Easy Cuban Black Beans | Frijoles Negros Cubanos

Authentic Cuban black recipe made with fresh garlic, bay leaves, and other simple ingredients that builds authentic Cuban flavors and gives you Cuban black beans that are thick, hearty, and rich. 

Cuban black beans are one my favorite beans to eat! And yes, I’m half-Cuban, but even if I weren’t, these beans would still be in heavy rotation. They’re flavorful, healthy, and have a ton of fiber. I absolutely lobe the dark rich color of frijoles negros (black beans) especially when making Congri Cubano – Moro Negro! 

Much like my Easy Dominican Beans recipe, my Easy Cuban Black Beans recipes call for canned beans. Before you cringe, understand that canned black beans are great whenever you’re in a rush. It’s also great for whenever you’re craving authentic Cuban flavors and traditional Cuban food. If you prefer making Cuban Black Beans from scratch, then all you have to do is set aside extra time and pull out your pressure cooker. The steps between making easy Cuban black beans (frijoles negros Cubanos) is similar to making Cuban black beans from scratch. 

What Ingredients Do I Need to Make Authentic Cuban Black Beans – Frijoles Negros Cubanos? 

Cuban black beans are extremely easy to make. They’re so easy that you probably have most of the ingredients on hand in your pantry. For this traditional Cuban Black Beans recipe you’ll need: 

• Canned Black Beans or Softened Dry Black Beans (Frijoles Negros) 
• Garlic
• White Onions 
• Cumin 
• Orégano 
• Bay Leaves 
• Vino Seco – Dry White Wine (Cooking Wine)
• Kosher Salt 
• Olive Oil 
• Tomato Paste *optional 
• Cilantro *optional 

As I mentioned before, my easy Cuban black beans call for canned black beans. However, I use all fresh ingredients to bring this dish to life. I also simmer them low and slow to develop color and authentic Cuban flavors. The trick to making the Cuban rich and dark is to set it and forget it! 

What’s Quick and Easy Way of Making Cuban Black Beans (Frijoles Negros)? 

To start, you want to warm up some olive oil and then add the diced white onions, cubanelle peppers, and a pinch of kosher salt. The salt will help the veggies sweat as the veggies saute for a few minutes. Afterwards, you add the rinsed canned black beans, water, cumin, orégano, and bay leaves. It’s important to note that we’re only adding a tiny bit of cumin. Using too much of this spice can easily ruin the dish. 

As far as orégano, I personally think that using Dominican orégano is a game changer.  Dominican orégano has a citrus undertone that varies greatly from traditional or Greek orégano. Cuban recipes are filled with Caribbean flavors and we want to infuse as much of that as possible. 

Once I’ve added the spices, I let the beans simmer for about 10 minutes. I then add a tiny bit of tomato paste to help the beans thicken. Tomato paste is purely optional when making Cuban black beans. In fact, adding tomato paste and cilantro in Cuban black beans is such a heated debate. I personally like to add just a touch. I don’t like adding too much, because if there’s one thing that I love is dark and rich Cuban black beans. I want the Cuban beans (frijoles negros) to change the color of my white rice whenever I’m fixing myself a plate of delicious Cuban food.

My number #1 tip when making Cuban Black Beans (Frijoles Negros) is to add the mashed or minced garlic at the very end!

Adding the garlic at the end gives the Cuban black beans a burst of freshness. The steam will cook the raw garlic flavor. If you’re a garlic lover, then you’ll really enjoy layering your garlic at the end. I also like to add a pinch of sugar and vino seco (dry white wine) towards the end as well. These small tweaks make all the difference between good Cuban black beans and FANTASTIC Cuban black beans. 

How Do You Make Cuban Black Beans (Frijoles Negros) From Scratch? 

