Sweet and savory, this classic Cuban black beans recipe is infused with the flavors of the Caribbean!
We have a thing for beans here, whether it's black beans, Puerto Rican kidney beans, Cuban navy beans with ham hocks, or even roasting a whole stuffed chicken with chorizo and beans -there's sure to be a recipe for everyone here!
What are Cuban black beans?
Maybe you've visited a Latin restaurant or saw a co-worker bring in some Cuban black beans and thought to yourself, "What are Cuban black beans?", more importantly, what do Cuban black beans taste like?
Black beans are a sweeter bean compared to say small red beans or even navy beans. The beauty of Cuban black beans is that the typical Cuban cuisine flavors of bold garlic, smokey cumin, a bay leaf, and dried oregano enhance the black beans to create a sweet and savory mixture that ensures you have a flavorful and bold black bean recipe. Also, at the end of cooking time, if you add a splash of white vinegar, the flavors will enhance just a tad bit more! This is why black beans are a staple in Cuba, it's perfection!
What ingredients Are In Cuban Black Beans?
I mentioned that these Cuban black beans are simple, right?! The ingredients in Cuban black beans are:
- soaked dry black beans
- water
- olive oil
- onions
- garlic
- aji dulce or a green bell pepper
- salt and pepper
- dried oregano
- cumin
- bay leaf
- white sugar (optional)
- white vinegar
- dry white wine (optional)
- if desired, 1 packet of pork bullion, (completely optional)
How To Make Cuban Black Beans on the stove
(I'm updating this Cuban black beans for a better version! The version I had before had too much water, which drowned out the flavor profile. Also, readers gave input and I am incorporating what they have added!)
What makes the Cuban black beans is the sofrito. Unlike my Puerto Rican Sofrito, this Cuban sofrito for black beans is as simple as heating good quality olive oil in a small pan, and sauteing chopped onions, chopped green peppers (or aji dulce for an even more authentic take), and garlic. The garlic can be smashed in a pestle and mortar or minced.
Traditionally, dried black beans should be soaked in water at least 4 hours to overnight to ensure tender beans. DO NOT ADD SALT TO UNCOOKED DRY BEANS. Adding salt to uncooked beans hardens the beans. We don't want hard black beans!
If you're making black beans on the stove without a pressure cooker, you're going to boil your soaked beans and place it in a large pot with about 9-10 cups of water. You can use the same liquid you used to soak your beans, completely optional. Boil black beans over medium high with a lid that is slightly off the top to allow steam to escape, for about 45 minutes.
After 45 minutes, you're going to take a medium frying pan to make a Cuban sofrito mixture. Warm your olive oil, and saute your onions, garlic, and bay leaf. For a completely traditional Cuban black bean recipe, remove about a cut of beans from the pot and add it to your sofrito mixture. Gently smash the beans and return the sofrito to the pot. At this point you'll add the cumin, oregano, salt, and black pepper.
Stir and allow the beans to continue cooking for about another hour. Yes, Cuban black beans take forever to cook! But it's so worth it! After an hour, add in the white vinegar and the white wine. Lower heat to low, let it slowly simmer for another hour. Total of three hours. Cuban black beans are perfect for a Sunday supper!
Finally, when it's time to serve, mix the black beans, and add in your sugar to neutralize the acidity and keep the balance between savory and sweet.
How To Make Cuban Black Beans In The Instant Pot
To make Cuban black beans in the Instant Pot, we're following the same steps are above with slight differences.
Before I was adding 8 cups of water, which left the black beans with a lot of liquid, which is perfect for making congri (black beans with rice mixed together). But this isn't a congri recipe, and it needed an update!
Updated recipe: Add 5 cups of water to the Instant Pot with the softened black beans. Cook on high pressure for 35 minutes. After 35 minutes, allow your pot to naturally depressurize.
While the Instant Pot depressurizes, it's time to make prep your Cuban sofrito recipe. But wait like 10-15 minutes before starting your sofrito!
