I am an obsessive meal planner. For most people, meal planning is a chore, something you don’t like to do. For me, it’s the opposite. Dreaming up recipes to use up ingredients, and finding recipes that overlap in ingredients is like a scavenger hunt. I look forward to my weekly meal planning time.
This quick frijoles negros recipe was developed when my meal planning obsession failed me. I planned to have Vegan Chilaquiles, but did not plan a side to go with them, dope! I hurried through my pantry and whipped up a concoction of black beans and spices. After a few tweakings here and there, this recipe has become a regular in my kitchen because it is so easy to make, and I usually have all the ingredients on hand.
Variations to the Quick Frijoles Negros recipe:
- If you want spicy beans, try adding cayenne pepper to taste.
- If you used canned beans, watch out for sodium! Rinsing the beans and using water instead of the canning liquid will reduce the sodium. Alternatively, organic canned beans are a lower sodium option. Taste test your beans before you add the salt to make sure they aren’t too salty.
- I have tried this recipe with other types of beans (based on what I had on hand). Black beans are the best, but others will do in a pinch.
Quick Frijoles Negros (Black Beans)
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
Vegan / Vegetarian / Gluten Free
Author: Alison's Allspice
Recipe type: Side
Cuisine: Mexican
Serves: 3 side dish servings
Ingredients
- Splash olive oil
- 3 slices off a small red onion, or 2 slices from a large red onion
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 large garlic clove, minced
- 1½ cups cooked black beans * See note
- 1 cup water * See note
- 1 tsp sugar
- ¼ tsp oregano
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp cumin
- ¼ tsp paprika
- 1 TBS lime juice
- 2 TBS cilantro, minced, for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Add a splash of olive oil, onion, bay leaf, and garlic to a medium sauce pan. Bring to a simmer and cook covered until the onion is soft, about 5 minutes.
- Mix in black beans with water and the remaining spices; bring to a boil. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Remove from heat, stir in lime juice, and garnish with cilantro if using.
Notes
You can use a can of black beans and the liquid from the can instead of the cooked beans and water. I make my beans from scratch and generally don't have canned beans in the house.
