Cuban Black Beans Recipe (Frijoles Negros)
Tía Cary aquí. Every Cuban cook has an opinion about black beans, and in her own kitchen every one of them is right. Frijoles negros is the pot the whole meal leans on, the thing already on the stove when someone walks in and asks what's for dinner. Mine come out thick and dark, the broth almost a sauce, a little sweet at the edge. The secret is not a secret. It is time, an honest sofrito, and a ladle of beans mashed back in at the end.
What is frijoles negros?
Dried black beans simmered until they surrender, built on a sofrito of green pepper, onion, garlic, cumin, oregano and bay leaf, then finished with a touch of sugar and wine. Spooned over white rice, it becomes the plate Cubans call arroz con frijoles. Cook the beans and rice together in one pot instead and you have congrí, which is its own dish and its own argument.
The recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb dried black beans
- 10 cups water (for soaking and cooking)
- 1 green bell pepper (half left whole, half diced)
- 1 large onion, diced
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 packet sazón con culantro y achiote
- 2 tsp sugar
- 2 tbsp dry white wine or white vinegar
- Salt to taste
Steps
- Rinse the beans and soak them overnight in plenty of water. Short on time? Quick-soak: boil two minutes, cover, and rest one hour.
- Drain, cover with fresh water by two inches, drop in the whole pepper half and one bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then simmer partly covered about 90 minutes, until the beans are soft.
- Make the sofrito: warm the olive oil, cook the diced onion and pepper until soft, add the garlic, cumin, oregano and sazón, and cook until fragrant.
- Stir the sofrito into the pot. Add the sugar, the wine or vinegar, and salt. Simmer another 30 to 45 minutes.
- Mash a ladleful of beans against the side of the pot and stir it back in to thicken the broth.
- Rest off the heat 15 minutes, fish out the pepper and bay leaves, and serve over hot white rice.
Tía's rule: mash a ladle of beans against the side of the pot and stir it back in. That is what makes the broth cling to the rice instead of running off the plate.
How to serve it
The everyday plate is beans over white rice with a protein beside it, the completa. Tint the rice yellow with Bijol if you like, or leave it white so the beans do the talking. A little raw onion on top is never wrong.
The frijoles negros pantry, shipped
The whole pot except the water, from the brands Cuban kitchens actually reach for.
- Goya Dry Black Beans, Grade 1 — 4 lb — $15.39
- Goya Sazón con Culantro y Achiote — 1.41 oz — $3.51
- Bijol Annatto Yellow Seasoning — 2 oz — $3.29
- Badia Whole Bay Leaves — $2.45
- Badia Ground Cumin — 1 oz — $1.10
Preguntas frecuentes
What's the difference between frijoles negros and congrí?
Frijoles negros are cooked on their own and spooned over white rice. Congrí (moros y cristianos in the west) cooks the beans and rice together in one pot, so the rice turns dark and carries the bean flavor all the way through.
Do I have to soak the beans overnight?
Soaking shortens the cook and helps the beans cook evenly. If you forget, quick-soak them: boil two minutes, cover, rest an hour, then cook as usual.
How do I make my black beans thicker?
Mash a ladleful against the side of the pot and stir it back in, then simmer uncovered for the last stretch. The starch from the crushed beans thickens the broth, no flour needed.
Can I buy Cuban black beans already made and shipped?
Yes. El Ebro Cuban-style black beans are fully cooked, heat-and-serve, and ship nationwide. The pot without the wait.