I promised to post the Spicy Saucy Black Bean recipe in the wee hours last night, but life intervened. We talked, laughed, tucked the kids in, and devoured a ridiculous amount of homemade mint ice cream with rich chocolate syrup. The beans slipped my mind, but here they are now—and they were worth the wait.
This black bean recipe is the third installment in a bean series encouraging you to eat more of the musical fruit. Outside of refried beans, black beans are especially friendly to picky eaters. Their small size means they cook quickly, and they shine in soups, dips, stews, tacos, burritos, or simply on their own. Like most beans, they freeze well for a month or two when packaged properly. You can prepare this entire dish and freeze individual portions; reheat in the microwave or in a covered saucepan over low heat with a tablespoon or two of water. It’s nourishing, delicious, and genuinely comforting—fast food that warms the heart, not the arteries. It’s also vegetarian-friendly. Full disclosure: I sometimes make this with bacon fat instead of olive oil, so feel free to adapt if you like.
I prefer beans that have been rehydrated and cooked from dried beans—they taste better and are healthier. Canned black beans will work in a pinch; just reduce the salt, since canned beans are often pre-salted. Adjust salt to taste at the end of cooking.
I usually use petite diced tomatoes in this recipe, but tomato paste whisked with water is a perfect substitute if you don’t have diced tomatoes on hand. You don’t need to make a special trip to the store—tomato paste from the pantry works beautifully.
Please make this recipe. Once you try it, you’ll wonder how something so simple can be so flavorful. Serve it over rice, with fried chicken, in tacos or burritos, on nachos, or straight from a spoon at midnight. Beans can do so much.
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Spicy Saucy Black Beans
Ingredients:
- 4 cups cooked black beans
- 1 (14–18 ounce) can petite diced tomatoes OR 6 ounces tomato paste whisked with 1 1/4 cups cold water
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic or garlic paste
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt (adjust to taste)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/8–1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper (optional, to taste)
- Fresh cilantro for garnish (optional)
Dice the onion. Trim a small portion of the onion so it sits flat on the cutting board, slice through the center, peel off the outer layer, then make horizontal and vertical cuts to form a fine dice. Save the root end in a freezer bag to add flavor when cooking dried beans.
In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, warm the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion, then sprinkle with salt and crushed red pepper flakes. Stir to combine and cook gently. If the onions begin to brown, reduce the heat. Cook until the onions are mostly translucent and soft, about 5–7 minutes.
Add the cooked black beans, tomatoes (or the tomato paste mixture), garlic, cumin, and cayenne pepper. Stir well to combine.
Cook the mixture over medium heat until bubbly and thickened, about 10 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent sticking. You can stop the cooking once the beans reach your preferred thickness; if you like them very thick, continue simmering a few more minutes.
Serve hot, warm, or cold, garnished with cilantro if desired.