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    Home » Recipes » Cuban Food

    Quick Cuban Style Black Beans

    Published: May 20, 2021 by Elizabeth · 8 Comments

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    Two images of the black beans served over white rice, garnished with chopped parsley with two wedges on the side. The food is served on a white plate with a light blue rim. The pictures are separated by a blue graphic with the title in aqua and yellow letters.

    Turning a couple of cans of plain black beans into quick Cuban style black beans is easy. Black beans (frijoles negros, in Spanish) are a staple in Cuban cuisine. But forget hours of soaking and cooking the beans, with this short-cut recipe we start with cooked black beans and add in Cuban-style seasoning.

    An image of black beans over white rice with two lime wedges, served on a white plate with a blue rim. The plate is set on a blue wood table with a beige linen and a fork to the top right.

    This site contains affiliate links to products. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    The seasoning blend for the black beans is easy to make and the ingredients are just as easy to find. Garlic, onion, oregano and cumin are all part of a traditional Cuban sofrito. Here we use the powdered form, but still get the same flavor. Sofrito is the base of so many classic dishes like arroz con pollo and fricase de pollo.

    Containers of garlic powder, onion powder, cumin and dried oregano lined up on a white table with a black background.

    White rice and black beans are a common side dish at my house. I’d say they’re on the menu at least once a week. I don’t make black beans from scratch. I have before, and they come out good, but they take hours to make.

    There are also pitfalls with making black beans. For one, if the beans aren’t fresh, they will take a long time to become tender. Sometimes they’ll stay hard. There’s no easy way to tell if the beans are fresh or old either, it’s the luck of the draw.

    To save myself time and aggravation I use canned black beans. We live in South Florida so finding Cuban-style everything is easy. All markets carry Latin foods, not only are canned Cuban style black beans easy to find, but there are several brands to choose like, Goya, Kirby, and El Ebro just to name a few. Some come seasoned already, but I enhance them anyway.

    You may not be able to find Cuban style black beans in your area, but you can find regular black beans. Bush’s and Progresso are among the brands that make a black beans product. The ingredients will typically consist of water, black beans and salt. Now, let’s turn them into Cuban style black beans.

    Five cans of black beans all different brands set on a white table with a black background.

    Ingredients

    • Canned black beans – we are adding our own seasoning so plain black beans work well.
    • Oil – extra virgin olive oil is typically used. When making dried black beans the oil is added at the end, like a finishing oil. We are starting with cooked black beans and the olive oil gives them that homemade taste.
    • Vinegar – stick with red wine vinegar, it works so well with the olive oil and spices.
    • Seasoning – the seasoning are typical spices used in Cuban food. Garlic powder, dried oregano, onion powder, salt, black pepper and cumin add Latin flair to plain black beans.
    The ingredients for the quick Cuban style black beans on a white table with a black background. The spices are arranged in small piles on an aqua, leaf shaped plate.

    Instructions

    Add 2 cans of black beans (with the liquid) to a saucepan. Next, add the olive oil, vinegar, garlic powder, oregano, onion powder, salt, pepper, and cumin. Stir well to combine. Cover the saucepan and bring the black beans to a simmer over medium heat. Lower the heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes to allow the flavors to come together, stir occasionally.

    Recipe tips

    • The consistency you will get from canned beans is going to vary greatly. They could be thin and watery or too thick. Cuban style black beans range from soupy, to thick like a stew. It all depends on who makes them. I think they’re best with a thicker consistency, but that’s a matter of taste.
    • Cook the canned black beans as instructed. If they are still too watery, uncover the saucepan and let them simmer for a few minutes to allow some of the liquid to cook away. Stir the beans often, especially as they start to thicken.
    • If the beans are too thick add 1 tablespoon of water at a time, stirring in between each addition until they reach the desired consistency and warm through.

    Serve the Cuban style black beans over white rice and garnish with chopped parsley, if desired. Bistec de palomilla or a piece of Cuban roast pork (lechon asado go great with rice and black beans. And, if you want your rice to be as good as the beans, follow the tips on how to make white rice.

