These quick and easy Cuban black beans are fast to prepare, yet packed with bold flavor and taste like you spent hours slaving away in the kitchen! Made with canned black beans, which means NO soaking is required, and ready in 25 minutes or less, these beans will become a staple in your house! (Healthy, Vegetarian, Vegan)
Update: This post was originally published in February 2019. I’ made updates to the post below to include a recipe video to show you how easy these canned Cuban Black Beans are to make at home!
Hey there, friends! While today’s recipe may look humble and unassuming, it is one of my all-time favorite sides. Hands down!
I kid you not, I make these black beans at least once a month… and sometimes as much as once a week. No shame.
Fast and easy to prepare, yet packed with ALL the flavor, these beans deserve a weekly spot on your dinner menu rotation!
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Cuban Black Beans
Savory, tender black beans cooked to perfection in a thick, flavorful, silky sauce studded with pungent onions, fragrant garlic, slightly spicy jalapeños, mild bell pepper and fresh scallions.
Dusted with chopped cilantro and finished with a generous squeeze of acidic fresh lime juice or a drizzle of vinegar, these Cuban black beans are packed with incredibly delicious, bold flavor!
With all the flavor happening in these beans you would think they take hours in the kitchen to prepare, but these Cuban black beans utilize canned black beans and are ready in 25 minutes or less!
And, another great thing about these beans? The leftovers are even better since the flavors have a chance to develop and really shine!
These epic beans are the perfect side dish, and after one bite you’ll want to triple the recipe and stash these beans in the freezer to always have on hand!
What are Cuban black beans?
Cuban black beans, also known as frijoles negros, are a classic Cuban side dish. Black beans are a stable in Cuban cuisine and while everyone adds their own special touch or ingredient to the dish, a vital element of Cuban black beans is a sofrito, which is a mixture of onions, green bell pepper and garlic. The sofrito adds a delicious depth of flavor to Cuban black beans.
While most recipes finish the dish with vinegar and sugar, others add a squeeze of lime juice and plenty of fresh cilantro.
As well, some Cuban black bean recipes are soupy in consistency while others call for mashing some of the beans so the dish is thicker in consistency.
How to thicken Cuban black beans?
While there are a few ways you can thicken Cuban black beans, the absolute best way is to mash some of the beans to form a paste.
Mashing the beans can be done two different ways:
- Remove a cup (or a 1/3rd) of the beans, mash them with a potato masher or the back of a large spoon or fork, and stir them back into the pot.
- Remove a cup (or a 1/3rd) of the beans, transfer them to a food processor, process until a paste forms and then add them back to the pot.
What goes with Cuban black beans?
These quick Cuban black beans pair perfectly with a wide range of dishes – from plain grilled chicken and pork to Cuban main dishes and rice! If you are looking to meal plan, below are some delicious options to serve with these Cuban beans!
- Ropa Vieja (Cuban Shredded Beef)
- Cuban Pork
- Carnitas
- Eggs or scrambles
- Burritos
- Tostadas or tacos
- Enchiladas
- Tortilla or Mexican soup
- Grilled chicken, pork or steak
- Rice
- Fried plantains
- Mexican chopped salad or taco salad
What can I do with leftover Cuban black beans?
I definitely recommend making a big batch of these quick black beans to have on hand! Below are delicious ways to use leftover Cuban Black beans:
- Mash the Cuban black beans and turn them into refried beans
- Add them to salads for a quick boost of protein and flavor
- Add them to chilis or soups
- Sir them into egg scrambled
- Add them to burritos, enchiladas, tacos or nachos
- Add a heaping spoonful to Tex-Mex lunch bowls or grain bowls
- Stir in some pico de gallo and turn into into salsa
Can you freeze Cuban black beans?
You can easily freeze Cuban beans! While these black beans are quick and easy to make, I normally triple the recipe and freeze leftovers to have on hand when I’m in a hurry to get dinner on the table.
