Quick & Easy Cuban Black Beans

Overhead photo of cooked Cuban Black Beans in a large white dutch oven garnished with fresh cilantro and sliced scallions; with a ramekin of chopped cilantro and salt arranged around the pot.

4.94 from 15 votes

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)

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time25 mins

Total Time35 mins

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Cuban

Keyword: Black Beans, Easy, quick

Servings:

Calories: 73kcal

Author: Cheyanne Holzworth

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 1/3^rd) 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 1/3^rd) 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.

Nutritional information is an approximation based upon 12 servings. Exact information will depend upon the brands of ingredients and precise measurements used.

Nutrition