Cuban Black Beans

Name: Cuban Black Beans
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Total time: 1 h 45 min
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients: 1 lb dried black beans, soaked overnight and drained; 1 medium medium yellow onion, diced fine; 1 medium medium green bell pepper, diced fine; 4 clove garlic cloves, minced to a paste; 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil; 1 tsp ground cumin, preferably whole cumin toasted and ground; 1 tsp dried oregano, crumbled between your fingers; 2 bay leaves, preferably Turkish; 1 tsp kosher salt; 0.25 tsp freshly ground black pepper; 2 tbsp white vinegar or white wine vinegar

Havana-Style Black Beans with Traditional Sofrito

These beans take their time developing layers of flavor, just like they should. The sofrito builds an aromatic foundation while the beans slowly transform from hard pellets into creamy, rich mouthfuls that hold their shape perfectly.

CaribbeanDinnerSide DishVegetarianVeganGluten FreeDairy FreeHigh ProteinComfort FoodMeal PrepBudget FriendlyOne Pot

Prep15 min

Cook1 hr 30 min

Total1 hr 45 min

Servings6

Difficultyeasy

Nutrition

fat3g

carbs40g

protein14g

calories220

Ingredients

1 lbdried black beans, soaked overnight and drained
3 tbspextra-virgin olive oil
1 tspground cumin, preferably whole cumin toasted and ground
1 tspdried oregano, crumbled between your fingers
2 bay leaves, preferably Turkish
1 tspkosher salt
¼ tspfreshly ground black pepper
2 tbspwhite vinegar or white wine vinegar

Sofrito

1 mediummedium yellow onion, diced fine
1 mediummedium green bell pepper, diced fine
4 clovegarlic cloves, minced to a paste

Instructions

Empty the soaked beans into a colander and rinse under cold water until the water runs clear. Transfer to a large pot and cover with fresh water by about 2 inches — the beans will absorb quite a bit as they cook.
Bring the pot to a rolling boil, then immediately reduce to a gentle simmer. Keep the pot partially covered and let the beans bubble away until they're completely tender but still holding their shape — a properly cooked bean should give no resistance when you bite into it.
⏱ 1 hr
While the beans simmer, warm the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until it shimmers. Add the diced onion and bell pepper, stirring to coat everything in oil.
Let the vegetables cook steadily, stirring every few minutes, until they're completely soft and the onion turns translucent. Don't let them brown — you want them sweet and mellow.
⏱ 8 min
Stir in the minced garlic along with the cumin and oregano. Keep everything moving in the pan until the garlic smells toasty and the spices bloom — about a minute of active stirring should do it.
⏱ 1 min
Scrape every bit of the sofrito into the pot with the tender beans. Add the bay leaves, salt, and pepper, stirring gently to distribute everything without mashing the beans.
Keep the mixture at a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally, until the cooking liquid reduces to a creamy consistency that coats the beans nicely. The flavors should marry and intensify during this time.
⏱ 30 min
Remove from heat and stir in the vinegar — it brightens everything up and balances the richness perfectly. Taste and add more salt or pepper as needed, then fish out the bay leaves before serving.