I seriously use these beans for just about everything that calls for beans. For tacos, burritos, burrito bowls, to top rice, and as a side (and when I’m feeling less beany and more lentil-y, I use this chipotle rice and lentil mix). They’re easily freezable, easy to make, cheap as chips, and packed full of spicy flavour. You really can’t go wrong!
There are two ways I prepare the beans before the final spice-tomato mix simmer, but it depends on how you like to prepare beans and also how much time you have.
You can soak the regulation six hours or overnight, prior to simmering with the orange, onion, and garlic, or you can cook them the “lazy” way (which I do more often than not), which I found at Serious Eats: The Lazy Cook’s Black Beans. I love how Max describes how the slow simmer releases the starch to make the beans creamy without pre-soaking. I do find that the 1-2 hours he recommends is just not enough to make them truly meltingly soft, so I go for four hours when I can. The soaked beans will take a little less time.
Tomorrow I’ll post my spicy black bean and quinoa bowl recipe with my favourite toppings, and also an amazing giveaway from Your Home Depot – see you then!
Spicy Black Beans
Print recipeIngredients
- 2 cups dried black beans
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
- 1 Large orange, washed
- 1 Large onion, peeled and halved
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 400g diced tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 1 Large lime, juiced
- water, as needed
Directions
| Step 1 | |
| Depending on which method you choose - either take the two cups of dried beans, or two cups of soaked beans, and put them in a large pot with the smashed garlic and the halved onion, and squeeze in the juice of the orange. Add the halves to the pot. | |
| Step 2 | |
| Cover with water about 3-4 inches and set on a high heat until water boils. Turn the heat down low and simmer for as long as you can - for the unsoaked beans about 3-4 hours is good, and soaked beans will need about two hours. Top with water as necessary to keep them covered. | |
| Step 3 | |
| When the beans are tender, remove the orange and onion, and turn up the heat to evaporate any of the cooking water left. When there is only a few tablespoons left, turn the heat down to medium and add all the rest of the ingredients except lime juice. | |
| Step 4 | |
| When all is heated and beginning to bubble, turn the heat down and simmer for 30 minutes or so. Taste for seasoning and add whatever is lacking. Feel free to salt generously, also. | |
Yum! These beans sound the business! I wonder if you can make them in the slow cooker? I bet the orange makes them taste awesome!
I was thinking the same thing! Might have to do some experimenting with the slow cooker on these ones 🙂
I would totally do slow cooker until it’s time to add the spices and tomato – it really needs the stove-top reduction to really bring out the flavours. But it’s totally doable if you want to do the lot!
I love black beans too and like you I’ve just started not soaking them and just simmering them slowly until tender. My long time favorite black bean recipe is Cuban style and I’ve just started refrying the left over Cuban black beans for tacos etc. Refried Cuban black beans are the best ever!!
Yum. these look so good. I usually just buy the black beans in a can but i think i will have to put these ones on my meal plan
I started these because I could never find the beans in the can, and then when I could, they were so expensive! I still buy them now and then 🙂
love the citrus in this – i need a good regular spicy beans dish and dried beans sounds sensible because it is harder to find them tinned. what black beans do you buy – last time i looked i found black turtle beans and weren’t sure if they were the same as tinned black beans.
Yep, they’re the ones! Black turtle beans. Such a cheap but delicious and filling dish. One of my favourites – especially with the orange!
Thanks – I will try the black turtle beans
Gotta love black beans, especially in mexican dishes!
I could eat them every week!
I just KNOW I’m going to regret ticking the yes to Home Depot emails box. Or, to be precise, my credit card will! Love a good Mexican. And I’ve been a long time soaker and cooker of my black beans. YUM!
Yeah I soaked for years! Then I found the lazy way and was like “my life will never be the same”. You are going to LOVE Your Home Depot, they are the bomb! (But yes, CC will hate it haha)
This is going to sound stupid, where an I buy the dry beans,my grocer has all sorts of dried beans but not black beans, can I use bortolli or kidney beans?
yes, of course! Kidney beans would work well. I know not everyone has the black beans, it was years before I could buy any!
Y U M B O
i went on an adventure to binin (because apparently you can’t buy black beans in the supermarket here) an I now have these cooking. I can’t wait !
I hope you liked them!