    A close-up image of the black beans served over white rice, garnished with chopped parsley with two lime wedges on the side. The food is served on a white plate with a light blue rim.
    An image of black beans over white rice with two lime wedges, served on a white plate with a blue rim. The plate is set on a blue wood table with a beige linen and a fork to the top right.
    Print Recipe
    5 from 4 votes

    Quick Cuban Style Black Beans

    Turning a couple of cans of plain black beans into quick Cuban style black beans is easy. Black beans (frijoles negros, in Spanish) are a staple in Cuban cuisine. But forget hours of soaking and cooking the beans, with this short-cut recipe we start with cooked black beans and add in Cuban-style seasoning.
    Prep Time5 mins
    Cook Time25 mins
    Total Time30 mins
    Course: Side Dish
    Cuisine: Cuban
    Keyword: black beans
    Servings: 6
    Calories: 173kcal
    Author: Elizabeth

    Ingredients

    • 2 (15 ounce) cans Black Beans, do not drain
    • 2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
    • 1 tablespoon Red Wine Vinegar
    • ½ teaspoon Garlic Powder
    • ½ teaspoon Dried Oregano
    • ¼ teaspoon Onion Powder
    • ¼ teaspoon Salt
    • ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
    • ⅛ teaspoon Cumin
    • Chopped Parsley for garnish – optional

    Instructions

    • Add the black beans with the liquid (do not drain) to a saucepan.
    • Add the olive oil, vinegar, garlic powder, oregano, onion powder, salt, pepper and cumin to the saucepan. Stir well until combined.
    • Cover the saucepan and bring the black beans to a simmer over medium heat.
    • When they start to simmer, lower the heat to medium-low and cook for 20 minutes to allow the flavors to come together.
    • Keep the beans at a simmer, lower the heat if necessary. Stir occasionally to prevent them from sticking to the bottom of the pan, especially as they thicken.
    • Serve the beans with white rice and garnish with chopped parsley, if desired.

    Notes

    If the beans are too watery, uncover the saucepan and let them simmer for a few minutes to allow some of the liquid to cook away. Stir the beans often, especially as they start to thicken.
    If the beans are too thick add 1 tablespoon of water at a time, stirring in between each addition until they reach the desired consistency and warm through.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 173kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 642mg | Potassium: 449mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 66IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 55mg | Iron: 3mg
    The nutritional information above is computer generated and is only an estimate. There is no guarantee that it is accurate.This data is provided as a courtesy for informational purposes only.

    More Cuban Food

    • Cuban Appetizers and Snacks
    • Arroz con Huevo Frito
    • Cuban Coffee (Café Cubano)
    • Fried Sweet Plantains
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Alisha Tasli

      March 01, 2023 at 5:40 pm

      Hi do you keep the beans covered the whole time ?

      Reply
      • Elizabeth

        March 01, 2023 at 9:45 pm

        Hi Alisha,
        Yes, keep the saucepan covered.

        Reply
    2. David Wooff

      January 15, 2022 at 8:10 am

      Could I replace the garlic and onion powders with the original fresh items? If so, then what amount? We use the overnight period to soak beans and pulses so little time wasted.

      Reply
      • Elizabeth

        January 15, 2022 at 10:53 am

        Hi. You can replace the powdered ingredients with fresh, I would do a small onion and 2-3 garlic cloves (depending on their size) but you can adjust to taste. If you use fresh ingredients they need to be sautéed first in a little olive oil or oil of your choice before adding them to the canned beans.

        Reply
        • Debbie

          February 20, 2023 at 7:41 pm

          5 stars
          I like these very much. The recipe is very easy and fast to make. I made soft tacos with them. Next time I’ll put with white rice. I plan on making these often. Thank you for sharing your recipe!

          Reply
          • Elizabeth

            February 20, 2023 at 8:59 pm

            Hi Debbie,
            I’m glad you enjoyed them!

            Reply
    3. Gima Salinas

      November 21, 2021 at 4:17 pm

      Hey! I used this recipe with beans made from scratch and it turned out amazing! I wanted to let you know a trip I learned recently, I love all kinds of beans and I frequently make brown beans and pork and black beans and rice and garbanzo beans. Turns out you can throw in a little baking s soda during soaking or cooking and for me it did the trick amazingly! Even once when the black beans were stuck hard. Anyways thought I’d tell you but you’re right it is usually a half a day very time-consuming. I’m going to checke out other recipes by you!

      Reply
      • Elizabeth

        November 21, 2021 at 5:56 pm

        Hey Gima, thanks for the tip, I will have to try it out. Black beans are hit or miss that is why I usually go with canned. I’m glad you like the seasoning though. Thanks for stopping by!

        Reply

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    Hi, I’m Elizabeth! welcome to Cook2eatwell. Food is my favorite subject; I like to cook food, talk about food, write about food, and most importantly, eat food. Lucky for me, my husband Eddie feels the same way. 

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