How to Cook Black Beans

Black beans, also known as Frijoles Negros, are a popular ingredient in most southwestern kitchens. Frijoles or pinto beans are the most common but black beans are becoming more and more popular. So if you’d like to join in the fun, let’s learn how to cook black beans with these tips and recipes below.

In order to cook black beans, you will need 1 cup of dried black beans and water. Here are the steps on how to cook black beans.

1. Grab your black beans and remove any dirt, stones, or damaged beans.
2. Now, place them in a large saucepan or a 4-quart Dutch oven if you have one.
3. Add in a quart of cold water.
4. Bring the water and beans to a boil.
5. Once it boils, allow 2 more minutes before you cover the pot with the lid. Then, reduce the heat to low setting.
6. Let it simmer until your beans become tender. This may take about 1 to 2 hours depending on the age of the beans you’ve used.
7. After it has become tender, it’s done. Now it’s up to you how to use your black beans. You can use it for desserts, sauces, dips, or dishes. Let’s take a look at how to make refried beans.

Refried beans are great appetizers served with fried corn chips too. You can also serve them as a side dish. To make refried beans, let’s take a look at these easy steps.

Black beans in ceramic bowl

1. Drain the beans you just cooked above.
2. After draining, use a fork or potato masher to mash your drained black beans.
3. In a skillet, heat some lard until it gets hot.
4. Toss the mashed beans into the skillet and let them fry.
5. If you prefer, you can first sauté some onions and garlic before you put in the mashed beans. It’s up to you if you want to add that onion or garlic flavor to your black beans. Just make sure to cook the onions and/or garlic well before adding in your black beans.
6. After frying, you’re done! Serve on a bowl with fried corn chips as appetizers for your party.

Normally, the refried beans recipe is made up of pinto beans. However, black beans will taste just as good. Just a few tips, if you’d like to add salt to your beans, make sure to add them once they are cooked. Salt can toughen your beans while it’s still cooking. You can also add bay leaf, peppercorns, and even carrots while your black beans are cooking. This will add different flavors to your beans.