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BLANK » Recipe Index » Caribbean Dishes

Vegan Cuban Black Beans (Frijoles Negros)

August 25, 2021 by Charla 37 Comments

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Cuban black beans are delicious, inexpensive and the epitome of Latin American food. This is a totally vegan friendly dish and pork free. A recipe that's great to batch cook on the weekend for your loved ones.

Black beans with a topping

They say you cannot talk about Cuban food without mentioning Cuban black beans (frijoles negros) and you know what I believe this assertion to be true.

When I visited Cuba several years ago I left like I was in a black bean heaven. If you love legumes that are brimming with flavour from slow cooking then this recipe is for you!

Unlike the English speaking islands that favour other legumes such as red kidney beans, pigeon peas etc..

I've noticed that the Spanish speaking islands are notorious for whipping up a mean black bean dish.

Having grown up on legumes all my life this wasn't hardly surprising to me and certainly not an alien concept either.

I've sampled authentic Cuban black beans in two different locations - Cuba and Miami which has a large population of Cuban people.

If my memory serves me correctly, I found identical flavours in both regions - the flavours were rich, bold and the beans were SOOOOO tender.

Canned beans vs dried beans

This recipe is strictly for dried beans only, I haven't tasted the ratio for how to make this recipe using canned/pre cooked beans.

Legumes/beans irrespective of whether they are canned or dried yield the same outcome. 

It really boils down to what YOUR preference is and what works for your lifestyle. By default most Caribbean people will generally use dried beans (for cost cutting purposes) over canned ones.

There are pros and cons to both, canned beans are handy, especially if you are leading a busy lifestyle, tired or simply in a rush.

Granted, they are convenient BUT....they can be costly if you plan on using them all the time which is why most Caribbean people will opt for the dried beans.

These beans are significantly cheaper, but do require soaking unless you have an instant pot or pressure cooker.

The recipe update

Several years has passed since I first made this recipe and we food bloggers sometimes like to re-visit our old content and make changes.

I have updated this recipe since it was first made, but I want to talk you through the adaptations that I have made to keep things honest and transparent.

First of all I have increased the cooking time slightly because honestly true Cuban black beans take awhile to cook, but the wait is SO worth it.

Although coconut oil is NOT authentic to Cuban or any Caribbean cooking I like to use it simply because of its wonderful health properties.

However, olive olive works well and I do like to rotate between the 2 oils, see my Caribbean Foodie 101 post to get more insight into what my site is about.

I have also added an extra ½ cup worth of beans, to increase the serving quantity to feed up to 6 people rather than 4 and tweaked the amount of herbs/spices to accommodate the additional half a cup.

The cane sugar is optional but used by some to balance out the acidity from the cider vinegar and this is something that I like to do with its soup counterpart.

Since the cooking time has increased, the sauce thickens even more without the use of starch. If you have made this recipe before then of course, you can follow the old format.

I have also included some step by step pictures which differ from the video enclosed. Again, the difference comes from the updated concept and the video being first made some years ago.

black beans with avocado topping

The sofrito

In my humble opinion, what really brings out the true flavour of these black beans is the sofrito.

Sofrito is the back bone of the recipe, similar to how Trinidadians have their Green Seasoning and Haitians have their Epis.

It is a blend of aromatic herbs and spices that are either sauteed or blended into a smooth paste.

For our black beans, we are opting for the sautéing method, where we saute our foundation ingredients - onion, garlic in oil and season with oregano, salt (I use pink), cumin and black pepper. 

The steps

steps1-4 rinsing the black beans and boiling them
  • Start by rinsing the beans several times before leaving them to soak overnight in a large pot or bowl of water (not the 6 cups of water).
  • The next day drain off the dark coloured water and replenish with the 6 cups of water (add the beans to a large pot if you have used a bowl during the soaking process).
  • Add the bay leaves and a tablespoon of coconut oil to the pot.
  • Bring the water to the boil then reduce the heat to medium and simmer with the lid on until they soften (this may take up to 1-1 ½ hours).
  • Once the beans have cooked, they should be soft to the touch (use the back of a spoon, to determine tenderness) if ready, it will mash with ease.
steps7-12 making the sofrito and cooking the black beans
  • Prepare the sofrito by sautéing the garlic, onions and bell peppers in a skillet with 2 tablespoons of coconut oil on medium heat until soft and translucent.
  • Season the sofrito mix with the black pepper, oregano, cumin and pink salt then stir.
  • Once the onions have turned translucent, transfer the contents into the large saucepan with the black beans and stir.
  • Use a ladle to extract some of the beans (about ¾ cups worth) and mash them before returning them to the pot. This will help to create a thick bean sauce.
  • Stir in the cider vinegar (and sugar if you are using) before reducing to low-medium heat.
  • Put the lid on the pot and allow to simmer until the beans start to thicken up (anything from 45 minutes- 1hour). Feel free to mash some more beans during the time of simmering for further thickening or add a splash of water if required to create more sauce.
  • Do a taste test and adjust for additional seasoning if required.
  • Discard the bay leaves and serve accordingly

