Smoky, colorful and loaded with health, these Cuban black beans are a delicious meal on their own, but they also make a gorgeous side dish.
Love black bean recipes? Also try this vegan Mexican black bean casserole or these spicy vegan empanadas stuffed with black beans.
With antioxidant-rich black beans, sweet potatoes and colorful bell peppers, these Cuban black beans are loaded with both healthful nutrition and tons of flavor.
This is a really simple recipe that requires few ingredients, but it delivers big flavor. This is also a great recipe to make in the crockpot, and you can also make it oil-free.
The stew gets its smoky flavor from ground cumin and oregano. Cuban recipes would likely not include sweet potatoes, but I like the slight sweetness they add, and they also bring so many health benefits with them.
Table of Contents
Why you will love this recipe
- Rich, deep flavor. The black beans have so much yum from the cumin, oregano and the flavorful sweet potatoes and bell peppers. Cooking them together over slow heat deepens these amazing flavors.
- Easy, one-pot recipe. This Cuban black beans recipe needs just a few pantry ingredients and it comes together quickly.
- Versatile. You can serve these black beans by themselves, as a wholesome meal, or serve them as a side with your favorite entree.
- Healthy. Everything in this dish is great for your health, from the anthocyanin-loaded black beans to the veggies and herbs.
- Soy-free, nut-free, gluten-free and vegan recipe. With no allergens, these black beans are suited to every palate.
Ingredients
- Black beans. I like starting out with dried beans for this Cuban-style black beans recipe, so I can add some aromatics to the beans as they cook, which deepens their flavor. But if you want to use canned beans, go ahead.
- Vegetables: Red onions, red and yellow bell peppers (green bell peppers are fine too), and sweet potatoes.
- Herbs: bay leaves, garlic, oregano and fresh cilantro.
- Spices: ground cumin and red pepper flakes (or paprika).
How to make Cuban black beans
If cooking beans from scratch, place the dried beans in an Instant Pot liner or in a saucepan with two inches of water to cover. Add a diced onion and two bay leaves to the pot. Pressure cook for 35 minutes in the Instant Pot or on the stovetop for an hour to 90 minutes or until the beans are very tender.
In a Dutch oven or large pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and onions along with a generous pinch of salt and ground black pepper. Saute for a couple of minutes until the onions soften.
Stir in the bell peppers and mix well. Saute for a couple of minutes.
Add the sweet potatoes to the pot along with cumin, oregano and red pepper flakes. Mix.
Stir in the strained black beans along with 2 cups water or vegetable stock (use less water for a thicker consistency). If you cooked the beans from scratch you can also use the liquid from cooking the beans instead of vegetable stock or water.
Bring the black beans to a boil. Lower heat to a simmer, cover the pot, and let the stew cook 30 minutes. Check seasoning, add more salt if needed, and turn off heat. Sprinkle in the cilantro and serve hot.
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Top tip
Be sure to let the beans and the vegetables cook with the herbs and spices for at least 30 minutes over low heat to really develop the flavors. You can also mash the beans at the end of cooking to thicken the stew.
Recipe FAQs
To make these black beans in a crockpot, place all the ingredients in the crockpot, add two cups of vegetable stock, and slow cook on high for two hours. To develop more flavor you can saute the onions and garlic in the crockpot in a bit of oil for two minutes before adding the rest of the ingredients.
To make the recipe oil-free, saute the onions and garlic in ¼ cup water or vegetable stock instead of oil, until they soften.
You can use quicker-cooking vegetables like carrots, butternut squash, potatoes and zucchini.
Tweaks for special diets
- Low-carb: Skip the sweet potatoes and add zucchini instead.
- Oil-free: Skip the oil and saute the veggies in ¼ cup vegetable stock or broth or plain water.
Serving suggestions
- Serve the Cuban black beans by themselves, garnished with cilantro. If you want to, top with a scoop of vegan sour cream and scallions for even more deliciousness.
- Serve over a bed or white rice or brown rice.
- Serve with bulgur or quinoa.
- Serve with bread, like this delicious no-knead sourdough bread or these crusty sourdough dinner rolls.
- Top with crushed tortilla chips.
Storage instructions
- Refrigerate: Store the beans in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days.
- Freeze: Freeze the black beans in a freezer-safe container for up to four months.
- Reheat: Reheat in a saucepan or in the microwave until heated through.
If you make this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and a star rating below. Or tag us on Instagram #HolyCowVegan.
Cuban Black Beans
Equipment
- Dutch oven or large pot
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried black beans (or 28 oz canned black beans, drained and rinsed)
- 2 medium red onions (diced, divided)
- 2 bay leaves (needed only if you are cooking dried beans from scratch)
- 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil (or any neutral oil. If oil-free, use a quarter cup of vegetable stock to saute the garlic and onions.)
- 6 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2 bell peppers (diced. I used one red bell pepper and one yellow bell pepper)
- 1 large sweet potato (diced)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano (or marjoram, or Mexican oregano)
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or paprika. Use less red pepper if sensitive to heat, more for more heat).
- 2 cups vegetable stock (or water, or liquid from cooking beans)
- Salt and ground black pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons cilantro (chopped, for garnish)
Instructions
- If cooking beans from scratch, place the dried beans in an Instant Pot liner or in a saucepan with two inches of water to cover. Add a diced onion and two bay leaves to the pot. Pressure cook for 35 minutes in the Instant Pot or on the stovetop for an hour to 90 minutes or until the beans are very tender. Pick out the bay leaves and strain the beans before using, but reserve any cooking liquid. If using canned beans you can skip this step.
- In a Dutch oven or large pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and onions along with a generous pinch of salt and ground black pepper. Saute for a couple of minutes until the onions soften.
- Stir in the bell peppers and mix well. Saute for a couple of minutes. Add the sweet potatoes to the pot along with cumin, oregano and red pepper flakes. Mix.
- Stir in the strained black beans along with 2 cups water or vegetable stock (use less water for a thicker consistency). If you cooked the beans from scratch you can use the liquid from cooking the beans instead of vegetable stock or water.
- Bring the black beans to a boil. Lower heat to a simmer, cover the pot, and let the stew cook 30 minutes. Check seasoning, add more salt if needed, and turn off heat. Sprinkle in the cilantro and serve hot.
Clara Watkins
Another spectacular recipe! I just can’t go wrong when I use your recipes 🙏🙏🙏
Thank you,
Clara
Vaishali
So happy you made the black beans Clara! Thanks for your kind words. 💕
Janet
Holy Cow Vegan is my go to site. I became vegan about 5 years ago, and this is the only site I regularly follow. The recipes are easy and reliable and really good. Thank you for making my life easier!