Easy Black Beans Recipe - Gluten Free Vegan Mexican Side Dish (2024)

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by Jennifer Debth

67 Comments

4.93 from 39 votes

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This Easy Black Beans Recipe is gluten free, super tasty, has a short ingredient list, and can easily be made vegetarian or vegan!

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If you love this Mexican side dish, you’ll also love: air fryer tortilla chips, easy pico de gallo, and instant pot mexican corn dip.

You guys. Are you ready for the easiest, tastiest, most fantastic recipe ever?!

Yes? Great! Because today, I have anEasy Black Beans Recipethat totally fits the bill.

These black beans are creamy, slightly spicy, and are deeelish on their own, but also make a super yummychip dip.

I know this because I’ve, um, “recipe tested” this Easy Black Beans Recipe at least 4 times now.

I can’t get enough… I’ve tried this as a side dish with rice, as a cold dip for chips, as a hot dip for chips, smothered over nachos, and I seriously need to try these in a quesadilla.

Yes. I’m officially obsessed with black beans.

Easy Black Beans Recipe - Gluten Free Vegan Mexican Side Dish (2)

Yes. I’m obsessed and I’m not ashamed to say it. This obsession isn’t anything new, though.

If you’ve been following along long, you know how crazy I am about Friday night Mexican night.

Trevor and I literally go to the same restaurant every Friday.

We have our routine: Walk to the restaurant around 7 PM, immediately sit down (usually our margaritas are already there waiting for us…yes, that’s how much we go there), have the best chips and salsa, and demolisha side of bean dip.

Easy Black Beans Recipe - Gluten Free Vegan Mexican Side Dish (3)

Lately, however, Trevor and I are trying to cut back how much we go out to eat.

I mean, it’s not like we don’t have plenty of food here…hellllooo! But since we’ve been cutting back, I’ve seriously been missing our Friday night Mexican night beans.

And it was about darn time that I made some Mexican black beans at home!

This easy black beans recipe has a short ingredient list, requires little effort to put together…seriously…did you watch the video above? Zero. Energy. Required.

How do you make black beans?

  1. Chop onion
  2. Mince garlic (I love using this garlic press)
  3. Heat oil in a saucepan
  4. Saute onions
  5. Add in garlic, cayenne, cumin, and oregano
  6. Stir in black beans and broth
  7. Simmer
  8. Stir in lime juice
  9. Serve! I love serving this with cotija and cilantro, but feel free to omit the cotija if you’re vegan!

What do you eat easy black beans with?

I could eat these black beans with just rice and call it a day, but you could also serve these in a variety of different ways:

  • Make them into bean and cheese quesadillas
  • Stuff them into enchiladas
  • Eat them as tacos with shredded lettuce and pico de gallo
  • Serve them as burrito bowls with lettuce, brown rice, corn, pico de gallo
  • Make them into nachos

What would YOU eat these black beans with?

Easy Black Beans Recipe - Gluten Free Vegan Mexican Side Dish (4)Haaaaaappy Hump Day!

– Jennifer

What’s your favorite “easy” recipe? Show me the yummy!

Easy Black Beans Recipe - Gluten Free Vegan Mexican Side Dish (5)

Easy Black Beans Recipe

4.93 from 39 votes

This Easy Black Beans Recipe is gluten free, super tasty, has a short ingredient list, and can easily be made vegetarian or vegan!

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Yield: 8 people

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Equipment for this recipe

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Ingredients

US Customary - Metric

  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 cup onion finely diced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced or pressed
  • 1/2 teaspoon Cayenne or less to taste
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon oregano
  • 2 (15 oz) cans black beans drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup broth chicken or vegetable
  • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
  • shredded cotija optional for topping
  • finely minced cilantro optional for topping

Recipe Video

Instructions

  • Heat saucepan over medium heat and add in oil.

  • Add in onions and saute for about 5 minutes.

  • Add in garlic, cayenne, cumin, and oregano and cook for 30 seconds.

  • Stir in black beans and chicken broth.

  • Stirring regularly, bring to simmer and simmer for 10 minutes, or until most of the liquid has evaporated (the beans will thicken more as they cool).

  • Remove from heat and stir in lime juice.

  • Transfer to a serving dish and top with cilantro and cotija.