To freeze, allow the beans to cool completely before transferring them to an air-tight container or freezer-safe zip-closure bag.
Cooked Cuban black beans will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Pro-tip: Freeze the Cuban black beans in cup-sized portions for easy re-heating and serving!
To reheat, you want to make sure you avoid the black beans turning to mush by reheating them on the lowest temperature possible, while still maintaining a very gentle simmer.
Are Cuban black beans good for you?
Black beans are a great, healthy addition to your diet!
Rich in iron and fiber, plus packed with protein and low in fat, black beans can help keep you full for long periods of time.
Black beans also contain key minerals and vitamins that contribute to maintaining bone strength and support heart health.
This quick Cuban black beans recipe also contains finely chopped vegetables such as bell pepper and onion, so they are a great way to sneak veggies onto a picky eater’s plate!
How to make Cuban black beans from a can? (Tips & Tricks)
How to make Cuban black beans from a can? (Tips & Tricks)- To thicken Cuban Black Beans, mash them! Mashing the beans can be done two different ways:
- Remove a cup (or a 1/3rd) of the beans, mash them with a potato masher or the back of a large spoon or fork, and stir them back into the pot.
- Remove a cup (or a 1/3rd) of the beans, transfer them to a food processor, process until a paste forms and then add them back to the pot.
- Cuban black beans are traditionally finished with a drizzle of vinegar and a small sprinkling of brown sugar. This step is completely optional and should be done to taste!
- Cuban black beans will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. Allow the beans to cool completely before transferring them to an air-tight container or freezer-safe zip-closure bag.
Quick and easy to make, yet packed with bold, savory flavor, these Cuban Black Beans are the perfect side dish!
Until next week, friends, cheers – to next level canned beans!
XOXO
Cheyanne
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More bean dishes you will love:
The best Cuban Black Beans recipe plus step-by-step recipe video👇
Quick & Easy Cuban Black Beans
Equipment
- Dutch Oven or Large Pot
Ingredients
- 1 TBS Olive Oil
- 1 small Onion – small dice (white or Spanish onion)
- 4 Scallions - thinly sliced (green and light green parts)
- 1 large Jalapeno - seeded, ribbed & small diced (optional - SEE NOTES)
- ½ Cup Green Bell Pepper – seeded & small diced (about ½ a large pepper)
- 4-5 cloves Garlic – minced
- 1 tsp Cumin
- ½ tsp EACH: Oregano & Ground Coriander
- 1/8 tsp Smoked Paprika
- 2 (15 ounce) cans Black Beans – do NOT drain
- 1 cup Water
- 2 small Bay leaves
- 2-3 TBS Fresh Cilantro – chopped
- Salt & Pepper to taste
- For serving: White Rice, Lime Wedges, Tabasco or Cayenne Pepper
- Optional to finish: 1 TBS White or Red-Wine Vinegar + 1 tsp Brown Sugar, or more to taste (SEE NOTES)
Instructions
- Saute vegetables: Heat oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions, scallions, jalapeno and bell pepper. Season with salt and pepper. Sauté until soft, about 4-5 minutes.
- Add seasonings: Add in the garlic, cumin, oregano, coriander and smoked paprika. Sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add beans + liquid: Add in the beans, water and bay leaves. Season again with salt and pepper. Bring beans to a boil and immediately reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Remove cover + simmer: Remove cover and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, for 7-10 minutes, or until most of the water has evaporated. TIP: If you would like your black beans to have a more “soup-y” appearance, adjust consistency with a bit more water. If you would like to thicken the black beans, you can use a potato masher or spoon to mash some (about 1/4 to 1/3rd) of the black beans.
- Add herbs: Stir fresh cilantro into beans. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper, plus vinegar and sugar if using.
- Serve with lime wedges over rice. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Traditional Cuban black beans do not have jalapenos. If you would like this to be a more authentic recipe, feel free to omit the jalapeno peppers!
