Anyone who knows me knows that I could eat black beans and rice all day, every day. Since it is such a staple in my home I came up with a recipe to have consistently rich, creamy and flavorful black beans every single time. This dish is so versatile, it can be eaten with rice, salad, tacos, quesadillas or just by itself. It is also a healthy source of protein and fiber and is super delicious!
My family moved to the Miami-Ft. Lauderdale area when I was 12, so Cuban-style black beans has become one of my favorite dishes. To me, it is as equivalent to comfort as daal and rice. I season my beans pretty simply, with onion, garlic, a bay leaf and a jalapeño. Jalapeño is not traditionally Cuban, but I love spicy food so I always include it.
Generally, I make a large batch of these beans over the weekend, and I use it in several meals during the week. There’s a reason it’s such a staple in so many parts of the world. One cup of cooked black beans contains 227 calories, 15.2 grams of protein and 15 grams of fiber. Since I work out so much and live an active lifestyle, black beans are a filling and wholesome meal at the end of the day.
The Gas Factor
Let’s talk about what we are all thinking. A lot of people avoid beans because they are worried about how it is digested (and its effect on others around them). Beans cause intestinal gas because they contain specific sugars and fiber that are hard to digest. We lack an enzyme that helps digest this. One thing that does help is soaking the beans beforehand and discarding the water before cooking. I can also assure you from personal experience that the more you incorporate beans into your diet, the more your body will get used to it. If it is still an issue, there are supplements like beano that prevent discomfort when consuming beans.
The Key to making hearty black beans
- First, use dried beans. The flavor that comes from dried beans beats any canned beans, even if it is seasoned and cooked for hours.
- Soak the beans. This not only reduces cooking time, but if you discard the extra water, it will make you less *ahem* gassy.
- Pressure cook for 30 minutes. While the beans themselves will take only 15-20 minutes to cook, pressure cooking for 30 minutes will soften the beans up and thicken the gravy so that it will seem like you’ve kept it on the stove for hours. The longer you cook beans, the tastier it gets!
- Keep it simple! I don’t add a lot to the beans. Just garlic, onion, jalapeño pepper and a bay leaf. Some recipes do call for tomatoes, peppers, lime juice or cumin powder, but I don’t think that’s necessary for a rich bowl of beans. Of course, feel free to improvise as you see fit!
Foolproof InstantPot Black Beans
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup Dried Black beans
- 1/2 yellow onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic smashed
- 1 jalapeño pepper chopped
Instructions
Soak the Beans
- Soak black beans overnight, for at least 8 hours
Pressure Cook
- Rinse black beans clear and add to instant pot.
- Add 3 cups of water.
- Add 1 bay leaf, chopped onion and smashed garlic.
- Season with 2 tsp salt.
- Pressure cook for 30 minutes, slow release.
- Once the pressure has been released, open and adjust water and salt. Allow to simmer for 2-3 minutes on the saute setting. This step is optional, but will allow the beans to thicken up a little bit more.
- Garnish with cilantro and serve!
Notes
To make the Cuban-Style Platanos Maduros (Fried Sweet Plantains)
These are super simple. You will need a sweet plantain. These are yellow and slightly bigger than bananas. They will need to be completely ripe. You will know they are ripe when they have a lot of brown/black dots all over.
- Peel the plantain by scoring the peel with a knife length wise
- Cut into slices on the bias (diagonally)
- Heat a pan with oil. While coconut oil is traditional, I used sunflower to reduce some of the saturated fat.
- Once oil is hot, brown the plantains for a few minutes on each side. The heat will caramelize the plantains and bring out the sugar.
- Flip and brown the other side.
- Remove from flame and place on a towel-lined plate.
- Sprinkle with cinnamon (optional), and serve alongside black beans and rice!
