Black Beans

Black Beans

These black beans are very versatile and ideal for meal prep or a quick weeknight dinner. You can use them in a variety of dishes such as seven-layer dip, Pulled Pork Nachos, Cowboy Caviar, black beans and rice, or black bean soup.

I prefer the heartier soup version, garnished with a bit of jalapeño, lime, sour cream, and onion. This recipe takes a little over an hour to make after soaking the beans overnight, which helps speed up the cooking process and keep the skins intact. A pound of dried black beans will make soup for four easily, and can be stored in the fridge for about a week, giving you plenty of options for weeknight dinners.

Main Ingredients:

Black Turtle Beans: Look for dried Black Turtle Beans; they are hearty, healthy, and flavorful. They pair well with pulled chicken and pork and can also be enjoyed on their own. I mainly eat these beans without adding any protein. 

Chicken Broth: I prefer homemade Chicken Broth for this recipe but opt for a low-sodium version if I use store-bought. You can also substitute vegetable broth to make vegan black beans.

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Black Beans

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Course: Sides, Vegetarian

These black beans are very versatile and ideal for meal prep or a quick weeknight dinner.

Servings: 6

1/2x 1x 2x

6

servings

Prep time

5

minutes

Cooking time

1

hour 

Soaking time

12

hours 

Total time

13

hours 

5

minutes

Cook Mode

Keep the screen on while I cook

Ingredients

• 1 pound black beans, soaked overnight

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 1/2 small onion, diced

• 5 garlic cloves, sliced thinly

• 1 tsp cumin

• 1 1/2 tbsp chili powder

• 1 tbsp dried oregano

• 2 tsp smoked paprika

• 1 bay leave

• 1/4 tsp black pepper

• 1 tsp salt

• 5 cups chicken stock

Method

• Rinse the beans in cold water and remove any rocks. Place the beans in a 2-quart container and cover them with cold water. Make sure the beans are completely covered so that even if they double in size, they will still be submerged. Let them soak overnight.
• Strain the beans through a colander and rinse them under cold water. Set aside.
• Heat the oil in a pot on medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, and sweat for 4-5 minutes until they are soft.
• Add in spices and toast for 1 minute.
• Add the stock, beans, and water. Cover the pot, bring it to a simmer. Skim the foam off the surface if you see any developing. Simmer for 45-50 minutes to produce a slightly al dente bean. If you prefer softer beans, you can cook them for an additional 10-20 minutes.

Field Notes

• You can church up these beans with several garnish options: fresh or Pickled Jalapeños, raw onion, green onion, cilantro, sour cream, our Citrus Crema, lime, cotija cheese, Meal-Prep Pulled Pork Shoulder with Red Chili Sauce… the options really are endless.