Black Bean Recipes

By Food & Wine
Updated February 08, 2019
Credit: © Todd Porter & Diane Cu
From spicy Southwestern salsa and pepper jack burritos to steamed tofu and quinoa, these incredible recipes highlight black beans and how the nutritious staple can be added to lots of family favorites. Try cooking the beans in an Instant Pot. Or, keep some olive oil, bell peppers, some bay leaves, and chicken broth along with your favorite brand of black beans in the pantry—and you can have a delicious main course, great side dishes, and even a delicious staple like black beans and rice ready to eat in 20 minutes or so.
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Vegetarian Chili with Barley, Quinoa and Beans

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Zoe Nathan makes this healthy and not-at-all-spicy chili with grains, carrots, mushrooms and beans for tons of great texture. She serves it with classic chili toppings: cilantro, sour cream and shredded cheese.

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Spicy Black Beans and Rice

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Simple white rice is topped with soupy, delicious black beans in this Mexican side dish.

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Black-Bean-and-Quinoa-Falafel Sandwiches

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This tasty riff on a falafel sandwich uses black beans and quinoa in place of chickpeas.

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Baby Back Ribs with Black Beans and Scallions

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These phenomenal ribs from Andrew Zimmern are braised indoors on the stovetop and are spicy, savory and a bit sweet.

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Black Bean Salad with Scallions

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This simple black bean salad is loaded with scallions and fresh lime juice.

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Cheddar-Cheese Grits with Spicy Black Beans

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Southern and Southwestern ingredients unite in this sustaining meal of beans, peppers, and tomatoes over the best grits you will ever eat. If you don't have the quick-cooking variety, use regular and follow the instructions on the package.

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Sherried Black Bean Soup with Shrimp

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Living in Miami, surrounded by Cuban culture, chef Michelle Bernstein has grown to love black beans, particularly in thick and chunky black bean soup. She makes a silky version by adding cream to the beans, then blending them until frothy.

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Black Bean Burgers

Credit: © Cedric Angeles
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Most veggie burgers are a pale imitation of the all-beef original, but even with ordinary black beans in place of Rancho Gordo Midnight beans, these robust patties with roasted red pepper spread are moist and delicious. The spread doubles as a fantastic dipping sauce for French fries.

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Soft Pork Tacos with Spicy Black Beans

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Black beans are rich in cholesterol-lowering fiber and loaded with protein, as is pork tenderloin, a very lean cut. Chef Nichole Birdsall uses chiles from her garden to give the beans a spicy kick.

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Black Bean Soup with Crispy Tortillas

Credit: © Yunhee Kim
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This ultrasimple soup requires little more than a couple of cans of black beans, some onion and a bit of cumin. A topping of fried tortillas (or store-bought chips) adds an extra crunch.

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Cavatappi with Chorizo and Black Beans

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The full, earthy Tex-Mex flavors of chorizo, black beans and chili blend perfectly, if somewhat unexpectedly, with corkscrew-shaped macaroni.

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Zucchini, Corn, Black-Bean, and Jack-Cheese Quesadillas

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The grated zucchini and defrosted frozen corn that fill these tasty quesadillas contain a lot of moisture. Drain them on paper towels for a few minutes before using; otherwise, you'll end up with soggy tortillas. Serve the quesadillas with spicy salsa.

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Black Bean-and-Quinoa Salad

Credit: © Keller & Keller
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Ken Oringer believes chefs need to make a point of eating healthy dishes when they can, so he includes protein-rich quinoa in his diet at least three times a week. Here he mixes the grain with black beans, onions and peppers to make a hearty and very satisfying side dish that's a fun variation on prosaic five-bean salad.

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Mexican Pizza

Credit: © Pernille Pedersen
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Deconstructed nachos were the inspiration behind this fun pizza. Made with chili-spiced black-bean puree, tomatoes, olives, shredded lettuce and low-fat Jack cheese on a whole-wheat crust, the pie also gets a little low-fat sour cream (that nacho staple) on top.

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Octopus with Black Bean-Pear Sauce

Credit: © Michael Turek
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Chef Eric Ripert is a master at weaving together unexpected ingredients, like this tender charred octopus with a sauce of salty fermented black beans and sweet pear. Finding a wine pairing for such a complex dish, however, is a challenge. "It needs a very aromatic wine, just to stand up to all the flavors," says wine expert Aldo Sohm.

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Steamed Tofu with Shrimp and Black Bean Sauce

Credit: © Tina Rupp
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Corinne Trang, author of Essentials of Asian Cuisine, offers this pungent, garlicky take on the Chinese dish of tofu stuffed with shrimp in black bean sauce. The shrimp here are stir-fried just until they curl and served alongside firm tofu.

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Black Bean Soup with Avocado Salsa

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Black beans, often served in a soup or stew, have been a mainstay of Mexican cuisine for thousands of years. Black-bean soup is also popular in the Caribbean, where rum, sherry, or peppered wine is often added toward the end of cooking. We add the sherry somewhat earlier in this version, which combines elements of both traditions.

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Chicken Burritos with Black-Bean Salsa and Pepper Jack

Credit: © Todd Porter & Diane Cu
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Pepper Jack cheese looks innocent enough but adds a nice kick to these burritos. If you prefer a milder taste, use regular Jack instead.

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