Easy Black Beans Recipe

Aromatics enhance creamy black beans in this easy and healthy side dish.

By
Max Falkowitz
Max Falkowitz is a contributing writer at Serious Eats.
Max Falkowitz
Max Falkowitz is a former food and travel writer, James Beard Award winner, and former Serious Eats editor with expertise in the areas of ice cream and tea.
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Updated Aug. 30, 2018
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Dried black beans simmered with garlic, onion, and orange can round out any meal. Vicky Wasik

Why It Works

  • Slowly simmering dried beans releases their starch for a rich, creamy, fat-free gravy.
  • Simmering, but not sautéeing aromatics draws out their flavor while letting earthy beans take the lead.
  • A whole orange brings a subtle citrus brightness and bitterness to the beans.

    • A bowl of black beans with some rice, bread, or greens is a meal in itself, but it's also a side dish to round out about any meal. The trick, if you could call it that, is to stick to dried beans that can slowly release their starch into the cooking liquid, and use a balance of aromatics to enhance their flavor. In this recipe, that's garlic, onion, and a whole orange—juice, hull, and all, for a subtle floral citrus character.

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    Recipe Facts

    4.5

    (20)

    Active: 30 mins
    Total: 2 hrs
    Serves: 6 to 8 servings

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    Ingredients

    • 1 pound (454g) dried black beans, rinsed and picked over
    • 8 medium cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
    • 1 yellow onion peeled and sliced in half, with enough of the root end intact that the onion doesn't fall apart
    • 1 juicing orange, rinsed and sliced in half
    • Kosher salt

    Directions

    1. Place beans in a large pot or dutch oven and add water until beans are submerged by 3 to 4 inches. Add the garlic and onion, squeeze in orange juice, then add the squeezed orange halves. Cover and place over high heat until water comes to a boil, then uncover pot and reduce heat to a bare simmer. Cook until beans are completely tender and creamy, 1 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally, and adding water if tops of beans become exposed.

    2. Remove orange and onion halves. Increase heat to medium and simmer, stirring frequently, until reduced to a thick, creamy sauce that clings to the beans, about 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt. Serve over rice or as a side with fresh cilantro and a dash or two of hot sauce.

    Special equipment

    Dutch oven, Wooden spoon

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