Black Beans
Black beans are a mild, earthy legume central to Mexican and Caribbean cooking, sold both dried and canned. This page covers both forms, which taste nearly identical once cooked but differ in convenience and prep time.
How to buy
Dried: look for uniform size and color, free of cracks, wrinkling, or debris, ideally from a bin or bag with high turnover -- older dried beans take much longer to soften and sometimes never fully do. Canned: avoid dented or bulging cans, and consider a low-sodium or no-salt-added option if you want control over seasoning.
How to store
Dried beans keep in an airtight container in a cool, dry pantry for up to a year; they don't spoil so much as slowly dry out further and take longer to cook as they age. Unopened cans keep indefinitely within their shelf date. Once opened, refrigerate in an airtight container and use within 3-4 days, or freeze cooked beans for up to 6 months.
Culinary profile
- Flavor
- Earthy, slightly sweet, with a mild mineral note. Canned beans carry a touch of brininess from the canning liquid unless rinsed well.
- Texture
- Properly cooked dried beans are creamy inside with a tender skin that holds together. Canned beans are softer and can be slightly mushy straight from the can, but firm up nicely with a quick simmer.
- Aroma
- Mild and faintly earthy on its own, but readily absorbs the aroma of whatever it's cooked with -- garlic, onion, cumin, and bay leaf are classic partners.
How to prepare
- Soaked and boiled — Dried beans soaked several hours, then simmered until tender -- the base preparation for everything else.
- Refried — Cooked beans mashed and fried in fat, often with onion and garlic, until thick and spreadable.
- Simmered with aromatics — Beans cooked gently with onion, garlic, and spices to build a flavorful pot liquor.
Classic dishes
American
- Tex-Mex black bean salad — Black beans tossed with corn, pepper, and a lime vinaigrette.
- Black bean burger — Mashed black beans formed into a patty and seared or grilled.
- Black bean dip — Blended black beans seasoned and served warm as a dip.
- Black bean and corn salsa — A chunky, fresh salsa combining black beans, corn, tomato, and lime.
Mexican
- Refried black beans (frijoles negros refritos) — Cooked beans mashed and fried until thick, often with lard or oil.
- Black bean tacos — Seasoned black beans as a filling for soft or crisp tacos.
- Black bean tostadas — A crisp fried tortilla topped with mashed black beans and garnishes.
- Black bean and cheese burrito — Black beans and melted cheese wrapped in a flour tortilla.
- Black bean soup with lime and cumin — A pureed or chunky soup seasoned with cumin, finished with lime.
- Black bean enchiladas — Tortillas rolled around a black bean filling, covered in sauce and baked.
- Black bean quesadillas — Black beans and cheese melted between folded tortillas.
Caribbean
- Moros y cristianos (Cuban black beans and rice) — Black beans and white rice cooked together with garlic, onion, and cumin.
- Costa Rican gallo pinto — A breakfast dish of black beans and rice fried together with onion and pepper.
- Haitian black bean sauce (sós pwa nwa) — A smooth, seasoned black bean sauce served over rice.
- Jamaican stewed black beans — Black beans stewed with coconut milk, thyme, and scallion.