Mexican Black Beans

Easy Mexican Black Beans made from scratch using Instant Pot or stovetop pressure cooker. Hearty, flavorful, high in protein and fiber-rich dish. Serve it with some rice for a complete meal or as an accompaniment to your favorite Mexican dish. This recipe is no-soak, vegan, and gluten-free.

 

 

MEXICAN BLACK BEANS

My family loves Mexican food and I make these Mexican black beans quite often. These remind me of Indian RAJMA MASALA (Kidney Beans Curry), which I grew up devouring. Mexican black beans and rajma masala, both have a distinct flavor and taste.

I love to make these Mexican black beans in Instant Pot. Making Mexican black beans in Instant Pot is such a huge time saver. The best part is that it requires no soaking. They are flavorful and melt-in-mouth as if they have been soaked overnight.

I make a huge batch of black beans, and use them to make bean burritos, taco bowls, enchiladas, rice and beans casserole, and black bean dip. These homemade black beans are so much more flavorful and less in sodium, than the canned ones, and budget-friendly too. Try these healthy, homemade black beans and you will get hooked on it.

WHAT ARE BLACK BEANS

Black beans, also known as black turtle beans, are black-colored legumes, native to the Americas. It is popular in Latin American cuisine, and Cuban and Creole cuisines of South Louisiana. Black beans have also been introduced around the world, in India, it is used in Tamil cuisine and Maharashtrian cuisine as well.

Black beans have a dense meaty texture and are so widely used in vegetarian dishes, as they are a good source of protein and fiber. Frijoles negros means “black beans” in Spanish, it is a Latin American dish made with black beans, Cuban Black bean soup (Sopa de frijoles negros), and the Mexican-American black bean burrito. Black beans are used in soups, curries, salads, wraps, burritos, and even as a dip.

Pic Shown: Mexican Black Beans 

 

 

INGREDIENTS FOR MEXICAN BLACK BEANS

1 lb dried black beans, rinsed

5 cups water or broth

1 medium onion, chopped

1 jalapeno pepper, deseeded and chopped, adjust to taste

5-6 cloves garlic, minced

3 tablespoon oil

2 bay leaf

Freshly squeezed lime juice, adjust to taste

salt to taste

DRY SPICES

1 teaspoon dried oregano 

2 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon  smoked paprika

FOR GARNISH

A handful of fresh cilantro, chopped

1 lime, cut into wedges

Pic Shown: Dried Black Beans

 

 

HOW TO MAKE MEXICAN BLACK BEANS

Sharing my easy, no-soak Mexican Black Beans recipe from scratch using Instant Pot. This recipe uses dried black beans and requires no soaking, a huge time saver. With basic few ingredients, you can make the best black beans at home, which are much better than any take-out!!

Note: You can also use a stovetop pressure cooker to make this recipe. I have shared both versions in the recipe card below.

Pic Shown: Mexican Black Beans

 

 

PREP FOR MEXICAN BLACK BEANS

Rinse dried black beans, and keep it aside.

Chop onions, jalapeno, and minced garlic.

INSTANT POT MEXICAN BLACK BEANS 

You will need an INSTANT POT

Turn ON SAUTE (more). When it displays “HOT”, add oil, and onions. Sauté for 2-3 minutes, or until onions are translucent.

Add bay leaf, garlic, and jalapeno. Add dry spices – oregano, paprika, ground cumin. Sauté for 30-60 seconds.

Add water, and deglaze the pot. Cancel SAUTE mode.

Add black beans, salt to taste, and remaining water. Close the lid with the vent sealed.

Turn ON MANUAL / PRESSURE COOK (high) for 50 minutes. Let pressure release naturally, around 20 minutes.

Remove lid, turn ON SAUTE (more), and add some freshly squeezed lime juice. 

Simmer for a few minutes or until desired thickness.

Note: Sauce thickens as it cools.

Turn OFF SAUTE. Garnish with some fresh cilantro. Enjoy!

Pic Shown: Instant Pot Mexican Black Beans

 

 

STOVETOP MEXICAN BLACK BEANS

Follow the recipe as discussed. Close the pressure cooker, after the first whistle, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 50 minutes. Let pressure release naturally. The rest of the recipe is the same as Instant pot.

