comments. Thanks for sharing the recipes!
Is the 1/4 teaspoon of oregano the ground oregano?
Yes, dried oregano. You can use ground, or crushed leaves. If you’re using fresh, do about a teaspoon.
I made these for dinner last night. They were quite tasty. Hubby and baby boy approved. Served them up with BBQ chicken quesadillas. Mmm, nom, nom.
My husband lived in Brazil for a couple of years and I want to make him a traditional dish for his birthday. What sort of meat would be authentic to serve with the beans? Any special sort of rice? Oh and I have a recipe for brigadeiro that’s yummy!
Honestly, just a really good steak goes well with classic Brazilian sides:
http://www.ourbestbites.com/2011/08/how-to-grill-the-perfect-steak/
Definitely make some Pao de Queijo:
http://www.ourbestbites.com/2011/02/quick-brazilian-cheese-rolls-pao-de-queijo-2/
And Brazilian Lemonade
http://www.ourbestbites.com/2008/05/brazilian-lemonade/
As for the rice, Brazilians usually saute onion and garlic in a little oil and add the dry rice until it starts to get translucent. Then they add boiling water and cook as normal. Enjoy your Brazilian meal!
I made these beans tonight, along with the pork tacos with green sauce (can’t remember the official name, sorry). It was SOOOO good, all of it. Thanks for your awesome recipes!
What kind of cheese do you put on top?
Usually jack or pepperjack
Yum! I made these two nights ago, served with rice and sauteed red peppers and corn. Both my hubby and I agreed that this was the best beans and rice dinner I have ever made (and I have tried many!)
Made these last week (along with rice) to serve as a side dish with the Southwest Beef Wraps. They’re delicious! Love the fresh lime flavor of these. My husband & son put everything (beef, beans, & rice) onto their tortillas and made their own mega-burrito version! I even caught myself “cleaning up” (i.e. sneaking seconds after everyone has left the table) the bean dish….and I’m usually looking to “clean up” something chocolatey after dinner! Great & easy black bean recipe!
This recipe is wonderful! I wrote it down a few weeks ago, and I’ve used it a half dozen times, on all several different beans and with rice in burritos, too. Thank you for sharing!! ~Kelly
I have been a “best bites foodie” for several years now but somehow have missed this recipe– I’ve already made it twice and pinned it! THANKS!
OMG!!! So good. Just made these a few hours ago and I’m so pleased! I’m Brazilian-American and my mother used to have a Brazilian restaurant – so I know good black beans! 😉 I’m just sad that I only discovered this now. It would have been helpful to have had this recipe on hand during the last two years of grad school. Thank you and keep up the great recipes!
Such a compliment! I’m so glad you love them as much as I do!
DELICIOUS! I added some cilantro and voila! Thanks for some great black beans
I just had to let you know that these are by far the greatest beans I’ve ever eaten in my life. Everyone I make them for is in HEAVEN!!!! thank you for the fabulous recipe!!
Made these black beans tonight as a bbq side dish and they were amazing!!!! Added one can Rotel (Mexican variety) and fresh cilantro….best black beans ever!!!
I’m a bean-aholic and these look great. I can’t wait to try them! I would love it if you posted the pressure cooker/crock pot version as well. I like to make a large quantity of beans at once and I also find it easier to just do them in the crock pot in the morning. One less thing to do in the pre-dinner rush. Thanks for the recipe!
I love these black beans! I love eating them all on their own, but now we’ve discovered they make a really good hot black bean dip if I pulse the finished beans a couple of times in the food processor some cheddar cheese. Then I top with more cheese and warm it in the oven to melt the cheese. Thanks for the recipe!
Aww man! I just made and served this along with your cilantro-lime rice. (And some killer enchiladas) Amid all the raves, I had to come clean and tell everyone it was not, in fact, my own recipe. I was famous for 2 minutes anyway.
What a great recipe! Fast, easy, healthy, and so tasty! My family loved it. We tried making Brazilian cheese bread, but yeah, we’ll need to work on that recipe. But I’m glad we had these black beans to make the dinner good. 🙂
You can see my post about it here: http://busymomrecipes.com/dinner/quick-and-easy-black-beans/
Do you have a recipe for Brazilian rice?
I don’t have a recipe per-say, but to cook rice like a Brazilian, saute some onion and garlic in a little olive oil in a pan and then add your dry rice and saute everything until the rice starts to turn golden. Add boiling water after that and continue to cook like normal 🙂
OMG Thank you! I know this is a “simple” recipe but it was perfect and soooo good! I made myself an open face broiled tuna sandwich for dinner and wasn’t sure what I wanted for a side…I had a can of black beans and wasn’t sure what to do. I did a pinterest search, this came up and I made it. It is absolutely delicious! And, I believe, will be perfect for the 21 day fix! 😀
Awesome! So glad you enjoyed them!
Thank you for this easy and delicious recipe! It was a big hit with a vegetarian teenager and with a child who thought he hated beans.
This looks delicious! Do you think it’s possible to make this recipe in the crockpot still using canned beans? If so, how would you do it? Thanks!!
Wonderful! I’ve been looking for a black bean recipe that tasted like this for a long time. I’ve finally found it. Thank you! The mix of spices are perfectly subtle, yet savory and yummy.
I did make a few changes. I can’t eat onions. Reflux, ugh! So I replaced the onions with a carrot and a rib of celery, very finely chopped. Then I put a bit of onion powder which seems to be okay for me.
Delicious. A new staple in our house.
How would you convert this recipe to use dry beans in an instant pot? This is our favorite recipe for black beans — we love it, and we’re not normally bean fans.
Can I add cilantro to recipe? And do I add at the end?
You can ALWAYS add cilantro to our recipes, haha. JK but seriously we love our cilantro! You can definitely add it, and yep- just stir it in at the very end off the heat!
Have you ever made this for a crowd? Would tripling the recipe be ok? This is my FAVE recipe for black beans and I’m going to do a taco bar with your taco chicken for my daughter’s missionary homecoming in a few weeks. Just wondering if you’ve ever made it in large batches and then put in a crockpot to keep warm? I know you have a slow cooker recipe on here for beans but non-canned beans scare me. 😉
Oh ya you can multiply this by like 1000 haha. go for it!
Thanks! I may put up a little sign at the bar that says “Brought to you by Our Best Bites”, since all of my recipes are coming from your site. You’re the best! 🙂 🙂 🙂
I had to come back and tell you that I did 6x’s the regular recipe and they were a HUGE hit! I gave the recipe to multiple people, they couldn’t wait to make them themselves. Thank you for all of your amazing recipes!
awesome! thanks for coming back and letting me know!
This is simply delicious. My husband didn’t care for black beans. Now he craves them!