  • Take 5 seconds to rate this recipe below. We greatly appreciate it!

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STORING

Room Temp:N/A

Refrigerator:3-5 Days

Freezer:2 Months

Reheat:If frozen, let thaw then reheat on stovetop until heated

*Storage times may vary based on temperature and conditions

Notes

Vegetarian? Use vegetable broth, instead of the chicken!
Vegan? Use vegetable broth and skip the cotija!

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Nutrition Information

Nutrition Facts

Easy Black Beans Recipe

Amount Per Serving

Calories 387 Calories from Fat 27

% Daily Value*

Fat 3g5%

Sodium 123mg5%

Potassium 1601mg46%

Carbohydrates 68g23%

Fiber 16g67%

Sugar 3g3%

Protein 23g46%

Vitamin A 115IU2%

Vitamin C 1.7mg2%

Calcium 7mg1%

Iron 0.2mg1%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

*Note: Nutrition information is estimated and varies based on products used.

Keywords: black beans, easy, healthy

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Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Mexican

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  1. Daniel

    Sweden

    Easy Black Beans Recipe - Gluten Free Vegan Mexican Side Dish (13) I would like to try this with Red curry paste added and really let the flavours infuse into the beans for a while then eat it with Nacho chips.I really do enjoy red curry paste(green also but often even mixed 50/50) with all kind of beans and lentils really. I would really recommend trying it in recipes to get an “Asian twist” to it, and it’s also really great to “even out” the strong taste of certain kind of beans for people not as open to eating beans/legumes.Cheers. Daniel/Sweden

    Reply

  2. Anonymous

    Decatur, Georgia

    Easy Black Beans Recipe - Gluten Free Vegan Mexican Side Dish (14)

    Reply

  3. Anonymous

    Easy Black Beans Recipe - Gluten Free Vegan Mexican Side Dish (15)

    Reply

  4. Anonymous

    United States

    Easy Black Beans Recipe - Gluten Free Vegan Mexican Side Dish (16)

    Reply

  5. Mike

    Cincinnati, Ohio

    Easy Black Beans Recipe - Gluten Free Vegan Mexican Side Dish (17) So easy and so good. I’ve tried several recipes starting out with dried beans and fresh herbs that are way more work and not as good. Thank you.

    Reply

    • Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy

      Thanks Mike!

  6. Florida

    United States

    Easy Black Beans Recipe - Gluten Free Vegan Mexican Side Dish (18) Best recipe I’ve gotten on the internet. Easy and inexpensive, but flavorful and addictive. YUM!Used canned chicken broth, so skipped the salt. Also used lemon…hadn’t lime. Used brown rice, and did cook longer.Don’t skip the toppings – even if all you have is parsley.Thank you – SO GOOD 👍

    Reply

    • Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy

      Wow!! Thanks so much!

  7. Stephanie

    Gilbert, South Carolina

    Easy Black Beans Recipe - Gluten Free Vegan Mexican Side Dish (19) My go to for a quick black bean side on taco night.

    Reply

    • Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy

      Thanks Stephanie!

  8. Inez

    United States

    Easy Black Beans Recipe - Gluten Free Vegan Mexican Side Dish (20) Really good with corn tortilla chips as a dip with sour cream!

    Reply

    • Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy

      Thank you 🙂

  9. Inez

    United States

    Easy Black Beans Recipe - Gluten Free Vegan Mexican Side Dish (21)

    Reply

  10. Anonymous

    Washington, District of Columbia

    Easy Black Beans Recipe - Gluten Free Vegan Mexican Side Dish (22)

    Reply

  11. Brigitte

    Trail, British Columbia

    Easy Black Beans Recipe - Gluten Free Vegan Mexican Side Dish (23) Very good and simple recipe. Thanks for the built 😊 in timer and the ability to deactivate my device from turning off!

    Reply

    • Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy

      Thank you, Brigitte! Glad you loved the recipes and the added features 🙂

  12. Anonymous

    Naples, Florida

    Easy Black Beans Recipe - Gluten Free Vegan Mexican Side Dish (24)

    Reply

  13. Anonymous

    Albuquerque, New Mexico

    Easy Black Beans Recipe - Gluten Free Vegan Mexican Side Dish (26)

    Reply

  14. Anonymous

    Easy Black Beans Recipe - Gluten Free Vegan Mexican Side Dish (27) Yummy! Easy peasy.

