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How to cook flavorful black beans from scratch

Cooked black beans are placed in blue bowl and lifted with wooden spoon

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Learn how to cook flavorful, healthy black beans from scratch that taste better than store-bought and stop buying, carrying, storing and recycling cans.

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 3 cups dry black beans, rinsed and soaked overnight
  • 8 cups of water
  • 3 - 4 whole dried red chilis
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 Tbsp ground cumin
  • 1 Tbsp. chili powder
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. To soak the beans, rinse them and pick out any stones or discolored beans. Add the beans to a pot and fill the pot with water so there is at least twice as much water (more is better as you’ll drain it before cooking). Soak the beans overnight.
  2. To cook the beans, first, drain the soaking water and rinse the beans. If you are using the same pot, rinse it out.
  3. Place the beans, dried chilis, bay leaves, garlic, cumin and chili powder plus 8 cups of water in the pot.
  4. Bring the pot to a boil, then turn it down to simmer and partially cover it.
  5. Keep the beans at a simmer, stirring them every now and then. Simmer for 1 – 1 ½ hours until the beans are tender.
  6. Season with salt and pepper during the last 15 – 20 minutes of cooking (this is also a good time to adjust the seasonings).

Notes

  • Cooking time will vary and is dependent on several factors including the age of your beans, your pot, and the water temperature. Be sure to cook your beans thoroughly. Undercooked beans can cause digestive problems.
  • Beans will keep in the fridge for 4-5 days or they can be frozen. To thaw beans, run them under hot water before cooking them or allow them to thaw in the fridge.

Nutrition