PRO TIPS FOR THE BEST MEXICAN BLACK BEANS

ABOUT THE SAUCE 

Beans absorb flavors from the sauce, so depending upon how flavorful the sauce is, the black beans will turn out. Season the sauce well.

SEASONING OF CHOICE

I like to use ground cumin, oregano, paprika, and some jalapeno pepper for some heat. You can also use some cayenne pepper, instead of jalapeno.

COOKING TIME

The quality of the beans, and the water used for cooking also affects the cooking time. Please use timing as a guideline, and adjust the cooking time as needed.

BROTH OR WATER

Broth or water both work fine in this recipe. I prefer to use broth for added flavor, and nutrients value.

VEGGIES OF CHOICE

Feel free to add veggies of your choice, red bell peppers, corn, celery, and go great with black beans.

MAKE IT SPICY 

Love spicy food, add some Chipotle pepper in adobo sauce for smoky, spicy black beans. I also love some hot sauce on my black beans, it just adds a nice kick to it.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

DO I NEED TO SOAK BLACK BEANS BEFORE COOKING

Soaking black beans is not required before cooking. However, if you prefer to soak the beans, please feel free to do so. Soaking does help reduce the cooking time.

For this recipe, I thoroughly rinsed the beans and use them in the recipe, for flavorful, melt-in-mouth black beans.

Cooking beans can be very tricky at times. Depending upon the quality of the beans, if it is aged (old), they might take longer to cook. 

Pic Shown: Instant Pot Mexican Black Beans

 

 

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKES TO COOK BEANS

For dried black beans, it takes around 50 minutes in a pressure cooker, for melt-in-mouth texture. If the beans are old, it might take a little longer. 

WHERE TO FIND BLACK BEANS

Black beans can be found in most Asian / American grocery stores in the beans section. You can find dried black beans in the Latin American / Mexican isle.

HOW MANY CUPS OF DRIED BEANS IN A POUND

1 pound of dried beans is slightly over 2 cups of dried beans. When beans are cooked they almost double in size. 1 cup of dried beans, yields around 2 1/2 cups of cooked beans.

One 15-ounce can of drained, canned black beans, equals approximately 1 1/2 cups of drained, cooked black beans.

HOW TO MAKE REFRIED BLACK BEANS

To make refried black beans, cook the black beans as per the recipe. Discard the bay leaf, and mash the cooked beans using a handheld blender, or a potato masher to the desired consistency. If it’s too dry, add a couple of tablespoons of water and adjust the consistency.

HOW TO MAKE BLACK BEAN FILLING

To make the black beans filling, cook the black beans as per the recipe. Discard the bay leaf, turn ON SAUTE (more), and cook the beans until all the moisture has evaporated, and the mixture is dry. Stir the mixture frequently, to avoid any sticking to the pot.

HOW TO MAKE BLACK BEANS SOUPS

Follow the recipe as suggested, add extra 2 cups of water or broth, to make it soupy. Once done with pressure cooking, mash the beans to the desired consistency. Serve it with a dollop of sour cream and some tortilla chips.

HOW TO STORE DRIED BLACK BEANS

Store them in a clean, air-tight container, in a dry, cool place. Avoid any kind of moisture, use clean, dry hands when handling dried beans. If stored under proper conditions, dried beans can last for up to 2 to 3 years.

CAN I USE CANNED BLACK BEANS

Yes, you can use canned black beans for this recipe. Follow the recipe as suggested, and reduce the amount of water to one-fourth. So for a can of black beans, use 1/4 cup of water. Pressure cook for 5 minutes, this will allow all the flavors to blend in well.

HOW TO STORE COOKED BLACK BEANS

Black beans stay good for 3-5 days in the refrigerator. Once at room temperature, store it in an airtight container.

Black beans can be frozen for a couple of months. Divide it into smaller portions, and store it in freezer safe containers. Defrost overnight in the fridge, or a microwave. Reheat and serve.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS FOR BLACK BEANS

Some of the ways I like to serve black beans are:

Black beans with Cilantro-Lime rice

Make a bean burrito, as bean dip

Add them to salads

Add them to Chicken Tortilla Soup

Make bean quesadilla. I replace the chicken and add black beans in Chicken Quesadilla

 

 

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