    Reply

    • Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy

      Thank you!!

  15. Rob

    United States

    Easy Black Beans Recipe - Gluten Free Vegan Mexican Side Dish (28) Excellent and easy though I made the following “alterations” because I didn’t have all the ingredients: I substituted cheddar cheese for the Mexican cheese and used chopped jarred jalapeños in place of cilantro. I also had left over noodles and 1/2 a sweet potatoes which I added to the beans. I also think that there is too much broth in the recipe and it takes more than 10 minutes to cook off so I would start with 1/4 and add more as needed. Anyway… it was delicious!

    Reply

    • Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy

      Great suggestions. Glad you enjoyed. Thanks, Rob! 🙂

  16. Roberta

    United States

    Easy Black Beans Recipe - Gluten Free Vegan Mexican Side Dish (29)

    Reply

  17. Anonymous

    Toronto, Ontario

    Easy Black Beans Recipe - Gluten Free Vegan Mexican Side Dish (30)

    Reply

  18. jaundalynn

    United States

    Easy Black Beans Recipe - Gluten Free Vegan Mexican Side Dish (31) Great recipe!

    Reply

    • Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy

      Thank you!! 🙂

  19. Anonymous

    United States

    Easy Black Beans Recipe - Gluten Free Vegan Mexican Side Dish (32)

    Reply

  20. gayla

    Birmingham, Alabama

    Easy Black Beans Recipe - Gluten Free Vegan Mexican Side Dish (33) Excellent easy meal. Served with wild & brown rice mix and sweet potato fries. Vegetarian comfort food. I will make again and again. Thanks.

    Reply

    • Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy

      Sounds like a delicious combination. Glad you enjoyed!

  21. Anonymous

    Cedar Park, Texas

    Easy Black Beans Recipe - Gluten Free Vegan Mexican Side Dish (34)

    Reply

  22. Anonymous

    Biglerville, Pennsylvania

    Easy Black Beans Recipe - Gluten Free Vegan Mexican Side Dish (35)

    Reply

  23. Seth

    United States

    Easy Black Beans Recipe - Gluten Free Vegan Mexican Side Dish (36)

    Reply

  24. Anonymous

    New Rochelle, New York

    Easy Black Beans Recipe - Gluten Free Vegan Mexican Side Dish (37)

    Reply

  25. Anonymous

    Goderich, Ontario

    Easy Black Beans Recipe - Gluten Free Vegan Mexican Side Dish (38)

    Reply

  26. JAK

    Blue Ridge, Georgia

    Easy Black Beans Recipe - Gluten Free Vegan Mexican Side Dish (39) Tasty and easy. Served over brown rice with tomatoes and avocados.

    Reply

    • Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy

      Thanks!! 🙂

  27. Anonymous

    Cary, North Carolina

    Easy Black Beans Recipe - Gluten Free Vegan Mexican Side Dish (40)

    Reply

  28. Sylvia

    Windsor, Ontario

    Easy Black Beans Recipe - Gluten Free Vegan Mexican Side Dish (41) What a great tasting easy recipe! Did recipe as stated. I will likely put a smidge less cayenne next time for me, but the men in the family added Cholula on top so that shouldn’t be an issue.

    Reply

    • Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy

      Thanks Sylvia!!

  29. Anonymous

    Mishawaka, Indiana

    Easy Black Beans Recipe - Gluten Free Vegan Mexican Side Dish (42)

    Reply

  30. Sandra

    Trigg, Western Australia

    Easy Black Beans Recipe - Gluten Free Vegan Mexican Side Dish (43) Yum

    Reply

    • Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy

      Thanks Sandra!

  31. Snezana

    New York, New York

    so delicious and so easy and quick to make!

    Reply

    • Snezana

      New York, New York

      Easy Black Beans Recipe - Gluten Free Vegan Mexican Side Dish (44) Forgot to put the rating!

    • Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy

      🙂 <3

    • Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy

      Thank you so much!!

