This Black Beans Recipe tastes like authentic Mexican black beans. They’re healthy, vegan, and my kids LOVE them with rice and all the toppings! Enjoy them on Taco Night or as a side with my Chicken and Spinach Enchiladas!

Cooked Black beans in a large pot. A wooden spoon is in the beans, and it is sprinkled with cilantro. Text overlay says, "Spicy Citrus Black Beans."

When I first started this blog, my husband told me he HATED beans.

After he declared his hatred, I told him that if he wanted to keep our budget at $350/month, he’d have to learn to tolerate them.

Somehow we found middle ground by adding them to recipes like minestrone soup and tortilla soup and southwestern salad.

Now he ASKS for this black beans recipe almost every week. My how times have changed!

This black bean recipe is absolutely delicious, and I know your family will agree!

Cooked black beans recipe in a bowl with spices like chili powder, garlic, salt, oregano, cumin, and sage. The beans are covered with chopped jalepeno and onions.

Our Favorite Black Beans Recipe

Name: Our Favorite Black Beans Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil; 1 onion, diced finely; 1 jalapeno, diced finely; 1 Tbsp chili powder; 1 Tbsp chipotle pepper sauce (from canned chipotle peppers); 1 ½ tsp dried oregano; 1 ½ tsp cumin; 1 ½ tsp garlic powder; 1 tsp dried sage; 1 tsp salt; 3 cups cooked black beans (or (2) 15 oz cans, drained and rinsed three times) (*how to cook beans in the instant pot HERE, and how to cook beans in the slow cooker HERE).; 1 ½ – 2 cups water; 2 Tbsp frozen orange juice concentrate; 1 Tbsp lime juice (or ½ lime, juiced); 1 Tbsp rice wine vinegar

Not only is this recipe our family’s favorite beans recipe, it’s also amazing because it’s:

Super simple, easy, and delicious!
Frugal
Vegetarian & vegan
Gluten free

What are the ingredients in healthy black beans?

extra virgin olive oil
onions and garlic powder
oregano + cumin + dried sage
jalapeno
chili powder (homemade chili powder)
chipotle pepper sauce (from canned chipotle peppers)
salt
cooked black beans (Instant Pot beans, and slow cooker beans). (Or (2) 15 oz cans)
water
frozen orange juice concentrate
lime juice
rice wine vinegar

Notes:

Some people also add bay leaves when cooking beans. You can always do that when you cook the beans themselves. People tend to like the aroma and depth of flavor that bay leaves impart. They are also said to aid in digestion and to tenderize the beans. Remember to remove the bay leaf before adding the beans to this recipe.
You might like to use homemade chicken broth rather than water, which is a great option. I just prefer using water for this recipe.

These Spicy Citrus black beans in a large pot, sprinkled with cilantro with a wooden spoon stirring.

How to Cook Black Beans for This Recipe

Our favorite black beans recipe starts with cooked black beans. I’ve tried doing the entire thing, starting with dried black beans in the Instant Pot, but it just didn’t have the oomph that the original method did. That’s why I’m recommending starting with cooked black beans.

Personally, I prefer to cook my black beans in the Instant Pot. This is my original recipe for Instant Pot beans, and it’s fail-proof if you’re making just one pound of black beans.

I make two pounds of beans at one time though, since I have this 8 quart DUO Instant Pot. Doubling the recipe requires one minor change: allow the pressure to release naturally and completely, instead of using the quick pressure release.

If you don’t have an Instant Pot, you can follow my method for slow cooker beans, or this method for cooking beans on the stove-top.

If you don’t have an Instant Pot or slow cooker, or you don’t want or have the ability to cook beans on the stove-top, you can start with canned black beans.

How to Make the Best Mexican Black Beans Recipe

Warm the olive oil over medium heat in a medium sized stock pot.
Add the onion and jalapeno and cook until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes.
Add the spices and beans and 1 ½ cups water and bring to a boil.
Stir and turn the heat down to a simmer and let the beans cook for about 45-60 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding the remaining ½ cup of water if the mixture becomes too thick.
Turn off the heat and add the orange juice, lime juice and vinegar and stir well. Serve warm.

Can you freeze black beans?

Yes! This black beans recipe is freezer-friendly! The beans will thicken, so I recommend freezing them in glass jars as opposed to freezer bags. If you follow my method in this post for freezing in glass jars without breaking them, you’ll be good to go.

To thaw the beans from frozen, place them in the refrigerator on a kitchen towel (to catch any condensation) to thaw overnight. So by the time dinner comes, you can pour them into a pot and warm them in the oven.

Spicy Citrus black beans in a large pot, sprinkled with cilantro with a wooden spoon.

How to Serve Our Favorite Black Beans Recipe

Most often, we make this black bean recipe on a “beans and rice” night. I make Instant Pot brown rice and these black beans and then pull out ALL of the taco toppings…

Shredded cheese
Salsa (try my homemade salsa)
Olives
Corn (try my southwest corn recipe)
Bell peppers
Avocado
Diced onion
Cherry tomatoes
Cilantro & lime
Shredded lettuce
Tortilla chips (try my homemade tortilla chips)
Sour cream (try my homemade lime crema)

I love how my family GOES TO TOWN when I make this, and to be honest, IT’S JUST TOO EASY!

We’ve also had these served as a side dish next to chicken and spinach enchiladas, migas, scrambled eggs, quesadillas and pretty much any other Mexican-inspired meal.

More Easy Mexican-style Recipes

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