Easy Cuban-Style Black Beans with Plantains

These Cuban black beans or frijoles negros, are the perfect side dish to any latin meal but are hearty enough to be served as a main dish as well.

We have a small family owned Cuban restaurant nearby and each time we go there, they always seem to have something new to try on their daily specials menu. Their Cuban cuisine is flavorful, fresh and even though I like to try something new we always get a side of these tender black beans. Each time we have it, the small pot of beans is served with lime wedges. Alongside it, a crock of perfect white rice that is mostly likely steamed and it sops up the bean liquid just right.

This recipe is my interpretation of those cuban-style beans we love. In them the robust flavors of chilis, garlic, bay leaf and a smokiness that can only come from a good ham hock is evident. So is the love in their cooking and from these elements comes the end result. A comforting dish and a delicious recipe to share. 

​Two things on these beans, it is important to use dry beans, soaked overnight or at the very least for about 6 hours before cooking. It is traditional to use pork stock or you can add a ham bone to the pot with water in place of the pork stock used in this recipe. The stock adds a smokey flavor to the beans that make them unique. These can be served as a side dish or a main dish and I find rice, plantains and tortillas to be their ultimate companion.

Cuban Black Beans Are…

• An easy recipe with an hour cook time.
• Delicious Cuban-style black beans filled with lots of flavor.
• Best when made with soaked black beans over canned beans.
• An easy Cuban black beans recipe similar to those found in a Cuban restaurant.
• A meatless recipe commonly found in latin America.

Ingredients

Beans- presoaked black beans are best. For a quick Cuban black beans recipe you can opt to use canned black beans with similar results.

Chilis- I use a large pasilla chili that I roast with a touch of olive oil in the oven. You can also use a dried pasilla chili if you like.

Onion- white onion or yellow onion work best but you can use red onion if you prefer. I use a medium onion for this recipe which is just under a cup diced.

Garlic- use large cloves of garlic. If you have small cloves you will need about 5-6 total or you can minced garlic if you prefer. You will need about 2 tbsps for minced.

Bell Pepper- I use a large green bell pepper for this. You can use a red bell pepper if you can’t find green.

Stock- using pork stock is the traditional way these beans are made. You can also add a ham hock to the pot with water instead of the stock if you don’t have any pork stock on hand.

Seasoning- I use sea salt and freshly ground black pepper along with ground cumin for spices. If using standard table salt, add slightly less salt to the pot and taste before adding more. Table salt tends to be a bit more salty than sea salt.

Herbs- I use dried herbs for this. A blend of dried thyme, dried oregano and dried bay leaves. You can use fresh if you like, just make sure to adjust the amount. The ratio is roughly 3 times the amount of fresh to 1 part dried herbs needed.

Plantains- use firm ripe plantains, not overly ripe ones.

Olive Oil- I use extra virgin olive oil but pure olive oil and avocado oil also work great for this.

Tools

Large Pot or Deep Pan with Lid

Directions

Begin by presoaking the beans. To do this., sort the beans and place them in a large bowl. Cover them with water and let them sit on the countertop at room temperature overnight or for a minimum of 6 hours. When ready to make the beans, begin by roasting the pasilla chili by cutting it in half, removing the stem and seeds.

Then place it on a baking sheet and drizzling it with a touch of olive oil. Roast at 400℉ for about 12-15 minutes or until the skin is blistered.

Remove from the oven and allow it to cool slightly. Scrap off the skin with a fork or by pulling the edges up. Set the chili aside.

Dice up the bell pepper, onion and garlic. Heat a large pot or deep skillet over medium heat. Add 3 tbsp of olive oil and begin cooking the onion and bell peppers. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Cook until softened. Add the thyme, oregano, garlic and cumin.

Strain the beans and add them to the pot along with the chili. Pour in the stock and place the bay leaves in with 1 tsp of salt. Cook with the lid on for 1 hour with or until the beans are fully cooked through. Check the beans every so often to ensure they have enough liquid. Add a cup or so more stock if needed.

To fry the plantains, remove the skin and cut the in a 1/4 inch slices. Heat a skillet with a bit of olive oil, enough to coat the bottom. Fry them on each side until golden brown.

Remove from the skillet and sprinkle with sea salt. Serve warm alongside the Cuban-style black beans. Garnish with cilantro (optional).

Cooking Notes

• Soak the black beans overnight by covering them with water in a bowl and leaving them out at room temperature.
• Beans should soak for 6 hours minimum before cooking.
• Add the pasilla chili whole as it will breakdown in the cooking process.

How To Store

Store leftover Cuban-style black beans in an airtight container. Beans store well in the fridge for up to 5 days. To reheat the beans, place them in a large saucepan on the stovetop over medium heat and heat until warmed through.

Other Recipes You may Like

• Easy Black Bean Chili
• Spanish Shrimp and Pinto Beans
• Hearty Italian Sausage and White Bean Soup

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