Cuban Style Black Beans

Serves: 4-6
Cooks in: 2 hours
Difficulty: 3/10
Gluten free

Ingredients

3 cups/550g dried black beans, soaked in water overnight 

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, finely chopped

1 green (bell) pepper, finely chopped

6 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp ground cumin

3 tsp dried oregano

3 tsp dried thyme 

2 bay leaf

2 tsp celery salt 

2 dried chillies (optional) I use 1 ancho & 1 pasilla 

1/4 cup/60ml white vinegar

1/4 cup/60ml soy sauce 

3 tbs miso paste 

6 cups/1.5 litres vegetable stock 

1/2 cup/6g dried mushrooms 

1 tsp sea salt

Serve with

Rice

Plantain 

Tahini 

Sauerkraut 

Start by soaking the dried black beans in water overnight. The next day, drain and rinse the beans.

In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the finely chopped onion and green bell pepper, sautéing them until they are soft & caramelised. Stir in the minced garlic, ground cumin, dried oregano, dried thyme, and bay leaf, cooking for a few more minutes allowing the spice become fragrant. 

If you choose to use the dried chilies, add the ancho and pasilla chilies at this point, allowing them to toast slightly in the mixture. Pour in the white vinegar, soy sauce, and miso paste, stirring to combine. Add the soaked black beans, vegetable stock, and dried mushrooms, bringing the mixture to a boil.

Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let it simmer gently. Allow the beans to cook until they are tender, which will take about 1.5 to 2 hours. Check occasionally to ensure the beans remain submerged, adding more vegetable stock or water if needed.

Season the beans with sea salt and adjust any other seasonings to taste. When the beans I serve them up with caramelised plantain, rice, sauerkraut & tahini. 

Print