The Easiest Black Beans Recipe (2024)

Eat Well Jan. 5. 2018

Sides

Cooking dried black beans are incredibly easy, delicious,and an affordable way to eat plant-based proteins and fiber. Point made with the easiest black beans recipe.

Canned beans are convenient to cook with, but there’s nothing better than having a huge pot of cooked beans that make a big batch of leftovers for the week. Jesse makes a pot of beans at least once a week, whether we’re making black beans, kidney beans, a stew with beans, refried beans for taco night, etc. — you name it, we’ve made beans all kinds of ways. It occurred to me that I haven’t shared a solid, simple, and delicious way to make a pot of beans, so here it is friends!

I highly recommend bookmarking this recipe for this weekend or on your next meal planning day — these make the perfect leftover side dish. You can enjoy these in so many ways from warming up as a side dish paired with any entree, topping a salad for a quick lunch, adding to a stir-fry, adding to a broth-based soup for extra protein and fiber, or eating them plain. The possibilities are diverse, flexible for your lifestyle, affordable, and easy to keep stocked in your pantry.

We often eat plant-based meals for dinner throughout the week, but especially during lunchtime when I’m craving something filling, energizing (i.e. balance my blood sugars so I’m coasting all afternoon), and easy to whip up or reheat — beans are it.

Stripped

1. Fiber

1 cup of black beans contains roughly 15 g of fiber — but not just fiber, protein too. The combination of protein and fiber help your body balance blood sugar and keep you fuller, longer. We know how important fiber is to our digestive system and each day we should aim for at least 35g of fiber (sometimes more depending on your unique metabolism and digestion). Eating enough fiber keeps us regular, aids in a healthy microbiome, and helps our body absorb nutrients.

2. Protein

1 cup of black beans contains roughly 14 g of plant-based protein. Protein (i.e. amino acids) is crucial to our health from rebuilding muscle tissue to balancing hormones, blood sugar balance, and energy production. Read more about plant-based proteins here.

3. Magnesium

Magnesium is an important mineral in our body and plays a key role in 300 cellular functions in the body including muscle function, protein synthesis, blood sugar control, and blood pressure regulation. It’s also been shown to help decrease PMS, headaches (such as migraines), and can be used to help relax digestive muscles which can reduce constipation.

4. Additional Minerals

Beans and legumes are rich sources of minerals, which most of the American diet is lacking, especially when it comes to magnesium which is the start mineral in black beans. Beans also containmolybdenum, folate, copper, manganese, phosphorus, iron, and vitamin B.

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The Recipe

Serves 6-8

Print

1 tablespoons olive oil

1 large yellow onion, finely diced

Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper

5 cloves garlic, minced

1 orange, washed and halved

1 pound dried black beans, rinsed

3 dried bay leaves

3 sprigs fresh thyme (or use 1 tablespoon dried thyme)

1/2 – 1 tablespoonsground cayenne, optional for personal taste

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon dried ground oregano

1/2 teaspoon dried ground sage

Ghee or butter

Garnish options: fresh cilantro, lime, and fresh jalapenos

Also Using:

Beans

Step 1

In amedium-large Dutchoven (or a large pot with a lid), heat oil over medium heat, until shimmering.

Step 2

Add diced onion and a large pinch of kosher salt and cook until translucent. About 8 minutes — stirring occasionally. Add minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 45 seconds.

Step 3

Add rinsed black beans and top with filtered water until submergedby 3-4 inches.

Step 4

Add sage, oregano, cumin, thyme, bay leaves and cayenne(if using). Squeeze both halves of the orange into the pot before placing them cut side down in the pot.

Step 5

Cover with the lid and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered for 2-3 hours, stirring occasionally until beans are tender. Add water as needed so beans stay slightly submerged

Step 6

Remove orange halves. Raise to medium-high heat and add Ghee (or butter), apple cider vinegar and soy sauce. Cook until beans are thick and creamy. Season to taste with salt and fresh black pepper.

Step 7

That’s it! Serve with fresh cilantro, jalapenos, and lime over steamed rice.

Add These Items To Your Grocery List This Week:

onion
orange
fresh thyme
garnish options: fresh cilantro, lime, and fresh jalapenos

Things You May Have On Hand Already…

black beans
garlic
olive oil
dried bay leaves
ground oregano
ground sage
ground cumin
cayenne
soy sauce
apple cider vinegar

What do you think?

If you try this recipe, I wanna hear about it, so let’s chat!Leave a comment below to chat with the community and don’t forget to tag a picture #nutritionstripped to show how you live and try these recipes on Instagram! I’d love to see what you come up with.

Tagged:

batch cooking fiber make ahead meal prep protein