Notes and tips

  • If you suffer from bloating from the sugar of the legumes then be sure to squeeze some lime juice (about 2 tablespoons) into the water when you are soaking the black beans.
  • Cooking time will vary depending on how long the beans take to cook.
  • This recipe serves up to 6 people (The quantity has been updated).
  • Soak the beans overnight, this is really important to get the correct consistency and accurate cooking time.  Don't try to cheat by using unsoaked black beans as this will alter/delay the overall cooking results.
  • The black beans should take about an hour to 1 hr 30 minutes to soften, be sure to test them to determine their readiness.
  • This recipe is for dried beans only, using canned beans will adjust the liquid ratio which I haven't tested out yet.
  • Remember to do a taste test and adjust the level of seasoning to your preference at the end of the cooking process.
  • If you don't have a ladle, that's okay, just use a large spoon to scoop out the beans instead.
  • This is a freezer friendly recipe, simply freeze down any leftovers for up to 3 months.
  • The beans should be soft before adding the sofrito, use a spoon or fork to mash a few, if they mash with ease that means they are ready.
  • You don't want the beans to be water logged or similar to soup. Towards the end there should be a thickish sauce (you can evaporate any additional liquid by increasing the heat) but only towards the end of cooking and do this while watching the stove so the beans do not burn.
black beans on a bed of brown rice

More Cuban recipes

  • Yuca Con Mojo
  • Instant Pot Black Bean Soup
  • Slow Cooker Black Beans
  • Cuban Mojo Marinade
  • Moros y Cristianos

Serving suggestions

  • Brown Rice
  • Vegetable Rice
  • Oven Baked Plantain (platanos)
  • Steamed Vegetables
  • Sweet Potato Mash
  • Mashed Plantains (Mangu)

**Don't forget to comment below and star rate if you have tried my recipes. Let's be friends and engage on YouTube, Facebook and Instagram I also like to pin on Pinterest, where you can find more amazing recipes.**

Black beans with topping

Vegan Cuban Black Beans (Frijoles Negros)

Cuban black beans are delicious, inexpensive and the epitome of Latin American food. This is a totally vegan friendly dish and pork free. A recipe that's great to batch cook on the weekend for your loved ones.
4.88 from 16 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Main Entree
Cuisine: Cuban
Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours hours
Total Time: 2 hours hours 20 minutes minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 209kcal
Author: Charla

Ingredients

  • 1½ cup of dried black beans (260g)
  • 6 cups of water (1.42 litres)
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 3 tablespoon coconut oil (44ml) can use olive oil
  • 1 medium onion chopped
  • 1 large green bell pepper chopped
  • 6 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper (5g)
  • 2 teaspoon cumin (10g)
  • 2 teaspoon oregano (10g)
  • 1 teaspoon pink salt (5g)
  • 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar (15g)
  • 1 tablespoon raw cane sugar (15g) optional, can use coconut sugar
  • additional pink salt and black pepper to taste, if needed