If you’re not a fan of canned black beans – or any beans for that matter, no worries. Simply rinse dry black beans under running cold water. Then add about 1 cup of rinsed dry black beans into a pressure cooker along with 2-3 cups of water. I also like to add 1 white onion cut in half along with 1 cubanelle pepper also cut in half. I’ll also add 5-6 whole garlic cloves for added flavor. I then pressure cook the black beans on high for 45 minutes. This will give me perfectly softened black beans. 

If you’re making Cuban black beans from scratch, save the liquid because this bean stock is liquid gold! It’s rich in color and can easily transform your Cuban Congri (Cuban rice with black beans). 

FAQs: How Long Can I Store Cuban Black Beans? 

Cuban black beans are the perfect dish to meal prep because you can easily store them in the fridge. Store them in an air-tight container in the fridge and enjoy them within 4 – 5 days of cooking. You also freeze them softened or fully stewed and cooked for up to 4 months. 

FAQs: What Other Traditional Cuban Dishes Can I Enjoy With Cuban Black Beans? 

It’s no secret that Cuban black beans are one of the anchors to Cuban cuisine as a whole. Therefore it’s no surprise that you can easily enjoy Frijoles Negros Cubanos with: 

• Ropa Vieja 
• Fricase de Pollo (Cuban Stewed Chicken) 
• Cuban Picadillo or Chicken Picadillo 
• Bistec Encebollado (Spanish Steak and Onions)

All of these dishes pair beautifully with Cuban black beans! You may also want to consider a few of my other favorites to enjoy with Frijoles Negros Cubanos: 

• Carne Asada 
• Chicken Fajitas 
• Cuban Pastelitos de Carne 

Recommended Tools: Here’s Everything That You Need to Make Cuban Black Beans! 

• Stainless Steel Dutch Oven 
• Nonstick Dutch Oven 
• Mortar & Pestle (Pilon) 
• Garlic Press 
• Pressure Cooker *if making them from scratch

If you’d like to see how I make these Easy Cuban Black Beans, visit my YouTube Channel: Chef Zee Cooks 

Feel free to Pin this delight to your boards on Pinterest! 

Easy Cuban Black Beans | Frijoles Negros Cubanos | Made To Order | Chef Zee Cooks

Serves: 5 Prep Time: 15 Mins Cooking Time: 30 Mins 30 Mins

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 5.0/5

( 1 voted )

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Ingredients

• 2 Cans of Black Beans
• ½ White Onion Minced
• ¼ Green or Cubanelle Pepper Minced
• 1 tsp Chicken Bouillon or Kosher Salt
• ¼ tsp Cumin
• ½ tsp Dominican Oregano
• ¼ tsp Black Pepper
• 2 Bay Leaves
• Chopped Cilantro *optional
• 1 tsp Tomato Paste *optional
• 2 Cups Water
• 2-3 Cloves of Garlic Mashed
• ½ tsp Vino Seco (Dry White Cooking Wine) or Red Wine Vinegar
• ½ tsp Brown Sugar
• 1 tbsp Olive Oil

Instructions

1. Dice onions, cubanelle pepper, and set aside 
2. In a dutch oven over medium heat warm up olive oil. Then add onions, peppers, and a pinch of kosher salt to help veggies sweat. Once the veggies have softened and become translucent, add softened black beans.  Mix together until well combined and saute for 3 minutes. Then add water, chicken bouillon or kosher salt, Dominican oregano, cumin, bay leaves, tomato paste (optional), and cilantro (optional). Mix together and simmer for 20 minutes
3. Beans should be rich and thick after 20 minutes. Add extra water if needed or simmer for longer to further thicken Cuban black beans. Once the beans reach desired thickness, taste and adjust for salt. Remove bay leaves and cilantro. Then add mashed garlic, vino seco (dry white cooking wine) or red wine vinegar, and brown sugar. Simmer on low for another 5 minutes. Then let rest for 10 minutes before serving rice or your favorite Cuban dish  

Notes

The dish will thicken as it cools. You may have to add extra water when reheating. Remember to remove bay leaves upon serving.