These restaurant-style Mexican black beans are delicious, easy to make, and the perfect side dish to your next Taco Tuesday night.

Taco Tuesday is by far my favorite dinner of the week. Which is why it has transformed into more than just on Tuesday nights. At first, my kids would say, “but it’s not Tuesday!” when I told them what dinner was. Now they have accepted the fact Mexican food is my favorite and therefore, we have it more frequently. Luckily they love it too!

For us, taco night doesn’t necessarily mean just tacos, though. It’s kind of a catch all for anything Mexican food related. One of my favorites is a burrito bowl and a staple of it is Mexican black beans. I have been perfecting my black bean recipe for a while with my husband as my taste tester. He is my biggest fan critic and he approves of this version.

Are black beans good for you?

Black beans are packed with nutrition. They are part of the legume family and are high in protein and fiber, among other vitamins and minerals. This recipe is gluten-free and a great meat alternative, if you are a vegetarian. There are a lot of health benefits to eating beans. Funnily, I spent most of my life avoiding beans. It wasn’t until a few years ago, that I finally tried them and was pleasantly surprised. Now I incorporate all the different types of beans in all sorts of dishes!

How do you know when black beans are cooked?

The skin on beans will start to wrinkle and peel back when they are done. If you take a sample of the beans on a spoon and blow on them, then you will notice this. In the pot, if the skins are starting to pull away, then they are done. You don’t want to overcook beans because they will become too mushy. However, you don’t want to eat undercooked beans because they could make you sick.

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How do you cook dried black beans without soaking?

I have used dried beans and canned beans. I can’t say I have a preference, it’s only a matter of how much time I have. If I planned my meal enough in advance, then soaking the beans overnight is easy. However, let’s be honest, that is not most weeks for me. Therefore, canned beans are my friends. Yet, if all you have is dried beans, you can cook them without soaking overnight.

1. Rinse your beans and place them in a pot.
2. Add 3 cups of water for every 1 cup of beans.
3. Bring to a boil and let cook for 3-4 minutes.
4. Remove from heat, cover, and let sit at least 1 hour.

What happens if you don’t drain canned beans?

Really it’s just a good idea to rinse any canned vegetable. It’s a better to be safe than sorry attitude. The reasoning behind draining and rinsing canned beans is that the liquid mainly contains starch and added salt. By draining them, you are starting with a fresh flavor profile. It’s a bunch of unnecessary stuff you don’t need in your dish.

HOW TO MAKE Mexican Black Beans

These Mexican black beans are flavorful and so easy to make. Pair them with all your other Mexican favorites and your family will love what’s for dinner. Alternatively, you can eat this black bean dish as a protein packed, vegan meal all by itself.

WHAT YOU NEED: 

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KITCHEN TOOLS NEEDED: 

• Frying pan
• Cooking spoon
• Cutting board
• Knife
• Garlic press

INGREDIENTS NEEDED: 

• Black beans
• Onion
• Bell pepper
• Garlic
• Chili powder
• Cumin
• Paprika
• Oregano
• Cayenne pepper

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Prepare the black beans.

Drain your can of black beans and rinse them. Then set them aside.

You can use canned black beans or dried for this dish. I have used both and they have turned out the same. Canned black beans would obviously be quicker and is what I will be referring to in this recipe. With dried beans, you need to soak them overnight, then cook them.

2. Saute the onion and bell pepper.

Heat up your frying pan on medium to high heat. Drizzle a tablespoon of olive oil into the pan. Once it is heated add the diced onion and diced bell pepper. Saute them for 5-10 minutes, until they start to become tender. A great option is to add a diced up jalapeno pepper to this dish. If you do, then saute it now with these ingredients.

You can use whatever type of bell pepper you have on hand. I believe I have used literally all of them! My son loves them, so I always use whatever I have in the house for him.

3. Add in your mixture of spices.

Once the vegetables have cooked a bit, sprinkle about 3/4 of your seasoning over them and mix. Then add your black beans and minced garlic. Saute and add the rest of the seasoning. After the garlic has had time to hit the heat and become fragrant, about a couple of minutes, then you will start adding your water.

In regards to your spice mixture, you can always add more heat. I added cayenne pepper to this recipe, but only a little. Now I don’t think these beans are that spicy, but you might feel otherwise. The amount of each spice you use can definitely be adjusted. My one year old loves these beans!

4. Adding in your water.

With the many, many times I have made black beans, I kept perfecting and finding a good balance that I liked. I prefer when they are a little soupier and so have added more water to my recipe each time. Therefore, this step is crucial to me.

After you have allowed your garlic to cook for a couple of minutes, add in 1/2 cup of water. Reduce the heat to low and allow this to simmer. When that is reduced down, add another 1/2 cup of water and allow that to cook. You might be thinking this seems like a lot of water, but it gets soaked up quickly. In the past, I felt like the black bean dish was too dry and I think it tastes better in more of a liquid sauce. Therefore, once you remove the beans from the heat, add another 1/2 cup of water. Then, you will be done adding in the liquid!

I tend to make a big batch of beans and will eat them the next couple of days. That way having this extra liquid in the dish really helps keep them moist when I heat them up again. In addition, this little bit of extra liquid goes well when you put the beans over rice, which is what I usually do.

What can I serve these Mexican black beans with?

Almost anything! You could just eat them alone if you love them as I do. However, an amazing Mexican rice recipe would be an excellent choice to eat with the beans. Does it get more authentic than a delicious Mexican rice and beans dish?! Also, my one year old loves beans and rice, which makes it easy for me.

• Burrito bowl – This is my favorite! Rice, beans, salsa, shredded cheese, lettuce, and diced tomatoes in a bowl.
• Fajitas – My husband may or may not eat fajitas pretty much every night. Seriously, it’s been going on for years – that’s another story! Beans go great in them or on the side.
• Tacos – My older boys love tacos. They don’t love the beans, but you can have them in the tacos or on the side, just like fajitas.
• Burritos – This is my second favorite, which I think you could see why! It’s like the bowl but in a tortilla.
• Side dish – Really though, this recipe could make a great side dish with any protein you got cooking for dinner.

What’s Next? 

You may also enjoy these flavorful recipes on A Home To Grow Old In: 

• Easy Mexican Bruschetta
• Cajun Dirty Recipe
• Spicy Sriracha Chex Mix