  32. Candace

    Marathon, Ontario

    Easy Black Beans Recipe - Gluten Free Vegan Mexican Side Dish (45) These beans were amazing as a dip, and my friends and I really enjoyed them! Also,my partner, who to be honest is NOT a bean lover, tried them and actually gave them a thumbs up! It was the perfect recipe to whip up on a whim, since I had every ingredient in the kitchen already! Thank you. This is a perfect recipe to get a good serving of protein, and other nutrients (especially if you soak and boil the beans first).

    Reply

    • Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy

      Love it as a dip!! Thanks so much Candace! 🙂

  33. Wuraola

    Springfield Gardens, New York

    Easy Black Beans Recipe - Gluten Free Vegan Mexican Side Dish (46) I used this recipe to try my hand at black beans for the first time. I had to sub in hot sauce for cayenne pepper, curry powder for cumin, and thyme for the oregano and still came out delish! I would add that I was very anxious about the liquid in the beans not evaporating after 10 min so I ended up simmering them for around 25 min when I was satisfied with the little liquid left. Tasted exquisite with rice. Thanks for the easy recipe!

    Reply

    • Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy

      So glad your substitutions worked! 🙂

  34. JERI

    Orange Park, Florida

    DO YOU DRAIN THE BEANS

    Reply

    • Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy

      It says in the recipe 2 (15 oz) cans black beans drained and rinsed 🙂

  35. Carolynn

    Lakeville, Minnesota

    The nutrition facts don’t indicate the size of the serving.

    Reply

    • Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy

      It’s for an 1/8th of the recipe.

  36. Flynn

    Sydney, New South Wales

    Easy Black Beans Recipe - Gluten Free Vegan Mexican Side Dish (47) Great recipe! All the ingredients are things that I would normally have in the pantry,it takes 20 minutes and tastes amazing. Thanks guys! This was the first of your recipes that I have tried and I will definitely be back for more.

    Reply

    • Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy

      AWW yay!! Thank you so much!

  37. Nicci

    Easy Black Beans Recipe - Gluten Free Vegan Mexican Side Dish (48) This recipe is delicious! Made them on Saturday for a Mexican themed meal and they were super easy, but tasted like they’d been simmering for hours and full of flavor! Totally my new go to black bean recipe! Try them, you will love them! Thank you!

    Reply

    • Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy

      That’s AWESOME! Thanks so much Nicci! 🙂

  38. Jeanne

    Easy Black Beans Recipe - Gluten Free Vegan Mexican Side Dish (49) Great recipe! Thanks. Your video is very well done. I cook a lot and appreciate how simple you made this!! Loved it.

    Reply

    • Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy

      Thanks so much Jeanne!!!

  39. Mary

    Lord Willing, I will be making this very soon. Will go well with tacos or enchiladas. I would like to have an egg muffin recipe with black beans, whole kernel corn, salsa and cheese, please. Also planning to make the banana chocolate chip muffin when I have ripe bananas. Thank you for the recipes.

    Reply

    • Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy

      Yay! Thanks so much! Glad you’re liking everything! 🙂

  40. Julia

    Toronto, Ontario

    Oh, I love this recipe. Simple, filling, delicious and easy to find all the ingredients… Well, except for cheese, but I can easily substitute it with some other cheese! Thank you for sharing!!

    Reply

    • Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy

      Thank you Julia!! I’ve heard people sub feta for the cotija, but I think cotija tastes more like a really sharp parm! 🙂

  41. Ana

    Statesville, North Carolina

    These beans sound and look delicious! Love that they have plenty of garlic and topped with cotija, yum! Love the video too!

    Reply

    • Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy

      Thanks Ana! Can’t go wrong with lots of garlic and cotija 😉 Thanks for watching the video!!

Easy Black Beans Recipe - Gluten Free Vegan Mexican Side Dish (2024)

FAQs

What is the tastiest way to eat black beans? ›

Best Black Bean Recipes

Season them with lime juice and zest, chili powder, oregano, and/or cilantro, and serve them as a side dish with Mexican or Latin American-inspired dishes like tacos or taquitos. Paired with some cilantro lime rice, they could also pass as a meal on their own!

How do you doctor up black beans? ›

How to make can black beans taste great?
  1. Onion, bell pepper, and garlic- you know dinner is off to a good start when you smell sauteed onions and garlic.
  2. Salt- I like to add the salt in at two different times. ...
  3. The herds and spices- the simple combinations of Oregon, cumin, and cayenne pepper bring flavor to the beans.
Aug 3, 2023

Do canned black beans need to be cooked? ›

Technically, canned black beans are already cooked, and you can use them right out of the can. Cooking canned black beans will make them taste even better. Here's how to cook beans from a can: Heat a small-sized saucepan on the stovetop over medium-high heat.

