Hola Mi Gente,
Sometimes a recipe feels so much like home to me, that it takes me a while to share it, because it doesn’t seem like something novel. That’s how I feel about black beans. They are one of the strongest flavors of home for me. Of my mom and her mom. Of Guatemala. We eat them ALL THE TIME in this house. Black beans are the reason I just kind of roll my eyes when someone says they don’t like beans. But then I remember not everyone grew up on really good beans.
I make black beans A LOT. If you’ve been to my house to eat more than once, you’ve probably had them. Most of the time, the people who come to my house didn’t grow up on rice and beans, so I wait till they have a bite and say something like, “I don’t usually like beans, but these are great!” And then I internally sing Another One Bites the Dust 😂
So here’s the thing: these beans have a lot of ingredients, because they have A LOT of sabor. These aren’t strictly Guatemalan black beans, either. These are the beans that my tastebuds crave. If I had to narrow it down, I’d say they’re a mixture of Guatemalan and Cuban. They’ve been curated over the years by what I like: a big umami impact, with a little tart and a hint of spice in there.
Usually when I make black beans, I make a big pot so that throughout the week I can remix them into a few different ways (see below for examples). I really enjoy beans as black bean soup–straight out of the pot in a deep bowl, with sour cream, queso fresco, and some hot tortillas on hand to scoop up the juices. I enjoy them parados—soupy juices drained, mixed in with some really good rice. Liquados—blended with the juices for a smooth, lava-like base for my breakfast quesadillas to sit on top. And lastly, I enjoy them Volteados—refried (blended without juices, and then cooked in hot oil until stiff) as part of a staple Guatemalan breakfast.
Two of the ingredients I use in my beans might be a little hard to find if you don’t generally cook with Latinx seasonings. I use Goya Adobo Seasoning and Sazón Goya Con Culantro y Achiote. You can generally find these two in the Latin-American section of your grocery store. I most often find them at Fred Meyer (a Kroger and Smiths sister store), not in the Latin-American section, but in the canned vegetables aisle, next to the beans. You can always order them off Amazon though, or better yet, go on a trip to your local Latin American grocery store to stock up. Trust me. You want these, and for major flavor impact, you don’t want to skip them. All the rest of the ingredients are pretty straight forward. Like I said earlier, it might seem like a lot, but the combination of all these flavors is what makes them shine.
P.S. I’ve added three different ways to make these. The quickest is definitely in the Instant Pot. Followed up the stovetop, and finally the crockpot which you can do overnight, or early in the morning before heading out to work. Obviously my favorite right now is the Instant Pot, because they’re done in under an hour, which is so good when I’m in a rush/behind on life (read: all the time).
Love, love, love,
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HOC Signature Black Beans
Ingredients
- Oil for sautéing
- 1/2 Onion Finely Diced
- 1 Tomato Finely Diced
- 3 Stems Cilantro Finely Chopped
- 1 Packet Goya Sazon con Achiote y Annatto
- 1 TSP Goya Adobo All purpose Seasoning
- 1.5 Limes Juiced
- 1 TSP Cumin
- 1 TBSP Ancho Chili Powder
- 2 TBSP Salt
- 3 C Dry Black Beans
- 7 C Water
Instructions
For Instant Pot
- Put your IP on Saute function and add oil. Once it is hot, add in onion and saute for 1-2 minutes. Add in all other ingredients except water, and coat beans well with the sofrito. Add in water, turn saute function off, and select Chili/Beans function and set time for 25 minutes. Add water, close with pressure gauge at sealed, and let cook and release pressure. Taste to adjust for seasoning and enjoy!
For Stovetop
- In a large Dutch Oven or pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add in onion and cook until translucent (2-3 minutes). Add in tomatoes, cilantro, herbs and seasonings and saute until tomatoes are soft. Add in beans and water. Bring to a boil, and lower to a simmer for 1.5 hours, or until beans are no longer hard in the middle. Taste to adjust for seasoning, and enjoy!
For Crockpot
- In a pan, heat oil over medium heat. Add in onion and cook until translucent (2-3 minutes). Add in tomatoes, cilantro, herbs and seasonings and saute until tomatoes are soft. Transfer sofrito to the crockpot and add in beans and water. Cover and cook on low setting for 6-8 hours. Taste to adjust for seasoning, and enjoy!
Mary-Beth Johnson
Mary-Beth is a creative, food-obsessed, Georgia transplant living Chicago. She is proudly and fiercely Latina, and more specifically Chapina. In her day to day she is a food educator to students around Chicagoland aged 3 to 80+, both virtually and in-person. She is passionate about cultivating the truth that every person has an understanding of food that deserves being brought to the table, and that time in the kitchen can be sacred, passionate, and an act of love for self and others. Outside the kitchen you can find her at the intersections of infertility, chronic illness, and a deep love for the dignity of all humans. She hopes to create a space that is holistic about the role of food in the social, political, relational, and physiological dynamics of our world.
