Black beans taken to the next level with bold Mexican flavors all from ingredients you have around the house! Sometimes black beans become a forgettable side dish, but not these! They will be the highlight of your meal!
Easy Black Bean Side Dish
We just barely survived an extremely stressful summer. Before I get into the details, let me just say that these Mexican black beans came from some friends who had us over for dinner one tonight. They were the best black beans we have ever had!
All you need are a few simple ingredients and you’ll be in the middle of a Mexican black bean fiesta! Ole! Serve these alongside our pork carnitas or either one of our chicken or beef fajitas!
Okay, so this summer we made a major mistake. Well, not a mistake, but we went through an incredibly stressful summer and it was all at our own doing. We chose to completely gut our kitchen and three of our bathrooms.
You guys, I know that seems like it’s not that big of a deal, but have children, have your job be completely centered around cooking, and then take away the sinks, anything with cooking, showers and toilets and then fill the whole house with endless people, dust, dirt, and chaos.
That is stress.
One thing after another fell apart, the kitchen backsplash tile was accidentally installed in the shower, the cabinets were late, and then late again, and then wrong. The floors were ruined, which we hadn’t planned to replace.
WE FOUND MOLD.
I mean, the list literally goes on for another mile and we were stretched beyond our own capacity. It was so hard living off of protein bars and cereal in plastic bowls and I’m not kidding, that’s what we ate. We aren’t the type to say, hey folks, we could use a dinner or heck a plate of cookies because we are drowning!!!!! But we have two friends who reached out and cooked us a meal at one point.
One of those meals involved these easy black beans and although they filled our spirits and we knew, we knew it was such a crazy tender mercy that day, they also happened to be the best, the most delicious Mexican Black Beans Ever!
What’s Needed for Mexican Black Beans?
To make this simple black bean side dish, you need just a handful of ingredients. Here’s what goes into this easy recipe:
- Olive oil
- Garlic
- Cumin
- Canned black beans
- Tomato sauce
- Fresh cilantro
How to Make Mexican Black Beans
Don’t you love when a recipe is out-of-this-world delicious and also incredibly simple to make?! That is the best of both worlds! Three simple steps is all you need:
- Bloom the spices: heat a sauce pan on medium heat on the stove with the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the cumin and garlic to bloom the flavors and stir until they become fragrant (about 30-60 seconds). Blooming means to gently fry in oil, and it deepens the flavor of spices.
- Combine and mix: add the black beans, tomato sauce and cilantro to the sauce pan and stir everything together.
- Simmer: turn the temperature down to medium-low and allow the mixture to simmer for about 30-40 minutes or until your desired thickness. Add more cilantro if desired.
That’s all I got! So easy and I know you’re going to just love these!
FAQ
Are Black Beans Good for You?
This is one of the best things about black beans! They are so healthy! They are loaded with protein and fiber and low in fat. And just when you didn’t think they could get any better, they also contain important nutrients like phosphorous and magnesium.
Are Black Beans And Kidney Beans The Same?
No, they are not the same at all. Kidney beans are quite large, reddish in color and kidney shaped and black beans are small, oval and black (imagine that!). Black beans are also a little harder in texture while kidney beans are quite soft. They are fairly similar in nutritional value. That being said, you could use kidney beans in place of the black beans in this recipe if you need to. Pinto beans would also be great!
Are Black Beans Used For Refried Beans?
Yes, absolutely! We loved refried black beans! SO GOOD! You can make our better than a restaurant refried beans with black beans and they are heaven! To make this recipe into refried beans, just make them as directed in the instructions and then mash them with a potato masher until they are the consistency you want. If they are start to get a little too thick, add a tablespoon or two of water.
Can You Use Dry Black Beans?
Yes, absolutely! We love using dry beans! They just take a little planning ahead. They need to be soaked overnight in water. Place the beans in a bowl and fill the bowl up with water until there are about 4 inches of water over the beans.
After they have soaked over night, drain and rinse them and then place them in a pot. Cover them with enough water to cover the beans and be about 4 inches above the level of the beans. Bring the beans to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Allow them to simmer for about an hour.
When they are tender, drain them and add them to the skillet and follow the instructions for this recipe.
Do Black Beans Need To Be Refrigerated?
Yes, just like all cooked foods, black beans should be refrigerated to avoid harmful bacteria. They shouldn’t be out at room temperature for more than a couple of hours. Keep them in a sealed airtight container.
How Long Will Black Beans Keep?
If the black beans are stored properly in an airtight container, they will last in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
How Do I Reheat Black Beans?
Blacks heat up really well in the microwave. Place them in a microwavable bowl and cook for 2 minutes. Give them a stir and if they still aren’t hot enough, cook them for another minute. Heat them in 1 minute intervals with a stir in between until they are the temperature you want.
You can also reheat them on the stove top. Place the beans in a sauce pan and turn the neat on medium. Stir them occasionally until they are the temperature you are after.
These Mexican black beans are about to be the the star of your next Mexican meal! They will have you up and doing the salsa all around your kitchen!
Tips for Making the Best Black Beans
Tomato sauce: This recipe originally called for tomato juice, but I always grab tomato sauce on accident, so we usually just use that now. Both are delicious and the only difference is one makes a thicker bean side dish than the other.
Garlic: We LOVE garlic, but you really do need just two cloves for this recipe. Don’t add extra garlic, otherwise it will overwhelm the dish.
To make it spicy: We think this dish is perfect as is, but if you like your Mexican black beans on the spicy side, try adding diced jalapeños or red pepper flakes to the recipe.
More MEXICAN RECIPES You Should Try:
- Smothered Honey Lime Chicken Burritos
- Authentic Pork Carnitas
- Instant Pot Pork Carnitas
- Mexican Cheesy Ground Beef and Rice Casserole
- Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Rice Chicken Bowls
- Mexican Street Corn – Elote
- Cafe Rio Copycat Sweet Pork
- Instant Pot Refried Beans
- Chicken Fajitas
- Steak Fajitas
- Roasted Tomatillo Chicken Enchiladas
- All our MEXICAN RECIPES here!
Mexican Black Beans
Description
Ingredients
- 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 2 Cloves Garlic, , minced
- 2 Teaspoons Cumin
- 2 Cans (15 ounces each) Black Beans , , drained
- 1.5 Cans Tomato Sauce, (11 ounces total) **see notes below
- 1/4 Cup Fresh Cilantro, , chopped
Instructions
- Heat a saucepan over medium heat with the olive oil, cumin and garlic, stirring continuously until fragrant, about 30-60 seconds.
- Add the black beans, tomato sauce, and cilantro.
- Turn the heat down to medium and simmer until thickened to desired consistency, seasoning with salt and pepper if needed. We like about 30-40 minutes, but less is great too.
- Serve with a little extra cilantro.
Notes
Nutrition
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CJ
This recipe is so good! I’ve served it & meat loving friends think because it is so satisfying there must be more than black bean deliciousness. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe.
Carolyn Williams
Great side dish? I’ve been having it as the entree. Fantastic recipe. Thanks for posting it.
Sweet Basil
Good idea! Thank you so much for the feedback! Xoxo!
CJ
YES!
Callie Blanco
I made these tonight and we loved them!
Sweet Basil
Yay! Thank you so much Callie!