Instructions

  • Start by rinsing the beans several times before leaving them to soak overnight in a large pot or bowl of water (not the 6 cups of water).
  • The next day drain off the dark coloured water and replenish with the 6 cups of water (add the beans to a large pot if you have used a bowl during the soaking process).
  • Add the bay leaves and a tablespoon of coconut oil to the pot.
  • Bring the water to the boil then reduce the heat to medium and simmer with the lid on until they soften (this may take up to 1-1 ½ hours).
  • Once the beans have cooked, they should be soft to the touch (use the back of a spoon, to determine tenderness) if ready, it will mash with ease.
  • Prepare the sofrito by sautéing the garlic, onions and bell peppers in a skillet with 2 tablespoons of coconut oil on medium heat until soft and translucent.
  • Season the sofrito mix with the black pepper, oregano, cumin and pink salt then stir.
  • Once the onions have turned translucent, transfer the contents into the large saucepan with the black beans and stir.
  • Use a ladle to extract some of the beans (about ¾ cups worth) and mash them before returning them to the pot. This will help to create a thick bean sauce.
  • Stir in the cider vinegar (and sugar if you are using) before reducing to low-medium heat.
  • Put the lid on the pot and allow to simmer until the beans start to thicken up (anything from 45 minutes- 1hour). Feel free to mash some more beans during the time of simmering for further thickening or add a splash of water if required.
  • Do a taste test and adjust for additional seasoning if required
  • Discard the bay leaves and serve accordingly

Notes

  • If you suffer from bloating from the sugar of the legumes then be sure to squeeze some lime juice (about 2 tablespoons) into the water when you are soaking the black beans.
  • Cooking time will vary depending on how long the beans take to cook.
  • This recipe serves up to 6 people (The quantity has been updated).
  • Soak the beans overnight, this is really important to get the correct consistency and accurate cooking time.  Don't try to cheat by using unsoaked black beans as this will alter/delay the overall cooking results.
  • The black beans should take about an hour to 1 hr 30 minutes to soften, be sure to test them to determine their readiness.
  • This recipe is for dried beans only, using canned beans will adjust the liquid ratio which I haven't tested out yet.
  • Remember to do a taste test and adjust the level of seasoning to your preference at the end of the cooking process.
  • If you don't have a ladle, that's okay, just use a large spoon to scoop out the beans instead.
  • This is a freezer friendly recipe, simply freeze down any leftovers for up to 3 months.
  • The beans should be soft before adding the sofrito, use a spoon or fork to mash a few, if they mash with ease that means they are ready.
  • You don't want the beans to be water logged or similar to soup. Towards the end there should be a thickish sauce (you can evaporate any additional liquid by increasing the heat) but only towards the end of cooking and do this while watching the stove so the beans do not burn.
 

Nutrition

Calories: 209kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 605mg | Potassium: 387mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 154IU | Vitamin C: 27mg | Calcium: 77mg | Iron: 3mg
Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @ThatGirlCooksHealthy or tag #ThatGirlCooksHealthy!

More Caribbean Dishes

  • 2 glasses of mauby with ice
    Homemade Mauby Drink (Caribbean Bark Beverage)
  • 2 snapper with yuca and oranges garnished
    Baked Snapper (Mojo Style)
  • 2 sea bream on a platter
    Sea Bream Recipe (Air Fried)
  • 2 cups and a bowl of souse
    Chicken Foot Souse

About Charla

I'm Charla. Caribbean foodie & Certified Health Coach. Welcome to the heaven of gluten and dairy free recipes as well as modernised healthier alternatives to some of your favourite Caribbean recipes.

Comments

  1. donna says

    September 26, 2022 at 12:21 am

    5 stars
    9/25/2022-Sunday
    This is the first time I made black beans from scratch and they came out so delicious and creamy!
    I didn't have fresh vegetables available but I made it from dehydrated veggies that I soaked in water. It contained onions, parsley, green bell pepper, red bell pepper, carrots, celery and tomato,
    I used minced garlic from a jar. Freshly ground coarse black pepper, sazon with saffron, pink himalayan salt, jarred tomato sauce, olive oil and red wine merlot salt. I didn't measure just estimated everything. Also, a drop of red wine vinegar in my individual bowl.
    I smashed some of the beans in the pot at the end of cooking with a potato masher instead of taking some beans out in a separate bowl to mash.
    I've made a lot of different beans since eating a vegan diet 3 years ago but was always intimidated by black beans till I found your recipe.
    I must say I am very proud of myself and the dehydrated veggies tasted every bit as good as fresh and the sizes were cut much smaller than I would have been able to do with fresh anyway!
    The beans tasted so good that I ate them alone without cooking some Jasmine rice.
    Thanks for giving me something to follow, it worked out fantastically!