How To Make Cuban Sofrito for black beans
To make a simple Cuban sofrito for black beans, warm your olive oil over medium to medium-high heat, and saute your chopped onions, chopped peppers, garlic, and bay leaf until onions and peppers have softened.
By this time your Instant Pot should have depressurized.
For a completely traditional Cuban black bean recipe, remove about a cup of black beans from the Instant Pot and add it to your sofrito mixture. Gently smash the black beans and return the sofrito to the pot. At this point you'll add the cumin, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Taste for seasoning. I love to add pork bullion, but that is completely optional
Put your Instant Pot on saute mode, set it to low temp and for 15-20 minutes.
After about five minutes of having added your sofrito mixture in, you're going to add in your vinegar and wine. Stir and allow your black beans to gently simmer until the time is done.
If you see that there is not enough liquid, feel free to add more water, a few tablespoons at a time!
When the beans are done and ready to serve, add two teaspoons of sugar to neutralize the acidity.
TIPS FOR SUCCESS
- Smash a few beans when the beans are done to thicken the broth.
- Make a simple garlic mojo to top your rice for a wow factor.
- Double the recipe or reserve a few cups to make Cuban congri.
- Sprinkle with fresh cilantro and serve with white rice, plantains, and avocado.
- If possible, use aji dulce (small sweet peppers) instead of green bell peppers.
What to serve with Cuban black beans
Cuban black beans are traditionally served with white rice a generous side of pernil (pulled pork). Here are some suggestions on what to serve with Cuban black beans:
- Cuban Pernil (pulled pork)
- Sweet Fried Plantains
- Twice Fried Plantains
- Barbacoa Tacos
- Cilantro Lime Rice
- Flan
- Coquito
Recipe
Instant Pot Cuban Black Beans
Ingredients
- 1 pound dry black beans soaked
- 4 cups water
- ½ cup olive oil
- 1 white onion chopped
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 green bell pepper chopped
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- ¼ - ½ teaspoon cumin
- 1 pork bullion cube optional
- 4 teaspoons salt or as desired
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons white wine
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
Instructions
- Add water and black beans to your Instant Pot, set on high pressure for 35 minutes.
- Allow Instant Pot to naturally release.
- When Instant Pot depressurizes, warm olive oil over medium to medium high heat in a medium frying pan. Add in onions, garlic, peppers, oregano, cumin, bullion, salt, and pepper to pan and cook until onions and peppers have softened.
- Once onions and peppers have softened add in a cup of cooked black beans, and gently smash the beans into the onion mixture.
- Return the onion mixture to the Instant Pot.
- Press the saute mode to low heat for 20 minutes and stir beans occasionally. After the first five minutes, add in the wine and vinegar.
Recipe
STOVETOP Cuban Black Beans
Ingredients
- 8-10 cups of water
- 1 pound of dried beans soaked over night
- 1 white onion chopped
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 green bell pepper chopped
- ½ teaspoon of dried oregano or to taste
- ¼ – ½ teaspoon of cumin
- 1 ham bullion cube
- 4 teaspoons of salt
- ½ teaspoon of ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons of white wine
- 2 tablespoons of white vinegar
- 2 teaspoons of granulated sugar
Instructions
- In a large pot, soak black beans that were rinsed and picked over with 8-10 cups of water. Let it sit 4 hours or overnight.
- Once beans have softened, place pot with beans and the liquid it soaked in over medium high heat.
- Slightly cover pot and let beans boil for about 45 minutes.
- After 45 minutes, you’re going to take a medium frying pan to make a Cuban sofrito mixture. Warm your olive oil, and saute your onions, garlic, and bay leaf. For a completely traditional Cuban black bean recipe, remove about a cup of beans from the pot and add it to your sofrito mixture. Gently smash the beans and return the sofrito to the pot. At this point you’ll add the cumin, oregano, salt, and black pepper.
- Stir and allow the beans to continue cooking for about another hour.
- After an hour, add in the white vinegar and the white wine. Lower heat to low, let it slowly simmer for another hour.
- When beans are tender to your liking, add in sugar before serving.
