Best Cuban Black Beans – Instant Pot

Succulent and flavorful black beans are easy to make at home. This Mexican / Cuban style black beans recipe is full of rich and meaty flavors.

You will love this hearty comforting and healthy recipe. This vegan, gluten free,  nut and soy free recipe is full of plant protein and fiber! Perfect for a wholesome clean vegetarian diet ! 

Chipotle food lovers ? If you want to make those delicious burrito bowls or fajita tacos at home , we have bunch of easy recipes for you. Do check them out.

THIS HOMEMADE BLACK BEAN RECIPE IS

• Easy
• Vegan
• Gluten Free
• Easy to change to your taste
• Unlike canned beans, free of chemicals and preservatives
• Inexpensive and budget friendly
• Perfect for meal prep and freezing.
• High Plant Protine and fiber rich wholesome meal 

Wondering how to make well seasoned and melt in your mouth tender black beans from scratch ?  This detailed recipe shows you several different ways to get consistent results every .single .time !

Popularly called as “Frijoles Negros “, seasoned black beans are staple in Cuban and Mexican cuisine. Typically served with rice, it makes a wholesome and inexpensive meal.

It is easy to make restaurant-style black beans at home. We are making them from scratch. You will love their freshness and texture way better compared to canned beans.

Beans and legumes offer excellent plant protein for vegan and vegetarians. They are also affordable,  inexpensive and easily available.

You can make this recipe on the stovetop, in electric pressure cooker like Instant Pot, or in a slow cooker. You can also do them soaked or non soaked. We got it all covered.

Homemade beans are cooked along few basic yet key seasoning ingredients. That adds much deeper rich fatty flavor. They taste succulent and luxurious.

WHAT IS SOFRITO SEASONING

I am using Sofrito style seasoning to make these beans. Sofrito is an aromatic combination of sautéed garlic, peppers, onions, and tomatoes. I am not including tomatoes but you certainly can add it in.

In Spanish and Latin American cooking, Sofrito is often used as a base for stews, rice and beans. It brings delightful flavors.

SOAKED OR UN-SOKAED BLACK BEANS?

You can use either soaked or un soaked dry beans to make this recipe. If you want to soak the beans for at least 4 + hours , preferably overnight. For 1 cup soaked beans, use 2 cups of water or broth.

For Un-soaked 1 cup dry beans use 3 cups water or broth. Soaked beans will cook in half the time compared to un-soaked dry beans.

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup dry black beans
3 cups water or broth (add more if you like soup like consistency)
1 tablespoon olive oil
2-3 cloves garlic
1 jalapeno pepper
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. dried oregano
¼ tsp. smoked paprika
1 tbsp. lime juice
½ tsp. ground black pepper
½ teaspoon salt – adjust per taste
¼ cup chopped cilantro for garnish
For Sofrito : 1 whole onion, 1 stalk of celery , 1 medium green bell pepper , 2-3 bay leaves

INSTANT POT BLACK BEANS:

Turn on the Instant Pot. Heat oil on Sauté mode (high). Add bay leaves, crushed garlic and chopped onions. Sauté for 1 minute, or until the onions turn translucent.

Add rinsed and drained beans, Add Sofrito mix (whole onion, garlic, green bell pepper and celery stalk) Mix well. Add all the seasoning and water. Cancel Sauté.

Choose Bean/Chili Mode or use MANUAL and select 20 minutes. Let Instant Pot do the cooking. Let the pressure release naturally for 10 mins (NPR 15). After that, release pressure manually.

Open the lid after the pin drops.  Remove the bay keaves, whole onion, peppers and celery.

Using a potato masher, mash a few beans for a creamy texture. Mix in lime juice. Garnish with cilantro and serve warm!

STOVE TOP BLACK BEANS

Sauté onion and garlic with warm oil until softened. Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a rapid boil. About 10 minutes.

Cover, reduce to a simmer and cook for about an hour. Check for water and desired done texture preference along the way.

After it is done cooking, stir in lime juice, adjust the seasoning, garnish with cilantro and serve warm.

CROCK POT BLACK BEANS :

Sauté the onions and garlic on the stove. Add them to the crock pot along with the rest of the ingredients.

Cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 6-8. Check at 3 or 6 hours for doneness and add more water if needed. You want the liquid to cover the beans so they don’t burn.

After it is done cooking,  stir in lime juice,  adjust the seasoning,  garnish with cilantro and serve warm.

