This recipe is for the times you want a little more than plain black beans but aren’t in the mood for chili. Step one is cook black beans, so ideally soak overnight then either use a slow cooker or get them tender by simmering on the stovetop.
Step two is to cook up a sofrito then stir it into the cooked beans with a touch of molasses and vinegar then simmer until the bean broth thickens, about 15 minutes. Great served with roasted sweet potatoes, cilatro lime rice, or plain with a tortilla, quesadilla, or chips. Toppings are welcome— chopped white onion, sour cream, and pickled jalapeños are our favorites. For a more deluxe meal, serve these beans with chile verde and homemade tortillas.
Edited from original post, August 29, 2009
Cuban-Style Black Beans
makes 6–8 cups; recipe adapted from a Lourdes Castro recipe in Food & Wine magazine (2009)
Ingredients
Cooked black beans
- 1 pound black beans, soaked overnight Rancho Gordo Midnight
- 6 cups water
- 1 tablespoon salt sea salt or Kosher
Sofrito
- 3 tablespoons olive oil or avocado oil
- ½ onion (white or yellow), small dice
- ½ green or red bell pepper, small dice
- 3 cloves garlic minced and mashed with 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 tablespoons organic blackstrap molasses
- 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
Toppings: sour cream, cilantro, pickled jalapeños, and/or lime wedges
Serve with: tortillas, quesadillas, tortilla chips, or cilantro rice
Instructions
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Ideally soak the beans and cook until just tender. Please see How to Cook Beans post. If you have an abundance of bean broth post cooking, drain some off to leave the beans just swimming, not submerged. If you used the exact 6 cups of water to cook the beans, you'll most likely have the perfect amount of bean broth.
Sofrito
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Warm oil in a frying pan, add the diced onion and green pepper, cook a couple minutes then add the garlic and continue to cook until onion is softened, about 5 minutes total.
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Add this sofrito back to the cooked beans, along with the molasses, bay leaf, and vinegar. Bring to simmer and cook until liquid thickens, about 15 minutes. Remove bay leaf, taste and adjust seasoning by adding more salt and/or vinegar.
Recipe Notes / Tips
- These beans get better with a little time on them, so they are great to make in advance. Keep refrigerated.
- Serve with tortillas or chips, roasted sweet potato halves, or cilantro rice.