    Reply
    • Charla says

      September 26, 2022 at 10:44 am

      Hi Donna, thank you so much for reaching out to me. I'm just glad that you enjoyed the recipe and tweaked it to suit, it definitely sounds like you really nailed the recipe 🙂

      Reply
      • Donna says

        October 05, 2022 at 1:01 am

        5 stars
        Thanks Charla, I'm making another pot right now as I write this based on your recipe! Thank you!

        Reply
        • Charla says

          October 05, 2022 at 11:29 am

          Aww thank you so much Donna, I'm so glad you liked the recipe. If you haven't already, try the Cuban Black Beans Soup, you won't be disappointed.

          Reply
  2. Pamela says

    March 05, 2019 at 7:38 pm

    Was raised on a lot of cuban food whenever we had family gatherings on my moms side. Every year was at a different relatives house and all us kids would help prepare too. We would take all the fresh ears of corn and take off the kerbal. Shuck, peel and scrape. It would involve 75 ears of corn or so. In the big roaster my aunt would roast overnite 2 huge pork butts. With onions, garlic, lots of colorful peppers, roasted and diced pablanos, a spice sack(oregano, bay leaves, cumin, salt, pepper, ?-all I could remember) and stock. Then she'd bone it and SHRED the meat. Then add all the corn and juices to the roaster. It would cook and be stirred for hrs. Then shed add chopped green and black olives, extra pimientos, cilantro and parsley, about 25 creamed avacados, about 1 hr before serving. All these dishes were started about 9am cook all day. This dish I'm trying to recreate. All the family who passed down this dish are gone now and I'd like to pass this recipe on. Had you ever heard of it? Or is it this families special dish? We kids loved it. Mostly cause we help prepare it. My aunt always made fried tortilla chips to eat it with. And a dollop of crema. But most of us spooned it. Was so good. I've tried to copy this thru the years. Came close according to my mom. But she always said something was missing. She couldnt remember the whole recipe before she passed. Does anyone know this recipe or something close to it?

    Reply
    • Rachael says

      June 29, 2019 at 7:34 am

      5 stars
      Hi Pamela thanks for your recipe I’m gonna make this it sounds like a regional dish! Got no idea I’m from Australia lol thanks tho!

      Reply
  3. Eaglestar says

    November 09, 2018 at 5:45 am

    Sure would be nice to know how many servings this will make. 2? 4?

    Reply
    • Charla says

      November 10, 2018 at 9:15 pm

      Serves roughly 4 people.

      Reply
  4. Victoria P says

    September 07, 2018 at 8:48 pm

    5 stars
    I doubled this recipe and served it to a large group. We were preparing a build your own burrito bowl type meal. This recipe was just one option for the beans they could choose from, however, mine were the ones that were devoured!!! People kept coming back for more. Thank you for the recipe! (confession: because I was short on time, I used canned black beans. Today, I’m making this again and using dried beans I’m preparing in my pressure cooker)

    Reply
    • Charla says

      September 07, 2018 at 8:55 pm

      Yay!! So glad your crew enjoyed the recipe. Yes canned beans work too and pressure cooker the dried beans will save even more time. I need to update this recipe very soon to reflect these options.

      Reply
    • Gabe B. says

      September 14, 2021 at 4:12 am

      5 stars
      Hello Charla, I don't know how old you are but I'm almost 60 yoa (and I'm also Cuban). I can tell you that I have seen many people add a little cane sugar to the recipe, hence not been uncommon. What caught my attention on this recipe is the fact that olive oil was not listed as the main cooking oil, when it should be. I have never seen any Cuban use coconut oil or any other for the recipe. Nonetheless, if it does not alter the taste I guess you can use it. Other than that it looks good to me. Enjoy.
      Ps: if you want to try those beans in a different way, place them in a blender, make a puree (you might have to add a little water to make them creamier) and you'll be hooked with the results...simply delicious.

      Reply
      • Charla says

        September 14, 2021 at 7:02 am

        Thanks for commenting and sharing your tip in respect to blending the beans.

        Reply
  5. Rose says

    May 19, 2018 at 9:34 pm

    4 stars
    look delicious! I just visited Cuba and got an awesome recipe for black bean stew (potaje). check it out 🙂 100% vegan too

    Reply
  6. Richard Ruth says

    February 24, 2018 at 3:24 am

    5 stars
    OK. I stumbked across this recipe and it looks yummy. But you gotta get an instant pot. I made black beans without presoaking them in 7 minutes. I am not kidfing you. This happened a week ago and i am still in shock.