EASY CHART FOR SERVINGS AND WATER RATIO

• 1 pound dried beans = 2 cups dried beans
• 1 cup dried beans = 3 cups cooked beans
• 1 can of beans = Approximately  2 cups of cooked beans
• 1 pound dried beans = Approximately 3 cans of cooked beans
• 1 cup dried beans serves 4, and, 1 pound dried beans serves 8
• For Cooking 1 cup Soaked Beans : Use 2 cups of water and use half the time suggested above.
• If you use canned beans – cooking time will reduce to 10 minutes

HERE ARE SOME MORE EASY AND DELICIOUS RECIPES. DO TRY THEM ALL.

• PANEER TACOS
• MEXICAN STREET CORN SALAD
• VEGAN STUFFED PEPPER SOUP
• BLACK BEAN AND CORN SALAD
• VEGETARIAN TORTILLA SOUP
• VEGAN ENCHILADA RICE BOWL
• CILANTRO LIME RICE
• REFRIED PINTO BEANS

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Best Cuban Black Beans – Instant Pot

Prajakta Sukhatme

Learn how to make deliciously seasoned black beans at home with this easy recipe. This simple and inexpensive recipe makes restaurant style black beans full of flavors.

4.60 from 5 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 30 mins

Total Time 40 mins

Course dinner

Cuisine Mexican

Servings 4 cups

Calories 318 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• ▢ 1 cup dry black beans
• ▢ 3 cups water or broth add more if you like soup like consistency
• ▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ▢ 2-3 cloves garlic
• ▢ 1 jalapeno pepper
• ▢ 1 medium onion chopped
• ▢ 1 tsp. ground cumin
• ▢ 1 tsp. dried oregano
• ▢ ¼ tsp. smoked paprika
• ▢ 1 tbsp. lime juice
• ▢ ½ tsp. ground black pepper
• ▢ ½ teaspoon salt – adjust per taste
• ▢ ¼ cup chopped cilantro for garnish

For Sofrito

• ▢ 1 whole onion
• ▢ 1 stalk of celery
• ▢ 1 medium green bell pepper
• ▢ 2-3 bay leaves

Instructions

 

INSTANT POT INSTRUCTIONS :

• Turn on the Instant Pot.  Heat oil on Saute mode (high). Add bay leaves, crushed garlic and chopped onions.  Saute for 1 minute, or until the onions turn translucent.
• Add rinsed and drained beans. Add Sofrito mix (whole onion, garlic, green bell pepper and celery stalk)  Mix well.  Add the seasoning and water.  Cancel Saute.
• Choose Bean/Chili Mode or use MANUAL and select 20 minutes. Let Instant Pot do the cooking.  Let the pressure release naturally for 10 mins (NPR 15).  After that, release pressure manually.
• Open the lid after the pin drops.  Remove the bay keaves, whole onion, peppers and celery. Using a potato masher, mash a few beans for a creamy texture. Mix in lime juice. Garnish with cilantro and serve warm!

STOVE TOP INSTRUCTIONS :

• Sauté onion and garlic with warm oil until softened.
• Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a rapid boil. About 10 minutes. Cover, reduce to a simmer and cook for about an hour.
• Check for water and desired done texture preference along the way. After it is done cooking,  stir in lime juice,  adjust the seasoning,  garnish with cilantro and serve warm. 

CROCK POT INSTRUCTIONS :

• Sauté the onions and garlic on the stove.
• Add them to the crock pot along with the rest of the ingredients.Cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 6-8. Check at 3 or 6 hours for doneness and add more water if needed. You want the liquid to cover the beans so they don’t burn.
• After it is done cooking,  stir in lime juice,  adjust the seasoning,  garnish with cilantro and serve warm. ENJOY !

Notes

EASY CHART FOR SERVINGS AND WATER RATIO

• 1 pound dried beans = 2 cups dried beans
• 1 cup dried beans = 3 cups cooked beans
• 1 can of beans = Approximately  2 cups of cooked beans
• 1 pound dried beans = Approximately 3 cans of cooked beans
• 1 cup dried beans serves 4, and, 1 pound dried beans serves 8
• For Cooking 1 cup Soaked Beans : Use 2 cups of water and use half the time suggested above.
• If you use canned beans – cooking time will reduce to 10 minutes

Nutrition

Serving: 1cupCalories: 318kcalCarbohydrates: 43gProtein: 17gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 2mgFiber: 10gSugar: 6g

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