These Mexican Black Beans are the perfect addition to any Mexican meal. Packed with flavor and nutrients, they’re extremely versatile and easy to make.
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Why this Mexican Black Bean Recipe is a Keeper
If you love black beans at your favorite Mexican restaurant, this easy recipe is for you! You can make this black bean recipe in just a few simple steps, and it goes great with lots of Mexican recipes- not just rice and beans.
- 25 Minute Beans: This simple black bean recipe comes together in just 25 minutes.
- Easy Ingredients: All of the ingredients for this easy black bean recipe can be found in your kitchen or local grocery store.
- Adaptable: Black beans are one of the most versatile ingredients. These beans make a delicious side dish, or in a main dish. Serve the beans with chicken or steak, or in tacos, burritos, fajitas, and more.
If you’re looking for more black bean recipes, try these: Cuban Black Bean Soup, Black Bean Corn Salad, and Taco Stuffed Peppers.
Can I Make Instant Pot Mexican Black Beans?
While this recipe cooks beans in a saucepan, you can make Instant Pot black beans. However, you’ll want to use dried black beans instead of canned black beans.
Ingredient Notes for Mexican Inspired Black Beans Side Dish
- Black Beans: Black beans are a staple in many authentic Mexican foods. You can buy a can of black beans anywhere, and use any variety you’d like.
- Taco Seasoning: Season the beans with our taco seasoning recipe Use extra seasoning for other Mexican recipes.
See the recipe card below for a complete list of the ingredients with measurements.
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Variations and Substitutions to Make this Recipe for Delicious Mexican Black Beans
- Broth: Cook the beans in vegetable broth or chicken broth for some extra flavor. If you want a vegetarian version use the vegetable broth.
- Bay Leaf: When sauteeing this black bean side dish, add in a bay leaf for flavoring. Remove the leaf once the beans are done.
- Beans: You can also make this recipe with other varieties of beans. Use pinto beans, kidney beans, or any other kind you want.
- Make Refried Beans: Mash the beans after cooking to make refried black beans.
Special Equipment Needed for Mexican Style Black Beans
- Dutch Oven: Instead of a simple pot, you can make this delicious recipe in a Dutch oven, crock pot, electric pressure cooker, or Instant Pot for beans.
Authentic Mexican Bean Pro Tip
Cook the beans in the juices used to preserve them in the can.
How to Make the Best Black Beans Ever
These are the basic steps for making Mexican black beans. Refer to the full, printable recipe card below for detailed instructions.
1. Sautee Onions
Heat olive oil in a sauce pan over medium heat. Then, add minced onion and sautee for 5 minutes, or until soft and translucent.
2. Add the Beans and Liquid
Add garlic and stir for 30 seconds – just until fragrant. Then, place the beans (with liquid) and taco seasoning in the pot to cook black beans.
3. Stir Beans and Simmer
Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to let the beans cook. Once the beans are cooked, serve warm. Drain the beans and serve over brown rice, or with your favorite Mexican meal. You can also use them to make black bean dip.
Easy Black Beans from Scratch Recipe Frequently Asked Questions
Store the black beans in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Use within a few days.
Reheat the beans in a saucepan or in the microwave.
Yes; you can use dry beans instead of canned beans. However, you’ll need to soak the beans first before cooking. Use water to cover the beans, and leave them in the water for 8-24 hours; older beans take longer to cook. When the beans are ready, sautee them.
While they make the perfect side dish, you can also use them in so many ways. For example:
Burrito or taco filling: They make a hearty and flavorful filling for burritos, tacos, and enchiladas.
Soup: They can be added to soups and stews for extra protein and fiber.
Dip: Mashed black beans can be made into a delicious dip for chips or vegetables.
Expert Tips for Making Mexican Black Beans
- Fats: Use olive oil or lard to thicken the beans and saturate the aromatics. These also help tenderize the beans.
- Onions and Garlic: Add jalapeno for a spicy touch. You can also give the beans more flavor with cumin, salt and pepper, a squeeze of lime juice, Mexican oregano, cilantro, or a clove of minced garlic.
- Mashed: Mashed black beans make a delicious and healthy dip or spread. Add a squeeze of lime juice, chopped fresh cilantro, and a touch of olive oil for a flavorful appetizer.
- Beans: Try kidney beans in place of black beans to make this recipe.
What to Serve with Mexican Black Beans
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Mexican Black Beans
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 2 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 cup Onion, finely minced
- 30 ounces Black Beans
- 1 teaspoon Taco Seasoning
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a sauce pan over medium-high heat.
- Add onion and sautee for 5 minutes, or until soft and translucent.
- Add garlic and stir for 30 seconds – just until fragrant.
- Add beans (with liquid) and taco seasoning.
- Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Serve warm.
Expert Tips
- Fats: Use olive oil or lard to thicken the beans and saturate the aromatics. These also help tenderize the beans.
- Onions and Garlic: Add jalapeno for a spicy touch. You can also give the beans more flavor with cumin, salt and pepper, a squeeze of lime juice, Mexican oregano, cilantro, or a clove of minced garlic.
Estimated Nutritional Information
The nutritional information provided are estimates. To learn more about how I calculate this information go to www.itisakeeper.com/about-its-a-keeper/privacy-disclosure-policies/
This recipe is my personal adaption of an ethnic-inspired recipe. It is not intended to be an authentic recipe. I’ve recreated this recipe because I enjoy the flavors and I want to encourage my readers to expand their tastes and try new flavor combinations. The recipe, ingredients, and processes may have been adapted to make the recipe accessible to the average American. I have provided links to authentic versions of the recipe in the post above. I encourage you to visit these pages and learn more about the traditional version(s) of this recipe.
Super simple and it’s delicious, made it twice already! Thank you for posting this recipe!
This was a keeper! Very good. I ate it as a meal by itself.
Perfect!
This was absolutely delicious! I didn’t have any taco seasoning so I substituted it with some garlic powder, onion powder, garlic salt, and paprika. Seriously to die for. And so easy! I made burritos with these beans and the vegan meat crumbles from https://www.noracooks.com/vegan-tacos/ and they were fantastic. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. Definitely in my dinner rotation from now on.
I’ve made this recipe before, exactly as written, and it is wonderful. So easy and yummy. I used mine for black bean tostadas with melted cheese. These would be so good in tacos, or with rice. Or on a taco salad!
I’m so glad you liked these! They would be fantastic on a taco salad! Great idea!
So good! I’m a college student and I’ll whip up a half batch of these using dried minced onion and pre-minced garlic then garnished with lite sour cream, cheddar cheese, and tortilla chips like chili! Easy lunch or dinner
I’m so glad you like them!
the recipe converter on this doesn’t work properly. the black beans conversion not only multiplies the number of cans needed but also increases the ounce size. to increase to 30 servings you would only need 150 ounces total but if you follow the converter it tells you 680 ounces.
Thank you for pointing that out. The recipe card has been fixed and it should work now.
I love really easy recipes especially bean recipes. I’ll keep this in mind for Cinco de Mayo, we’ll be having tacos and black beans. Yum!