    Reply
    • Charla says

      February 24, 2018 at 11:02 am

      Thank you! Since posting this recipe I now use my pressure cooker to cook the entire recipe which comes together in 30minutes. If I didn't have a pressure cooker I would have purchased an instant pot as they are practically the same thing. Seven minutes is very impressive!!

      Reply
  7. Sonia says

    August 09, 2017 at 12:48 am

    Hi! I tried these and loved the recipe, thanks! Just wondering, do you happen to know if this would work in a crock pot? Would I need to decrease the water?

    Reply
    • Charla says

      August 09, 2017 at 10:40 am

      Hi Sonia. I havent hopped on the crock pot band wagon yet so i honestly don't know how you would adjust accordingly to yield the same results. I have made a note of your query and will hopefully do some trial and error this month.

      Reply
  8. Kim says

    November 06, 2016 at 4:44 am

    5 stars
    I think this is a perfect protein dish for vegans. I will give a try this weekend for sure!

    Reply
    • Charla says

      November 06, 2016 at 8:34 am

      I hope you like it

      Reply
  9. Jolie says

    July 04, 2016 at 12:58 pm

    Will definitely be giving these a try. I've been using black beans more commonly (admittedly in mexican dishes) these days, and keen to try a cuban spin on it!

    One question for you Charla, do you know if the black beans are a different type between say an asian grocery store and anywhere else? I've been getting my dried black beans from the local chinatown, they are just labelled as 'back beans'.

    Reply
    • Charla says

      July 04, 2016 at 3:38 pm

      Hi Jolie, Thank you for the compliment. There should be no difference between the black beans, they are all the same and certainly a lot more cheaper in their dry form.

      Reply
  10. Natasha @ Salt and Lavender says

    June 28, 2016 at 3:16 pm

    These look so good! I need more black beans in my life. Pinning!

    Reply
    • Charlene says

      June 28, 2016 at 8:31 pm

      Thanks Natasha

      Reply
  11. Suchi @elegantmeraki says

    June 24, 2016 at 10:40 pm

    5 stars
    Never tried Cuban beans, looks like I just a spoon to dig in.

    Reply
    • Charla says

      June 24, 2016 at 10:56 pm

      Thank you!

      Reply
      • laura says

        June 28, 2016 at 7:56 pm

        5 stars
        Charla

        I was very impressed by the ingredient list but please loose the sugar. We cubans do not add sugar to our black beans, ever!!!! Then let us know which version you like the best!!! cheers

        Reply
        • Charla says

          June 28, 2016 at 8:28 pm

          Hi Laura, thank you. I will modify the ingredients list accordingly.

          Reply
          • Alex says

            November 08, 2021 at 11:12 pm

            4 stars
            Love it! Added extra water by mistake and had. soup!

          • Charla says

            November 08, 2021 at 11:13 pm

            No problem! it's very versatile anyway but thank you Alex.

  12. Lisa @ Garlicandzest.com says

    June 24, 2016 at 10:40 pm

    I love good black beans and yours look absolutely mouthwatering! I could live off of them too!

    Reply
    • Charla says

      June 24, 2016 at 10:57 pm

      Hahaha me and you both Lisa

      Reply
  13. Kylee from Kylee Cooks says

    June 24, 2016 at 9:56 pm

    We're big fans of black beans here, too! That is a gorgeous presentation!

    Reply
    • Charla says

      June 24, 2016 at 11:02 pm

      Aww what a lovely comment Kylee, thank you!

      Reply
  14. Mary says

    June 24, 2016 at 9:45 pm

    I love a good pot of black beans! (I could pretty much live on the them too!)

    Reply
    • Charla says

      June 24, 2016 at 10:57 pm

      You're apart of the black bean crew, that's awesome!

      Reply
  15. The Food Hunter says

    June 24, 2016 at 9:43 pm

    Always my favorite at Cuban restaurants,

    Reply
    • Charla says

      June 24, 2016 at 10:58 pm

      Yay! Mine too

      Reply
4.88 from 16 votes (5 ratings without comment)

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Hey, I'm Charla!

I'm an avid Caribbean foodie. Welcome to the haven of gluten and dairy free recipes as well as modernised healthier alternatives to some of your favourite Caribbean recipes.

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