- To thicken Cuban Black Beans, mash them! Mashing the beans can be done two different ways:
- Remove a cup (or a 1/3rd) of the beans, mash them with a potato masher or the back of a large spoon or fork, and stir them back into the pot.
- Remove a cup (or a 1/3rd) of the beans, transfer them to a food processor, process until a paste forms and then add them back to the pot.
- Optional to finish beans: Cuban black beans are traditionally finished with a drizzle of vinegar and a small sprinkling of brown sugar. This step is completely optional and should be done to taste!
- Storage: Cuban black beans will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. Allow the beans to cool completely before transferring them to an air-tight container or freezer-safe zip-closure bag. Pro-tip: Freeze the Cuban black beans in cup-sized portions for easy re-heating and serving!
- To reheat, you want to make sure you avoid the black bean splitting or turning to mush by reheating them on the lowest temperature possible, while still maintaining a very gentle simmer.
Nutrition
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Super tasty.. will make again for sure. Made them twice in three days 🙂 Just can’t get the water to condense enough.. very very soupy even with mashing some of the beans.. I’ll keep tweaking it. 🙂
Such a great recipe, thanks for sharing! I added about 2 TSP of bacon fat to my beans as they were cooking and the result was off the richter scale.
Love this recipe! These are my go-to side dish for any Latin dish we make. So flavorful and the paprika, vinegar, and sugar really give them such great flavor 🙂
This was delicious and so flavorful!!
A++++++ Best black bean recipe I’ve ever had
Just made these and I loved it! Living in Miami we love black beans and rice! This tastes so authentic! And definitely add a tiny splash of vinegar at the end. Will make again!
Hi Jackie,
I’m so thrilled you loved these black beans!! I’m with you, I think a splash of vinegar at the end really makes the beans shine! Thank you so much for coming back and letting me know how everything went over! Cheers!! 🙂
How would you make this recipe starting with dried beans? Simply soak the beans then start the recipe at step 1?
Hi! This recipe uses fully cooked (canned) black beans. So, you would still need to cook the dried beans after you soak them. And then you can start the recipe at step 1. Let me know if you have any other questions! Cheers!
These are incredible! I’ve been trying to replicate the beans at an amazing Cuban restaurant in Seattle for years & my boyfriend & I agreed this recipe is even better!!! This is absolutely going in our dinner rotation!
Hi Megan,
I’m absolutely thrilled you and your boyfriend loved this recipe!!! I’m so happy to hear these beans are going in your dinner rotation! Thank you so much for coming back and letting me know how everything went over! 🙂
Cheers and warm wishes for a wonderful New Year,
Cheyanne
I was just reading a book that takes place in Cuba and they were making Cuban black beans, which made me crave black beans. I’m totally making these soon! Have a great week, Chey!
Love the video Chey! This is such a hearty side! May need to add this to our Conco de Mayo menu! Pinned!
These beans are the bomb ! I did add a packet of Goya Sazon to this tho ! So amazing and so fast ! Thank You !
Can’t wait to give these a try…plump full of healthy fiber and slow cooked simmered flavors…delish!
Whoa! You know how to dress up a can of beans my friend! These look spectacular! A big bowl of these with a slab of cornbread sounds fantastic!
I would enjoy these once a week too Chey! Black beans are one of our favorites. Yes, even Mr. Picky enjoys them. Hearty and satisyfying and full of flavor. Sign me up! Pinned!
Thank you for another Cuban recipe, Chey! I’m a huge fan of legumes, so this is my kind of dish. And that very last picture (I assume the beans served with the shredded Cuban beef) looks phenomenal. Give me a huge spoon please!
I love black beans! These look like a great side for taco night, which I do regularly. So good! Have a great weekend, Chey!
What a great hearty dish! I don’t know that I’ve ever had black beans straight-up. I think I’ve been missing something fabulous. Can’t wait to try this 🙂
This looks right up my alley! Healthy vegetarian protein packed full of flavours!