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    Home » Easy Recipes

    Delicious black bean recipe

    Published: Jul 21, 2023 by Susan Moncrieff · This post may contain affiliate links · 5 Comments

    Jump to Recipe

    Recently we started making a pot of black beans using dried black beans. It was great to have on hand for the vegetarian in the family, and we ate it as part of our main meal served on rice. It is awesome as a side too!

    black beans on bed of rice with a side of broccoli

    It is flavorful, saucy (perfect on rice), and inexpensive to make. If we have leftovers after a couple of days, we freeze them.

    Another bean-based side to keep on hand is this easy-to-assemble cowboy caviar. It's so flavorful and delicious!

    Why I like this recipe

    Cooked dried beans have a nicer texture (not as mushy) and aren't nearly as salty.  You certainly can add salt to your dried bean recipes (I did for this one) but you will probably use less salt. You can also add as much or as little flavor to this recipe as you like. This is also a very inexpensive meal/side.

    Prep. Tip

    Soak for 8 hours (or overnight) before cooking

    Most recipes recommend soaking overnight.
    Put the dried black beans into a bowl. Pick through the beans to see if there are any small stones or anything that shouldn't be there and discard. I've never found anything but beans. Ever. Then cover the dried beans with water. There should be about two inches of water above the level of the beans. The minimum soaking time should be about 8 hours.

    Ingredients

    black beans, 1 cup chopped onions, 1 cup chopped carrots and a head of garlic cloves

    1 pound bag of dried black beans - soaked (see above)
    1 medium onion peeled and chopped into small pieces (about the size of the rehydrated beans) This will be about 1 ½ cups of chopped onion.
    2 medium carrots - sliced into coins then chopped into pieces of similar size to the beans.
    4 garlic cloves - minced or finely chopped.
    ¼ cup rice vinegar
    1 ½ teaspoon dried oregano
    1 tablespoon kosher or rough ground salt
    ¼ cup olive oil

    Instructions

    Drain soaked beans.
    Step 1

    Onions and carrots should be chopped into pieces approx. the size of the rehydrated beans.
    Using a heavy large stockpot or dutch oven, pour enough oil (roughly ¼ cup) so you have a thin layer of oil on the bottom of the pot.
    Heat pot on medium-high.
    Add carrots and onions to the hot pot. Stir occasionally until onions are soft - approximately 5 minutes. The onions will pick up the color of the carrots.

    Step 2
    Add finely chopped garlic to the pot and stir for 1 to 2 minutes.
    Use the rice vinegar to deglaze the pot (deglaze - add to the pot and scrape up the cooked bits from the bottom).
    Add the drained-soaked beans.

    sauted onions, carrots and now adding black beans

    Step 3
    Add the dried oregano.
    Step 4
    Add roughly 8 cups of water. You want enough water in the pot to cover the beans plus about 2 inches. Remember, it will be easier to add liquid later rather than take it away during the cooking process.

    adding water to soaked beans in a red pot


    Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low.
    Simmer for about 1 to 1 ½ hours until beans are tender.
    If beans are not covered in water while simmering, add a bit more. Beans should be just covered in a thick liquid when done cooking.

    Step 5
    Add salt to bean mixture about ½ hour before finishing. After cooking for ½ hour after adding salt, taste to see if the beans are salty enough. This seems like a lot of salt but we are starting with unsalted beans. Canned beans have even more salt than what these beans will have.
    Taste prior to serving to adjust flavor. Add more salt if needed (and perhaps more oregano).
    Serve on a bed of rice.

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    black beans serve on a bed of rice with a side of broccoli

    The beans have a nice sauce and a delicious flavor from the onions, garlic, and oregano. The carrots are just in there because we all need to eat more carrots!

    You can also serve these beans as a side like we did the day we had our rootbeer ribs.

    rootbeer ribs with black beans

    FAQs

    Can I just cook the beans longer and not soak?

    Yes. However, I find the texture is better when I soak and cook for less time.

    Are black beans healthy?

    Yes! They are nutritionally dense and have been around for centuries.