Are Bush's black beans gluten-free? ›

All Bush's® canned bean products are gluten-free. We do use corn starch in some of our products, but it does not contain gliadin gluten from wheat, barley, oats or rye grains, which may cause adverse responses in people suffering from celiac sprue.

Are canned or bagged black beans better? ›

Using dried beans lets you control the sodium.

Beans are super healthy, full of vitamins and minerals, protein-packed, and fiber-rich. But canned beans can be high in sodium, which is a problem for those with high blood pressure and those who want to avoid it.

How do you take the bitterness out of black beans? ›

Boiling: Boiling the beans for 5-10 minutes in a pot of water can also help remove the bitterness. Discard the water and rinse the beans before cooking. Baking soda: Adding a pinch of baking soda to the soaking water or boiling water can help neutralize the bitterness.

What happens if you don't rinse black beans? ›

Canned beans are packed in a solution of water, salt, and starch. That solution can leave a glossy film on the beans, interfering with not only mouthfeel (slimy beans are a little off-putting), but also the ability of the beans to cling to other ingredients in the dish and absorb those flavors.

Are you supposed to rinse canned black beans? ›

Many people wonder if they need to drain and rinse canned beans, and the answer is, “it depends.” It's fine to add the bean liquid to many recipes, but if you want to reduce the amount of sodium, it's best to drain and rinse canned beans.

How to make beans that taste good? ›

Brine your beans while soaking them by adding a tablespoon or two of salt to the soaking liquid, a trick from Cool Beans author and bean guru Joe Yonan. It effectively brines the beans, making them both tastier and more evenly cooked as it helps to soften the beans' skins, improving the final texture.

How do you dress a can of black beans? ›

You can enhance canned black beans by sautéing onions and garlic, adding spices like cumin and chili powder, or mixing in diced tomatoes and cilantro for extra flavor. Experimenting with different herbs and seasonings can also make them more enjoyable.

How long does it take to cook black beans from a can? ›

Depending on what seasonings you'd want to add to it, cooking canned black beans could take about 20 minutes of boiling on the stove. Canned foods are already cooked. You don't actually have to heat them up.

What cheese is gluten-free? ›

Feta cheese is gluten-free. Goat cheese is gluten-free. Mozzarella cheese is gluten-free. Parmesan cheese is gluten-free.

What are the best gluten-free beans? ›

They're also a good source of fiber, protein and vitamins for those on a gluten-free diet. Gluten-free beans include, but are not limited to: kidney beans, black beans, navy beans, red beans, pinto beans, lima beans, Great Northern beans, cannellini beans, garbanzo beans/chickpeas, soy beans, green beans, etc.

Does ketchup have gluten in it? ›

Ketchup doesn't contain wheat, barley, or rye. As such, it's a naturally gluten-free product. However, some brands may use wheat-derived vinegar or produce their ketchup in a facility that manufactures other gluten-containing foods, which may contaminate it.

What do you eat black beans with? ›

Enjoy them in your burrito bowls, alongside some fajitas, with fish tacos, or over a bed of hot rice!

Why do restaurant beans taste better? ›

If you're wondering what is the secret ingredient for restaurant-quality refried beans, the answer is fat. Restaurant-made refried beans honor traditional Mexican culinary practices by adding a hearty helping of lard or bacon fat drippings to their recipe.

What's the healthiest way to eat black beans? ›

Healthy Black Bean Recipes
  1. 5-Ingredient Black Bean Patties. 1 hr 25 mins.
  2. High-Protein Black Bean Breakfast Bowl (No Eggs!) 15 mins.
  3. Slow-Cooker Three-Bean Chili Mac (Easy Dump & Go Dinner) 3 hrs 20 mins.

Are canned black beans good to eat? ›

Canned black beans are a versatile, ready-to-use ingredient that you can use to boost the nutrient content of many dishes. They're a rich source of plant-based protein and fiber. This makes them a weight-loss-friendly food that may also help you manage blood sugar levels and lower your risk of heart disease.

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