Mexican Black Beans

Mexican black beans,  also known as frijoles negros are a tasty, bold and easy dish from the heart of Mexico! Inspired by our love for Mexican recipes, here’s a step by step and delicious way to enjoy Mexican black beans in a snap! Serve them as the perfect main, side dish, burritos or pair them with endless tacos!

 We had some Mexican black beans or frijoles negros the first time with some tacos. It was that creamy, tangy, spicy, punchy thing that stood out. So we made a few varieties and we have finally LOVED this one!

You’ve probably seen them with our Flank Steak Tacos, because that’s exactly how we had them the first time. They’re not just great for tacos, they make great burritos, bowls (Fajita Bowl), or served on their own with chips.

What Are Mexican Black Beans?

Mexican black beans are also called Frijoles Negros in Spanish and they are a traditional bean dish made from black turtle beans simmered with aromatic vegetables and seasonings until tender and flavorful.

These beans are enjoyed across Mexico and Latin America and are often seasoned with garlic, onion, herbs like epazote or cilantro, and simple spices such as cumin and chili powder. They can be served whole with broth, mashed as a side, or incorporated into enchiladas, tacos, burritos, rice bowls and more.

Why You’ll Love Frijoles Negros

• TASTY and delicious dish! So many beautiful seasonings and aromatics wrap up the black beans.
• These black beans are so easily served as a vegetarian main dish.
• They’re equally perfect as an appetizer with chips and make a great side dish. Try them with our Pita Chips or Homemade Potato Chips, or store bought tortilla chips.
• You can load them with toppings like  Guacamole, Homemade Salsa, sour cream and more!
• Likewise, they make the best filing for tacos, bowls, burritos or burrito bowl, taquitos,  Flautas, Quesadillas, tostados and more!
• This recipe is nutritious, high in fiber, plant protein, and micronutrients.
• I’s easily customizable, you can make it as saucy or dried as you prefer. And you can make it mild or as spicy as you prefer!
• You can also add some chicken, beef, lamb or any extra protein here if you like to!
• Affordable and quick recipe, especially if using canned black beans. Beans are are budget friendly and nutritious.
• Make ahead friendly recipe, so it’s perfect for meal prep.

 Ingredients You’ll Need

• Black beans. Traditional and authentic type of beans you need here. And you can use canned black beans or dried beans. Both cooking methods are included below.
• Olive oil (or neutral oil). To cook the aromatics
• Onion and Garlic. The base of the Mexican black beans recipe.
• Jalapeño or Serrano pepper. Optional, for heat and spice.
• Seasoning: Ground cumin, Mexican oregano, Chipotle or chili powder , red pepper flakes (optional), Salt and black pepper
• Tomatoes. Canned crushed tomatoes, whole tomatoes or of course fresh!
• Stock or broth. You can use water.
• Fresh cilantro. Lots and lots of that!
• Lime juice. A final squeeze of lime juice brings the dish together

How to Make Mexican Black Beans

Below are two methods for making Mexican black beans recipe step by step. Whether you use dried black beans or canned black beans, the aromatics and flavoring remain the same. The amount of liquid is the real difference because dried beans will require more, and will cook for longer.

Classic Mexican Black Beans (From Scratch)

1. Soak the beans  the night before. While it’s optional, it’s actually very much recommended. Cover the dried black beans with water and soak overnight or at least 6 hours. Soaking reduces cooking time and helps even texture.
2. Drain and rinse the next day, and follow the recipe below.

Quick Mexican Black Beans (Using Canned Beans)

1. Rinse canned black beans in a sieve until the water runs clear.
2. Heat a some oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add chopped onion, garlic and optional jalapeño until fragrant and softened.
3. You don’t wanna rush this step, like ever! Having golden sautéed onions creates the best deep rich sweet onion flavor in your black beans. If the onions aren’t well cooked, they will overpower the taste.
4. Now add in the tomatoes and seasoning to the sauce pan and sauté for a couple of minutes to enrich the flavor.
5. Also add in the stock or water, and cook the sauce until it becomes fragrant.
6. If you’re using dried beans, you’ll add them at that point with the tomatoes with plenty of liquid and cook. You need to cover the beans by 2-3 inches.
7. While if you have canned beans, add them after the tomato sauce has simmer for a bit. This is because canned beans are already cooked and we don’t want them to get mushy.
8. Now you’re going to simmer the black beans over low heat to absorb all the base flavors.
9. Finish with a squeeze of lime and plenty of cilantro. We love that perfect thick texture as you can see above and in the video. It’s absolute comfort food with a kick of spice and zest.
10. You can however make the black beans recipe to be saucier if that’s your taste. The thickness sometimes depends what you’re serving it with or if you’re having it as a main dish.

Tips for Mexican Black Beans Recipe

1. Soak the dried beans if using. Soaking reduces overall cooking time and helps beans cook more evenly.
2. Add salt late, again espeically for dried beans. That’s because salt will toughen the beans when added early on in the cooking process.
3. When starting the sauce, make sure the onions are well browned before adding in the stock and tomatoes. This enhances the base flavor of the sauce.
4. Control the spice level to your taste. We added chillies and jalapeños at the start and the end, you can skip one or both. We also added chipotle peppers. You can remove the seeds for a less spicy dish.
5. The amount of liquid used depends on the beans you have, dried or canned, soaked or not. Make sure to have enough water or liquid to cover at least 2-3 inches of the pot.
6. Canned beans are best added towards the end to avoid them mushing up in the sauce entirely.
7. For an extra creamy Mexican black beans, you can mash some of the beans into the sauce while leaving other whole.
8. While this dish is brightened by cilantro, feel free to use parsley  if you can’t do cilantro.
9. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for 4-5 days in the fridge. The make a great taco filling the next day!

Variations For Frijoles Negros

• Spicy black beans.Add chipotle peppers in adobo, one more jalapeño or extra chili for a smoky heat.
• Black bean soup. Blend part of the beans with broth for a silky soup base like this Sweet Potato Black Bean Soup
• Frijoles de la olla: A more authentic broth forward style with simple aromatics like epazote and bay leaf.
• Charro style beans: Add bacon, sausage, tomato and cilantro for a heartier version.

What are frijoles negros?

Frijoles negros translates to “black beans” in Spanish and refers to cooked black beans seasoned and prepared in Mexican and Latin American cuisines.

Can I use canned beans?

Yes. Canned beans are a quick way to prepare flavorful Mexican black beans without soaking or long cooking

How long does it take to cook dried beans?

After soaking, dried black beans usually simmer for about 1.5-2 hours until tender.

What spices are essential?

Most essential spices and seasoning are: cumin, chilli powder, oregano and optionally bay leaf. The most refreshing herb is  cilantro and a final lime juice drizzle brightens the beans.

Are Mexican black beans healthy?

Yes. Beans are rich in fiber, protein, iron and micronutrients, and are naturally gluten free and vegan.

Can I freeze black beans?

Yes. Cooked black beans freeze well in airtight containers for up to 3 months. Reheat it in a small pot with 1 tablespoon of water over low heat. Or you can microwave it.

Taco Recipes

Birria Tacos
Flank Steak Tacos
Ground Beef Tacos
Ground Chicken Tacos
Lamb Tacos
Salmon Tacos
Mahi Mahi Tacos
Air Fryer Fish For Air Fryer Fish Tacos
Taco Salad

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