    Other bean based recipes

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      Cowboy Caviar
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      Easy Pasta Fagioli Soup
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    black beans on bed of rice with a side of broccoli

    Delicious, flavorful black bean recipe (using dried beans)

    An easy and delicious black bean recipe that can be used as a meal or a side.  Make a vegetarian meal or side using ingredients in your pantry.  A great way to use dried beans in an inexpensive meal.
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main dish
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
    soaking time: 8 hours hours
    Total Time: 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes
    Servings: 10
    Calories: 215cal
    Author: Susan Moncrieff

    Ingredients

    • 1 pound bag of dried black beans - soaked overnight
    • 1 medium onion Chopped into small pieces
    • 2 medium carrots - sliced into coins then chopped into pieces of similar size to the beans.
    • 4 cloves garlic minced or finely chopped
    • ¼ cup rice vinegar
    • 1 ½ teaspoon dried oregano
    • 1 tablespoon kosher or rough ground salt
    • ¼ cup olive oil

    Instructions

    • Drain soaked beans overnight
    • Onions and carrots should be chopped into pieces approx. the size of the rehydrated beans.
    • Using a heavy large stockpot or dutch oven, pour enough oil (roughly ¼ cup) so you have a thin layer of oil on the bottom of the pot.
    • Heat pot on medium-high.
    • Add carrots and onions to the hot pot. Stir occasionally until onions are soft - approximately 5 minutes. The onions will pick up the color of the carrots.
    • Add finely chopped garlic to the pot and stir continually for 1 to 2 minutes.
    • Use the rice vinegar to deglaze the pot (deglaze - add to the pot and scrape up the cooked bits from the bottom of the pot).
    • Add the drained soaked beans.
    • Add dried oregano.
    • Add roughly 8 cups of water. You want enough water in the pot to cover the beans plus about 2 inches. Remember, it will be easier to add liquid later rather than take it away during the cooking process.
    • Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low.
    • Simmer for about 1 to 1 ½ hours until beans are tender.
    • If while simmering, beans are not covered in water, add a bit more. Beans should be just covered in a thick liquid when done cooking.
    • Add salt to bean mixture about ½ hour before finishing. After cooking for ½ hour after adding salt, taste to see if the beans are salty enough. This seems like a lot of salt but we are starting with unsalted beans. Canned beans have even more salt than what these beans will have.
    • Taste prior to serving to adjust flavor. Add more salt if needed (and perhaps more oregano).

    Notes

    We enjoy these black beans served on a bed of rice making it a complete vegetarian meal.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1g | Calories: 215cal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 12mg | Potassium: 733mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 2046IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 65mg | Iron: 2mg
    black beans on a bed of rice with some green onion garnish

    Looking for another bean-based recipe?  Try

    Cowboy Caviar

    Looking for a quick vegetarian meal idea?

    Caesar salad wrap ideas

    black beans on a bed of rice with some green onion garnish

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    1. Deana Landers

      July 13, 2020 at 2:11 pm

      5 stars
      I love black bea8and rice
      Thanks for the recipe.

      Reply
    2. Kim Purvis

      July 13, 2020 at 12:48 pm

      I usually use the can version, but my husband loves using dried beans in recipes. Your recipe is great!

      Reply
    3. Maria

      July 13, 2020 at 8:02 am

      5 stars
      My favorite meal rice a d beans I grew up eating it because it was my food heritage. Your recipe looks delicious

      Reply
    4. Sara

      July 13, 2020 at 7:40 am

      I'm always looking for great tasting veggie dishes. I've only ever had them in a can so am curious to give this a try!

      Reply
    5. Patti

      July 11, 2020 at 7:45 am

      This was great. I took it as a side dish to my sister's house. She was serving tacos so it was perfect and everyone loved it. Thanks!

      Reply

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    I'm Susan Moncrieff! I love sharing easy recipes, especially those that take less than 30 minutes and have less than 5 ingredients. I'm passionate about gardening and creating flower planters. My home is 100 years old and sometimes you will see it in my posts! It was a true fixer upper and I love it!

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